Where/how do you fit in time for lots of "read-alouds"?

[athena1277]

I read to my kids every day, but mostly at bedtime. I read a age-appropriate book to ds (he gets one before his nap also), and usually a chapter of something to dd. Of course I read to her certain things for school, like SOTW, but that's not literature like read-alouds. I feel like I should be reading more so that dd is exposed to more of the classic, well-written children's literature. She won't listen well if ds is in the room playing, and he's too young to listen for long. So - how, where, when do you find time to read a lot? And how much do you read in a day?

 

Thanks!!!

[angelmorris]

We listen to audiobooks in the car, in bed at night, while cleaning, cooking or any other time the opportunity presents itself :)

[Impish]

There are days that due to RSD read alouds is about all I can handle. Other than that, my littles bring me books :lol:

[Mommyfaithe]

Bible @ breakfast

and lots of reading before bedtime. We read a chap or 2 in the afternoons sometimes.

~~Faithe

[nmoira]

I get up at 7 and do the prep work for breakfast. I wake the kids up a 7:30, read until 8:30. Breakfast at 8:45. I usually read for 30-60 minutes during "school" time -- often historical fiction or classic literature (right now we're doing The Dog Who Wouldn't Be by Farley Mowat... not technically a classic, but it should be). I also read separately to each child at night: the youngest for a half hour to 45 minutes, and the oldest 45 minutes to an hour, depending what time we start bedtime.

 

Usually there's another 15-30 minutes after lunch (lessons end by 1 pm, lunchtime).

Edited January 23, 2010 by nmoira

[prairiegirl]

I don't have a set time of reading other than to start our school time off. Depending on the day, I might read at lunch, before bed, when they are all playing quietly in one room, when they need to de-stress from a school subject, like math. I never know from one day to the next how much we will be reading or when.

[G5052]

When they were little, particularly when I had one in a high chair, I read at breakfast and lunch by having my own meal before or after theirs.

 

Now we usually read after breakfast, but they're doing crafts or Legos. Even as pre-teens, they both say it's their favorite part of school and want me to read to them through high school (we'll see).

 

We also do books-on-CD/books-on-MP3 in the van. Might as well get some good literature that way!

 

DH also reads to them before bed, usually a chapter a night from a novel he's chosen.

[kalanamak]

I She won't listen well if ds is in the room playing, and he's too young to listen for long.

 

I let my fellow play quietly. Even running around the room he could answer questions about the text, so as long as he is quiet and not jiggling me, I let him swing or bounce or run cars over my legs. This way, I can get in two hours on a good day.

[StartingOver]

I have a stand that you put sheet music on, that way I can read while folding clothes, washing dishes, eating, while on here answering you LOL etc.

[Karen in CO]

I read to mine about an hour to an hour and half each night both from a book of their choosing and from something I have chosen. I rotate subjects throughout the week during school time so one day I read poetry, another history, and another fairy tales or myths. Sometimes, I also read to them while they are in the bath.

 

 

How much read aloud time are you trying to fit into your life?

Edited January 23, 2010 by Karen in CO

[NancyNellen]

Our standard read-aloud times are mid-morning while everyone eats their snack (30 minutes) and immediately following lunch (30-60 minutes). My 2 year old comes and goes during these times, but the kids have gotten used to that and are not distracted.

[Laurel]

I read one literature chapter during school time every day with WWE. (And yes, that is definitely why WWE is her favorite part of the day!) During/after lunch, I read poetry, 1-2 chapters of a fun read aloud, and 1 chapter of a more literary book. 3 afternoons a week I read history - SOTW, historical fiction, biography, myth retelling, etc. 1 afternoon a week I read science/nature aloud. We listen to audiobooks sometimes in the car. (This is my ideal week, but we never get this much reading it. It is what I aspire to, however.)

 

I also try to take advantage of read-aloud moments. Occasionally I read a bit during breakfast, I try to remember to bring our current book in my purse when we go out, so if we have downtime (wait time), I can read to them, and when they are playing with legos or doing an art project, they usually like it when I read aloud to them then as well.

[2cents]

We like to start early in the day so we make coffee or hot chocolate and start the day listening to our read-alouds for about an hour. After that, the girls get started on their work. It kinda eases us into the day.

[gandpsmommy]

We read aloud a literature selection at breakfast (or lunch if we don't get to it at breakfast). In the past this has included illustrated Children's Bible stories, Greek myths, and Norse Myths. Currently we are reading a book of Palestinian folk stories.

 

Sometimes we listen to audiobooks in the car.

 

But, a lot of the books we have read have been at bedtime.

 

When dd was in K5 and her little brother was still taking naps, I read her a chapter of a book every afternoon while he was sleeping, as a part of her school day. I have such good memories of reading her James and The Giant Peach in the afternoons.

[Mrs Mungo]

I let my fellow play quietly. Even running around the room he could answer questions about the text, so as long as he is quiet and not jiggling me, I let him swing or bounce or run cars over my legs. This way, I can get in two hours on a good day.

 

I agree, they can play lego, trains or whatever while you read. Few young kids will sit with rapt attention while you read. They absorb more than you think. :)

[nmoira]

 

We like to start early in the day so we make coffee or hot chocolate and start the day listening to our read-alouds for about an hour. After that, the girls get started on their work. It kinda eases us into the day.

Mine like their camomile tea. :) It makes for a nice morning ritual.

[katemary63]

DH reads to DD every night that he is able before bed. It is probably 30 minutes or so. Other then that, the only reading aloud we do is out of science books or history books or the current novel for literature where she usually reads to me, but I sometimes take a turn. If our life style were different I would certainly read more. However, we run a farm and spend much more time then normal outside and with our animals. THAT is our hobby and we love it. I just can't often say, "No, we can't go riding today, we have to read a book." I try, but the words just don't come out right. :D

[FO4UR]

Well, it's getting more difficult to fit it in as my dc grow and need my time for other things.

 

Bible for 20min in the am....a snack & story break mid-morning....a story before quiet time...my 1st grader gets an AO reading most days...and a chapter or two before bed. I like to read aloud for a total of 2 hrs a day, but that hasn't been the reality since Christmas.

 

We also listen to audio books in the van.

[Joy at Home]

I used to read at bedime, but find that lately I'm just too tired and sometimes I just. want. them. to. go. to. bed.

 

I've been reading at lunchtime instead and find that works better.

 

Blessings,

Lisa