Reading: Share the Joy Constantly: Part II
7. Give books and magazines as gifts. Magazines and books are wonderful presents because you can always find something to suit a child's interests and reading level. For every holiday that requires gifts, our children receive at least one book or magazine. I also give my childrens' teachers books or magazine subscriptions for their classrooms and the kids help pick them out. They love the opportunity to share their favorites with their teachers and the future students of those teachers. This elevates the stature of books and magazines and the teachers are very appreciative.
8. Schedule time for the children to read every day and stick to it. This can be difficult given how busy everyone's schedule tends to be. We do our best to have the kids go to bed early enough to read before they go to sleep, but sports and homework often interfere with our good intentions. I make sure that they have time to read on the weekends to make up for this, but my preference is to have them read daily. I found that this was particularly important when the kids were in first through fifth grades. Reading is a skill that requires practice. We cut back on after school activities to make sure that the kids had as much time as they needed for both homework and reading. The message must be clear: Reading is as essential as brushing your teeth.
9. Cut television time. I have heard so many child experts say this, but I know there are many kids out there still watching a lot of TV or playing a lot of video games. In our house we do not allow television on school nights. The kids can watch TV on the weekends, but only if they've finished all chores, homework, and have done some reading. If the books are good, however, they often forget about watching TV (yes, you read that correctly. They actually forget about television).
10. Read the books your children recommend. It is so easy to read a book that your child is excited about and it gives them great pleasure to know that you value their opinion enough to take the time to read one of their favorites. The variety and quality of children's books today is much greater than it was when we parents were children. You will be pleasantly surprised if you haven't read any children's books in recent years. An added benefit in this is getting to know your children very well through the books they love.
Take your children to museums. What does this have to do with reading? Plenty. Museums can enhance your child's reading experience. At the Gene Autry Museum, children can see a stagecoach, steamer trunks, glassware, iron skillets, toys, and numerous other everyday items used by the pioneers. When children then read the Laura Ingall Wilder series, for example, they will have a different reading experience, one that is far richer and has much more significance for them. Our local harbor had a replica of one of Christopher Columbus' ship, available for tours one weekend. Our children will never forget how small the ship was and how primitive. That tour enabled them to truly understand the mutinous attitude of the crew and the pressures Columbus felt to find land. History lessons on Columbus have never been the same. I also try to gear our museum visits to fit the school curriculum. When they studied California missions, we visited a few. California has a wealth of museums and historical sites which can make for very enjoyable family outings.
11. Take your children to plays. Plays are, in a sense, another way to have someone read to you or tell you a story. There is an enormous difference in seeing a play versus a movie. The subtle interaction between audience and actor makes every performance unique and every child should experience this. The logistics of changing scenery and costumes means that the language and action of a play carries a story differently that it does in a movie. This became clear when we had two exchange students stay with us last year, a boy and a girl who spoke excellent English, but were accustomed to using their free time to play video games, watch TV, or listen to their CD players. During the week they were busy with school activities, but the weekend loomed large before me as I debated about what to do to for entertainment. We decided to take them to see West Side Story. Prior to going, I sketched out the plot to give the children a framework for following the story. The exchange students had never been to a play and I must say that that they were not enthusiastic about seeing this one. They were, however, utterly transfixed by the performance. They both told me later that the play was their favorite part of the visit. How gratifying! Inexpensive performances abound here in the land of struggling actors. High schools, community colleges, universities - all offer relatively inexpensive theater.
These are the things that I have done over the years to ensure that our children would love to read. My efforts have paid off in many ways. As excellent readers, our children are also excellent spellers, writers, and students. They are able to entertain themselves and are interesting conversationalists. The activities I have used to encourage and enhance their reading have also provided us with quality family time. I no longer have to remind them to take books on trips as reading has become very important and natural for them. But the greatest reward, as the teacher's comment shows, is that they have heard my message and taken it to heart.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mimi Rothschild is a homeschooling parent, author, children's rights advocate, and Founder and C.E.O. of Learning by Grace, Inc. She and her husband of almost 3 decades reside with their 8 children in suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Rothschild co-founded Learning By Grace, Inc. because "our current system of education has broken its promise..." Learning By Grace, Inc. delivers Internet-based multimedia education to PreK-12 children in the United States and throughout the world.
Rothschild has authored a number of books about education published by McGraw Hill and others. Her Daily Education News Blog contains feature stories on alternatives in education.