FAMILY READ ALOUD
We read books together as a family. This has been a great way to bond together. Otherwise, we may never gather together. Our group is made up of 12 very independent, distinct individuals. Can anybody relate?
As our children have gotten older, it has become more difficult to get everybody together.
At the time of this writing, I am actively homeschooling my youngest 6 children.
The oldest children are grown up. They are seeking their own paths for the future.
What a tough transition this has been for them and for me, their mother.
But I am still committed to reading aloud to my children.
I read three books to my six youngest children during Advent.
I Saw Three Ships by Elizabeth Goudge
Unwrapping the Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp
Ishtar’s Odyssey by Arnold Ytreeide
We are also reading The Green Ember by S. D. Smith. The kids are really enjoying it. Even the boys!
And I found a new author, Elizabeth Goudge, and started reading The Bird in the Tree and Pilgrim’s Inn by her. I loved them! I knew Shawn, my oldest, would love them, too. So I asked him if he would like to read them with me, as in I would read them aloud to him. He agreed, and we have been reading them together. It is so enjoyable to both of us to enjoy these wonderful books together. What a heartwarming, pleasant way to spend time together, enjoying the characters, the words, the story, all of these things TOGETHER!
I found out about these last several books from my newest favorite source of good books to read aloud. The Read-Aloud Revival podcast by Sarah Mackenzie. She blogs at Amongst Lovely Things and you can find the podcast in the links at the top of her page.
Her purpose statement is to build your family culture around books.
I am in complete agreement with that purpose.
She has a membership site that is awesome! I highly recommend signing up for it. There is a fee of $9.95 until 1/6/16. After that, the price will go up.
But the podcast is free.
At least make sure you go listen to her podcasts. I’m sure it will cause a Read-Aloud Revival in your home, like it has in mine. I am excited about reading aloud again.
And that has made a difference in the unity of our family. It’s important. At least, give it a try.
If you only have young children, read picture books to them. She has a podcast about that.
If you have older kids, read something you can all sink your teeth into.
Try it! It’s fun! And it’s good for all of you.
"Oh that God would give every mother a vision of the glory and splendor of the work that is given to her when a babe is placed in her bosom to be nursed and trained! Could she have but one glimpse in to the future of that life as it reaches on into eternity; could she look into its soul to see its possibilities; could she be made to understand her own personal responsibility for the training of this child, for the development of its life, and for its destiny,--she would see that in all God's world there is no other work so noble and so worthy of her best powers, and she would commit to no other's hands the sacred and holy trust given to her." -JR Miller
