One of my favorite times of the day is story time....right before bedtime. The kids are all snugly in pj's and cozy next to me. Or, they are wiggly and talkative. It's always a bit of both.
It's been a challenge the last few years to have story time with a wide range of ages. The big boys like a chapter books. The little ones like picture books. Some of the kids can sit very still and listen....some (Sis) wiggle and talk and run off.
Cam and I have tried different things like splitting up and each taking separate kids to read. But, lately it has mostly worked to have everyone in the living room to sit and listen to the same story. I try to read the younger kids books during the day or right before we settle for the main story.
We just finished reading Charlotte's Web. I loved it! The kids did too. I figured out along the way how to best get the little ones (Sis) to sit and listen. Get a rope! No, just kidding....a little. These are the rules:
1. Pick a place to sit, you have to stay there the whole story time. NO getting up.
2. No talking. Thank you.
3. Sis MUST sit next to me. :)
With these simple rules it goes much smoother. When someone gets chatty I just give them my Teacher Look. Cam really appreciates getting The Look.
Back to the story. Love, love, love. What a beautiful story. I love the characters. I love the descriptions of the farm and of the changing seasons. The friendships are moving. And yes, I cried at the end.
It made things extra special that while reading the story we had two big spiders right outside our picture window in the living room. For weeks we watched them catch bugs in their webs...and grow fatter. The kids were fascinated watching the spiders working on their webs.
A couple of nights the little ones would drop off to sleep while listening. Sis just wiggles, jumps, twists, spins, shouts right up until the moment you make her sit still and then she is out! Story time has been a great quiet end to the day.
Sweet baby boy all tuckered out from school and hard playing all day long.
A Kairos moment. We were getting in the car at the preschool and saw these beautiful webs. The morning dew was making them glisten...just like in Charlotte's Web. My cell phone camera does not do them justice.
Other recent Kairos moments:
I got lost looking into my sweet girl's milk chocolate eyes. Beautiful!
The thick fog blanketing the islands outside my bedroom window.
We are trying to decide what to read next. What are your favorite books to read your kids?
We always read books. Sometimes Keith would join in to do a "silent reading" competition...you asre right, though, it IS challenging to have the age range in finding a book that holds everyones attention. I loved the reading "Little House" books by Laura Ingals Wilder. And, as Cam can tell you, some of the books we read didn't have the sunny-happy endings but ending that reflected some aspect of real life. So glad you are reading to your family!
ReplyDeleteOh, and I forgot to add that I love "The Boxcar Children" series. I used to read that to my children. And, did I mention, I adore the library!
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