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Genevieve
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| Posted: April 26 2007 at 9:10pm | IP Logged
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It has been discussed at Lissa's, Linda's & even on AO Year 0 that books should be read slowly so that the child can ponder and live out the ideas inspired by books. Do you intentionally slow down your child's reading? I'm experimenting with my preschooler of only one new picture book per day if any. It makes for a much shorter read-aloud session even when we re-read "old favourites". I'm wondering whether this is too drastic. I believe Elizabeth mentions in her book that one should never feel guilty for the time spent reading books. I miss our two to three hour snuggle on the couch discovering many, many new picture books. I imagine for older children free reading is up for grabs. Any input?
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Genevieve
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Erin
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| Posted: April 26 2007 at 9:42pm | IP Logged
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I have pondered this. My dd13 reads hours a day, as I did before her. You can read too much. Two areas I watch are:
Quality- If too much time is wasted on twaddle I step in.
Escapism- I escaped into the world of books to the detriment at times of family relationships, not interacting enough with others. Being unbalanced in other areas of my life, such as lack of exercise was another.
Therefore with a dd who has literally read thousands of books already I watch to ensure that she plays with her siblings and 'gets' outside. As she is highly active in sports I don't need to worry. She is far more balanced than I was. And she is a great big sister.
Here though I am talking hours, I am talking of a child who is a major speed reader who can read three thick chapter books in an afternoon.
I have over the years spent hours at a time reading with my little ones and I do not regret those years, I miss them, they just aren't happening with my little ones of now  life is too busy with the older ones. What did those years of 'gulping' books do? I believe they gave my dc a rich vocabulary, a 'family history of memories' and wide range of knowledge. I haven't yet read an pondered the posts you mention and I'm sure they will have great merit. But I know we just loved our hours together.
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Erin
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Lissa
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| Posted: April 26 2007 at 10:17pm | IP Logged
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Genevieve wrote:
| It has been discussed at Lissa's, Linda's & even on AO Year 0 that books should be read slowly so that the child can ponder and live out the ideas inspired by books. Do you intentionally slow down your child's reading? I'm experimenting with my preschooler of only one new picture book per day if any. It makes for a much shorter read-aloud session even when we re-read "old favourites". I'm wondering whether this is too drastic. I believe Elizabeth mentions in her book that one should never feel guilty for the time spent reading books. I miss our two to three hour snuggle on the couch discovering many, many new picture books. I imagine for older children free reading is up for grabs. Any input? |
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Genevieve, when I talk about intentionally slowing down my kids' reading, I mean for certain selected books, but by no means ALL books. I myself revel in that two-to-three-hour couch snuggling reading time and wouldn't give it up for the world!
When Kate was sick & immunocompromised as a toddler, we spent most of our day cuddled on the couch reading together. Scott would come home from work and find a stack of picture books as high as the sofa: that was how we'd spent our day.
Now, I have to work a lot harder to make sure Beanie (6yo) gets her fair share of cuddle-reading time, but we'll enjoy several picture books at a sitting, or big chunks of a novel.
The slower reading (a la Charlotte Mason) comes in with the bigger, meatier, more advanced books I'm reading to the older girls, or that Kate is reading by herself. The Iliad is one example; we read only a few pages a week. We're savoring it slowly, letting the rich language and imagery sink deeply into our minds. Likewise, Kate reads only a chapter of Great Expectations a week--she tends to gulp down books rapidly in the way Erin described, and I want to make sure she is able to read slowly, thoughtfully, pondering and retaining ideas.
I see both types of reading as valid and important. With your little ones, I'd say by all means grab a stack of lovely books and settle in for a good long time!
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Mary G
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| Posted: April 26 2007 at 11:35pm | IP Logged
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Lissa wrote:
| I see both types of reading as valid and important. With your little ones, I'd say by all means grab a stack of lovely books and settle in for a good long time! |
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Isn't this what rainy days (or here in Colorado, snowy days  ) are for? I actually love when the weather is nasty, we can't go anywhere and all we can do is snuggle, read and drink cocoa or tea! We sometimes do this on sunny days, but just not as long .....
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Meredith
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| Posted: April 27 2007 at 9:51am | IP Logged
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Genevieve, I can't agree more with what Lissa and MaryG have said. We have a regular basket that's full to the brim of the current picture books and they are asked for many times throughout the day!!
Have fun reading!!
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Meredith
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Genevieve
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| Posted: April 27 2007 at 11:50am | IP Logged
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Thank you everyone for clarifying the importance of both types of reading and balancing both. It puts my mind at ease! Now off to request more books!
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Genevieve
The Good Within
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Can you read too many books?
