Maplewood Cottage Home-Lessons

• Dec. 2, 2008 - Storytelling

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I decided to have the boys to do some storytelling regularly. I think this will help them become better readers. Of course there are many other benefits too like entertaining younger siblings and developing memory skills.

Tim did a great job retelling the account of Moses last night -one of his favorites from the Bible.

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• Aug. 8, 2007 - Rainy Day Parade

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We had such a great time yesterday evening.

We met some friends we haven't seen for a playdate.

We played in the sand pit at the park in the drizzle!

Muddy, wet and perfect for playing. The sand was just what the kids needed to end their day.

Baths took up the rest of the evening before bed

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• Aug. 6, 2007 - Reading A loud

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A very good friend that I e mail with recently asked what I do about having story time with the children being at different maturity levels.

It was a good question worth reflecting on.

This is how I replied.

Believe it or not Sophia is a book lover already. She turns pages very well even paper pages! She does attempt to rumple and nibble them but I often have seen her turn pages carefully looking at the pictures, pointing and commenting in her baby thrills etc... for extended amounts of time, just for the pleasure of it!

We actually have a bit of an unusual set up .

Although we have a futon that we could set up as a couch we haven't for the majority of out time here. Last year after Sophia was born we set it up for the first time and then it was taken down this Spring before we did our flooring project. I have yet to have Mike feel it important to set it up.

We actually have a good sized living room 24 x 14 or so BUT we have no family room. So this is our all purpose room! We've chosen to have a large library table at one end, a computer stand ( also from the library ) at one portion of a wall, and a U shaped table in front of the baywindow ) from the elementary school that closed when they consolidated all grade levels into one new complex in our town.)
Oh, and also the play yard at the other end, walker, and low table for Lina to play blocks at with. We also lack a laundry room so occasionally my ironing board is up some where too. LOL

We have one of our three bedrooms off the living room the other two are the only rooms upstairs.

Anyway the downstairs bedroom although the smallest is used a lot. It mostly holds our KING sized bed and one wall of clothing organizers.

We read there the most. Everyone piles into the bed usually Sophia nurses but now that she is getting older she nurses less and less and sets with her baby board books. Lina and Tim I usually can keep fairly calm with a stack of picture books. Timmy often needs to step out of the room and play toys on the floor in the living room. He needs more action then Luke. Lina often will play dolls or whatever near by on the floor if not in the bed.

Honestly, we DO have many times that it has to be cut short because of bad behavior.

Imagine trying to read, a baby expecting to be nursed ~ meaning you need to lie on your side and relax enough to do so, BUT you have a toddler that keeps fighting to be the one next to you and a K poking at, rolling on top of, and wrestling your 1st grader who VERY much wants to have the reading.
Luke and I are so similar in personality we could read for hours a day if allowed to. He often gets upset when he has to give up that time ( temporarily ) because of the behavior of the younger ones. Of course we have those good times where everyone is relaxed and we can either read one story book after another after another or even a longer chapter book a few chapters at a time.
Sometimes we are able to read around ten am, two am, four am, and then also in the evening at bed time. But more often just one or two of those times actually work out.
I am amazed at how much reading I have been able to do with my kids. I would think that they have been able to enjoy a few thousand books and several thousand actual story reading sessions in their lifetime.

One thing that really helped this season was reading under the shade tree in our backyard while Timmy was listening as he swung on the swing set. Sophia was in her baby seat. And Lina and Luke pulled up chairs to be near me.

I know that I need to make some adjustments for this fall. Number one Luke and Timmy both need to be in the physical position to sit next to me for sight reading and following along word for word so THEY can become readers!

So I guess my best option for that is to sit at the u shaped table at least once a day for that kind of reading session.

I think a lot of it is just trying again when one session doesn't go well.

I totally understand the frustration. I am so glad for you that at least your girls have had the ability to become early readers!

I often hold some guilt that the boys ( especially Luke) are not reading on their own yet.

I hope that helps a little. I will definitely share any new insights along the way.

Jacinda

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