When Do You Read to Older DCs?

[nova mama]

There are some books i'd like to read to all three schooling kids, but it is hard to find the time. During school, I read books like Henry and Mudge and If You Give a Pig ... with and to DD6 and DD4. They also get to choose their bedtime stories. DS8 has independent reading time during the school day (which for him is about 4 hours). I'm curious about when other parents, especially with three or more children, make time to read to their older ones. The Indian in the Cupboard thread brought back great memories of being read to :).

Edited September 12, 2010 by nova mama

[Ali in OR]

I only read to two and they are 10 and 7. History reading is part of our school day and my younger dd has been listening to the older's chapter books for a few years now. I also read to them at night, usually something not related to school. I don't think your age split would prevent a shared read-aloud with everyone. You might have to pick titles carefully that would appeal to both genders, but I would think that they could all enjoy something like The Indian in the Cupboard. If 4 yo isn't quite ready for it, she can at least sit with you all and color quietly or something.

[Momofeat]

We send our middle dd to her bed with a book to read to herself and ds plays while I read to my oldest dd right before bed.

 

We also have at least one read-aloud every day for everybody, but I feel that she needs more mature material that is not suitable for the younger ones. I'm currently reading The Epic of Gilgamesh to her.

[ABQmom]

I choose books that my older ones will enjoy--my dd's now 14 and 12. I make sure they would be appropriate for all to listen in on and make everyone be in the room when I read. I read for 30 minutes right before lunch.

 

I have found this to be our favorite time of the day. I also notice that most of the time, all of the kids will end up liking the book--even my youngest. She may not always get it, and some books are over her head completely, but she is allowed to play quietly with dolls while I read. She plays more when the book is beyond her and less when she's into a book or scene from the book.

 

I read to my youngest children for about 15 minutes at some other point in the school day. We've made it through lots of books that way even though the time allotment seems short--Little House on the Prairie, Stuart Little, picture books by the dozens, etc.

[LindaOz]

We have read-aloud time after lunch which is for all (even my teens still like me reading aloud), and therefore has to be something suitable for all. Having older kids though means that there are some things I want to read to them that the younger ones are not yet ready for. So, my plan is to sometimes have an older read-aloud time in the evening when youngers are in bed. My older 3 dc share a room so this is possible. We can then get into discussions that are more relevant for the older age group.

 

I remember my mother reading aloud to me at bedtime (in my room) when I was a girl, and her going into fits of laughter over something that happened in Little Women. Good memories :)