Reading Aloud

I have been told that there are a few ways to make sure your kids are readers. 1. Read to them. 2. Encourage them to read on their own with books that interest them. 3. Let them see you, as a parent, reading on your own.

Ches and I are pretty big readers. I know I have a bit of a reputation for devouring books rather quickly (I’m a very fast reader) and I tend to read anything that is recommended to me. I love books! That’s not a secret.

A couple of years ago I decided I needed to make a change in our bedtime routine. It’s too chaotic and getting the kids to settle down at bedtime was insane. Lots of yelling and screaming and crying (and that was just me!). I hated it. Ches was gone (as usual) one evening and I had had enough. I decided to try something new. I pulled a book off the bookshelf, had the kids get in their beds (all three boys shared a room at the time), and I started to read.

The first book we read was “Holes” by Louis Sachar. I’ve read it before and so has Aiden. We have all seen the movie and really enjoyed it. I couldn’t believe how much all three boys enjoyed not just the book, but having me read to them. They would snuggle into bed and look at me expectantly with smiles on their faces, ready for me to read. Normally it is difficult to get the boys to get in bed. They are playing or watching TV or whatever and just don’t want to go to bed. However, when I said, “Get in bed… I’m going to read ‘Holes’ tonight!” they would run to their room right away. When we finished the book, we borrowed the movie from a friend and had a special “Holes” viewing night.

What to read next? I decided to read something that every kid should probably read. Something that every person should probably read. A classic of literature. And something that I have never read myself. I chose J.R.R Tolkien’s “The Hobbit”.

That’s right. I’ve never read it. Well, all the way through. I’ve tried to read it many times, but something about it… I don’t know. It’s just not my style or something. I’ve started the first Lord of the Rings, too, but again. Never made it far. It just doesn’t capture my attention or something. However, I absolutely love The Lord of the Rings movies, and since the first Hobbit movie was coming out a few months later, I wanted to actually read the book first this time. What could be better than reading an adventure/fantasy book to my little boys?

They. Loved. It. That’s right. They adored the story. They laughed. They got scared. They got excited. The Hobbit was a huge success. Also.. I love it! I’m enjoyed the story just as much as they are! Ches would tease me every so often for mispronouncing a name (seriously, Bofur? Looks like Bow-fur to me, not Bah-fur!), but I think he enjoyed me reading one of his all-time favorite books to his sons, too. It got my oldest hooked on Tolkien and Aiden has gone on to read all of the Lord of The Rings trilogy and The Simarillion.

Next we read “The Lightening Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1)” by Rick Riordan. It’s another book that Aiden has read, but it makes for such a wonderful read-aloud. I would say it’s a perfect boy book with all the adventure, but let’s be honest. Girls love it just as much. I know many of my friends with daughters who read Riordan’s books and love them just as much as my sons do.

Currently I’m reading the Harry Potter series to the boys. Specifically to Parker (he’s in 1st grade and requested that we read it together). We’re on Book 3 (Harry Potter and the Prisoner or Azkaban) right now and he is just eating it up. The other two, older boys like to sneak in and listen, too. They’ve each read the series but Harry Potter just doesn’t get old in our house.

And when I was in the hospital (having baby #4)? The boys would not allow Ches to read to them. They just wanted Mom. It became our thing, our ritual. Mom reads and the boys listen (and sometimes fall asleep) and we discuss a little bit and we get excited for the movies.

The best part? That calm period, right before bed. Where we are just hanging out. Sometimes we cuddle up on the couch. Sometimes we all sit on my bed and I start reading. My voice gets scratchy as we go through some long chapters, but heaven forbid I miss a night. No matter what happened that day, we all look forward to that half hour or so of reading together at night. I hope these are memories they will cherish into adulthood. I am certainly cherishing them now.