Read-Aloud: What It Looks Like In Our House
7/9/2020 NOTE: This is an unpublished and unfinished post I wrote in September 2017. It is not how read-alouds look in our home right now, but it is fun to reminisce about what it was like a few years ago! Presently, I read to the three oldest boys right before they have "quiet time" in their rooms. (We are working our way through the Little House series.) I read to Theo throughout the day whenever I can find an opportunity and always (always, always) before bedtime. He is beginning to enjoy the books from Sarah Mackenzie's monthly picture book lists.
I have two favorite parts to my day. The first part is when Dan comes home from work. Usually, before he's put down his briefcase, I fling an arm around his neck, give him a quick peck on the cheek, and hand him the baby, so I can finish getting dinner on the table. (Haha, my poor hubby doesn't get much of a transition between work and home.)
The other best part of my day is just before our "quiet time" when I read aloud to the boys. The Lord designed us to love a good story in any format (oral narration, book, television, movie, podcast, etc.) and there's just something incredibly special about sharing good narratives with the people whom we love the most. In the summertime, we head out to the front porch, so we can sip on lemonade and voyage the seas with Long John Silver. Before bed, we steep tea and snuggle in Mommy and Daddy's big bed as we step into the wardrobe with Lucy and Edmund.
Our family read-aloud time looks different as the boys move in and out of different states of maturity, but here's what it looks like right now:
Shane (age 9)
- Just before "quiet time," Shane reads for at least 45 minutes a book of his choice. (Right now, he's into Harry Potter.)
- After the littles are in bed, I read to Shane. Right now, we're reading the literature suggestions from our Classical Conversations Essentials program. (First on the list is The Witch of Blackbird Pond, which we are both really enjoying so far!)
- He also reads by flashlight in his bed until he feels sleepy. 🙂
Conner (age 6)
-Just before "quiet time," I read Conner one or two picture books. (I use Sarah Mackenzie's monthly picture booklist to keep the book basket in the living room full.)
-After the littles are in bed, Dan reads to Conner a chapter or two from a book suggested by Conner's writing curriculum, Writing with Ease. Right now, they are reading The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi.
Logan (age 3)
-Just before "quiet time," I read Conner one or two picture books. (For the sake of efficiency and because they both still enjoy picture books, I read to Conner and Logan at the same time.)
-Just before bed, Dan reads a picture book or two, usually from the bookshelf in Logan's room.
Theo (age 10 months)
-Before each nap, I read Theo a board book. At this point, the only ones he tolerates are the touch-and-feel books.
During the summer, I was delighted to discover that Conner had reached a listening level at which I could read to both him and Shane at the same time! I took full advantage of this and read several great books to Shane and Conner, including Tuck Everlasting,
