Bookworms

My children love books. I indulge this passion in them because I am a firm believer that reading is more than a hobby; it's a life skill and a gateway to creativity and a magical journey into whatever fantasy is waiting in those pages. Growing up, I was the kid who sneaked books to school and hid in my room reading while others were out playing.
So you might be surprised to learn that I really hate reading aloud. I know it's important to read with your children to stimulate their little brains and model a love of books... but I get breathless and yawny and bored. With Javier, I suffered through until he was old enough to read on his own. Then I laid beside him in his bed while he read aloud to both of us. We recently read The Lightning Thief this way (one chapter each night) and all the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books before that.

But with Bella I've taken a different approach. I retire to her room with a stack of books and her big brother. We all lounge around on the floor and listen to Javi read through that stack. This routine improves his reading and enunciation skills while also stimulating Bella's imagination and giving us a special night-time ritual.
One day he'll be too old to read with us at night, but I hope that day is far away. When it does arrive, she'll be reading on her own and I'll curl up with my sweet girl while we read whatever books are popular for her age at the time. I'll watch her face as something surprising or scary happens and smile softly when she sounds out a difficult word.

Reading aloud to your children is a wonderful gift; however, it's not the only gift you can offer. You might be surprised by how much your older children benefit from being the ones turning the written word into an auditory experience.

(This night, we read Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, Gallop, Goodnight, Moon, and And Here's To You.)

**This post is part of the 30-Minute Blog Challenge, Works for Me Wednesday, and Wordful Wednesday.**