Friday, January 23, 2009
Now why didn't I think of this earlier?
This week we started a wonderful new bed time ritual. Usually bedtime is a challenge for me. Lately I barely have enough patience to pray with the kids and kiss them good night. I knew I was missing precious quality time opportunities, but all my body could say was, "Please! Plop me down in front of the TV and give me sweet, sweet, brainless activity!" Well, thanks to Mike and his New Years Resolution chart...(more on that later) This week my goal was to spend more time with the girls at bed time. My first intention was to obey their every bedtime command. I was gearing up and sharpening my nails for hours of back tickling, singing and creative story telling. Then I remembered a favorite bed time ritual from my childhood. My Mom would read to us. I have done lots of picture book reading with my kids, but we had never done a chapter book together. I decided to give it a try. We love it! Every night this week we have read at least two chapters from Where the Red Fern Grows. It's such a wonderful way to unwind at the end of the day. I love seeing my kids sprawled out on my bed listening to me read. I love the far off looks in their eyes as they are conger up images of Billy Colman scouring the Ozark Mountains, searching for "Mr. Ringtail". It's music to my ears when I hear the girls beg, "just one more chapter....please mom?" It's also great because Ellie usually falls asleep during our reading time. (She is usually the one that initiates "night games" after I leave the room.) I am slightly concerned about my kids reaction to the sad ending. I remember my fifth grade teacher crying as she read it to us. Then a little later, reading it to myself (under our ping pong table) I remember crying like a baby. I hope I can get through it this time around. I guess there's nothing wrong with a few tears over some good coon huntin' dogs. I do know that I plan on continuing this ritual as long as the girls enjoy it. Does anyone have any suggestions for our next book?
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15 comments:
I can't wait until the boys are a little older so we can do that too. I have to summarize the longer picture books as it is.
Our teacher read us that book when I was in 5th grade too...and we all cried. Did you know there is a movie of it? For your next book you could read Twilight! No? Ok, ok...how about any of the Roald Dahl books. He writes some great stories. If you ever need to borrow something, you are more than welcome to come to the "used to be an elementary school teacher" library. :)
I think your girls would LOVE Anne of Green Gables. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett should be a huge hit with your own little princesses. It is such a good book and then you all could watch the Shirley Temple movie - so good!
I love this idea and I can't wait until Eden is a little older and I can do it too.
Jill, I love doing this too. Sometimes Scott will get after me because I'll read way too many chapters and keep the girls up too late. Right now Eden and I are reading Anne of Green Gables and she loves it. It's a little advanced for Maya though. Some of our favorites have been: The Little House series, The Boxcar Children, Secret Garden, The American Girl series, The Mouse and the Motorcycle, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sarah Plain and Tall and The Borrowers. I started the Narnia books, but after one chapter decided to wait a couple of years. A lot of tension in those. After Anne, I want to try Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, and Scott wants to read them My Side of The Mountain. We really like books from the historical fiction section in our library. We found one called Charlotte's Rose about a Mormon pioneer. I had to edit just a bit because I don't want my girls thinking about the maturation process of a young woman quite yet! The great thing about this idea is that it really is fun for the reader. As much as I enjoyed reading If You Give a Mouse a Cookie 215 times, it is nice to open a book that I'm excited about. Happy Reading!
Sarah
Evan having younger kids and doing the picture books with the short stories. My kids steel love it! It definitely has made bed time easier. They love it so much that when they are not minding during the day. I tell them there not having story time tonight if they don't mind and they turn around and do what they are suppose to. It's great! I remember watching "Ann Of Green Gables" it was such a great story your girls would love it. It comes as a series, so it will keep them interested for awhile.
We are on the 7th Harry Potter book (Just the boys- Emma still gets picture books) and we have all loved every minute of it. I would highly recommend the whole series. I've also heard the Chronicles of Narnia are great- we hope to read those next. I have really enjoyed reading to them each night. I'm always kindof sad when they fall asleep because I want to keep reading! Then, theres always Sweet Valley High! J/K
My kids LOVED ALL the little house on the Praire books. What I did was make them brush teeth, pray and the whole night time routine and then Kyle or I would sit in the hall between their rooms and read loud with only the hall light on. That way they did it all fast and then I could read without thinking I would have to move them or anything when they got tired. You could move that awesome new lazy boy up to your hall and have a great time...I bet Mike could even fashion you up a sound system of sorts. Only then you cant see their little faces when you read but on the up side, they are free to cry in their room with no shame.
Awesome bedtime routine. We used to read books alot more when they kids were littler. But then two books per child became 8 books, etc. So we had to discontinue. I'm proud of you for putting a different spin on it, I'll have to try it your way, sounds like it works!
Fun tradition! I was reading all the great suggestions from your friends...love them. I loved the Black Stallion series and Misty of Chincoteague (I know your girls love animals). I think the Junie B. Jones series would be a giggle for them, too.
What a great idea. I read chapter books with McKaylee but I know the others would love it too. McKenzee loved The Boxcar Children when she was younger. That was a favorite of mine. My mom has that book from when she was a child and the grandkids can't wait until they are old enough to borrow it from her. I am going to try this. Thanks for the idea.
The Goose Girl is a great one. It was written by Shannon Hale and she is from Utah. We love to do this too and I am currently reading Leven Thumps. It is a little scary, but my boys are loving it. We have also read Father and I were Ranchers, by Ralph Moody. It is based on a true story and very good, but it may be more of a boy one so you might have to save it for Jack.
We have a rule that if their room is not clean by 8:30, I can't read. It has helped so much on keeping things tidy.
We love reading at bedtime too and find that it is the best way for the kids to unwind. I would have to agree that "Anne of Green Gables" would be good, Tennis Shoes among the Nephites and I always liked the Judy Bloom books because I remember my brother and I giggling on the bed whole my mom would read them to us. What fun, motherhood adventures!:)
We love reading at bedtime too and find that it is the best way for the kids to unwind. I would have to agree that "Anne of Green Gables" would be good, Tennis Shoes among the Nephites and I always liked the Judy Bloom books because I remember my brother and I giggling on the bed while my mom would read them to us. What fun, motherhood adventures!:)
Remember The Box Car Children series? You kids really enjoyed those. Good for you in sacrificing some down time for this valuable activity.
Mom
anne of green gables!!! my mom and i used to read it every day and every night in the summer! it was very exsiteing and peaceful to listen to!! its a great book for girls!!! i loved it! also you could read them the nancy drew books. :) oh! i just looked down to the other comments....mostly all of them said anne of green gables....oh well its a great book seris! :)
We've read bunches of books as a family. Fablehaven (maybe a little too scary for the young'uns), Chronicles of Narnia, Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites. The Odyssey, The Iliad and The Antiquities of the Jews have also been family favorites...
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