♥ Books, Books, Books ♥

We love books around here.  So much so, that we accumulate stacks of them.  We have books a little bit of everywhere.  Jason built the bookshelf upstairs in the loft to accomodate many of them.

It occurred to me the other night just how many read-aloud books we have going on at the moment.  Reading aloud is something I've always done with my children since they were babies and it's something I've continued all the way through high school (and beyond if they're around to hear it).  There's nothing like sharing a book.  It's an integral part of our homeschooling and family life.  It is my single most favorite part of homeschooling. 

My kids have always had to narrate (tell back in their own words) or answer a few questions or even ask me a few questions about what was read.  I let them ask me questions because I find that they have to listen closely to find a question to try to stump me.  They're only allowed to ask a question that they know the answer to.  It builds listening skills.  :)

After I read the other night, Jason and I were talking and counted just how much time is spent by me reading aloud.  We figured that I probably read aloud at least 2 hours of every day, except maybe the weekends.  Sometimes it is more.  It's a bad thing when I lose my voice.  :)

Here's the stack of read-aloud books that are ongoing right now.

Those are the ones I'm currently reading aloud everyday between reading to Joy, reading to Luke, and reading to the family. 

Right now, Joy has two readers going.  She sometimes has more, but at the moment, these are her two she reads personally everyday.

And this is Mr. Luke's stack of books from the Library.  We read him one or more of these everyday until time to take them back, then we'll get a new stack for him.  Plus he has many books around here that we read to him as well.

Jason is not that much of a reader.  He's more of a listen to CDs or talk radio kind of guy, but he listens in on our family read alouds, which at the moment include the Chronological Bible (we're reading through the Old Testament) and the Lamplighter book, Ishmael.

Colt has always been a reader too.  I'm not sure how much of it he does these days, but he grew up with all the read-alouds and reading alot independently as well.  I miss him being a part of our read-alouds!

I just realized the other night that I had never shared this particular thing about us..  But it is so much a part of our lives that it's just as normal as getting up, getting dressed, and eating.  :) 

I like the feel a book in my hand too, so ebooks just don't appeal to me that much.

 At the moment, I'm not reading a book independent of the read alouds for me personally, but many times I have that going on too.

What about you?  Are you a reader?  Do you enjoy reading aloud? 



 

♥ Tammy ♥