The following is a post from Stef.
My family loves books. Both my husband and I read for leisure. We’ve done it for so long now our oldest son enjoys reading. A fun series I recommend for 2nd/3rd graders is Capital Mysteries by Ron Roy.
We loved when they’d grab a book and climb into our laps to read before bed time. This speaks volumes to the “quality time” love language!
But something changed once my oldest could read for himself … sadly. I stopped reading to him at bed time. He never asked me to stop. I figured he could do it himself, and I had other things I could get done during that time.
Quickly we realized he was feeling a bit left out of bed time reading while his younger brother enjoyed quality time, and so we decided no one is too old to have a story read to them! We purchased a few Classic Starts (They are cheapest at Amazon, and are classics based on the original book).
Every night my husband reads out loud to the boy, and they both dig into new adventures. Some stories we had never read before because it was not “required reading” when we were in school.
And reading time is not just scheduled before bed! Recently we embarked on a field trip to Luray Caverns, VA. During the long ride up to the cave I read Journey to the Center of the Earth.
Everyone was engrossed with the story (even our 4yr old listened quietly). Wouldn’t you know – as we walked the mile tour underground we talked about the book, the characters, and the plot! Once we were finished with our field trip we couldn’t wait to crack open the book to finish!
A few benefits of reading after the “toddler years” …
- igniting imagination
- expanding vocabulary
- feeding quality time love language
- encouraging thinking outside the box habits
- less technology time for everyone
Additional Reading
- Create a Literature Rich Environment via The Homeschool Village
- Sarah Clarkson’s book Read for the Heart.
Happy Reading!
Stef is the wife of Thad and mom to two energetic superheroes in Florida! Stef is the author of Educating Laytons and co-founder of The Homeschool Village.
About Stef
I read once that you should include your children in those things you enjoy, so we have always read to our children before bedtime but I also keep a book in my purse for those times when you get an unexpected wait, such as the dentist office or check out line at the commissary or bank, well you get it and somehow I’m certain others listen along as I read aloud, lol!!!
I read a series like the Classic Starts series when I was a young reader – they were GREAT! I’ve been trying to collect these books in advance – even though our daughter is only 16 months old! Nothing like being prepared! (Or ridiculous! haha!) Thanks for the encouragement!
I love reading since I was a kid and I want my kids to love it too. I know it’s kind of difficult to make the habit but I believe when we introduce them to books since they are small, the habit will follow.