Can I Read JUST Non-Fiction to a Kid?

[SarahW]

Why does storytelling have to be fiction?

 

 

It doesn't. But that seems to be the most popular form these days. How many times have you heard someone say "well, I won't bore you my story about that, so..."

 

We have widespread literacy now, which is great, except it has caused personal oral storytelling to largely fall to the wayside.

 

I'm ignoring the "memoir" genre by choice. lol. That genre annoys me. :cursing:

[mathmarm]

Thank you all so much for your replies. I am going to print out the list of books, (and look through the list of lists') and will make my way to the library in a few days.

Ours is NOT a Christian household, at all. But many of the books on these list seems fairly secular, so I am very grateful to have them.

 

Just to clarify: There was NEVER an issue about whether I would read to Jr. of course I will. I just wanted to know if I could get away with reading a majority (a vast majority) of non-fiction/educational type books. I will start looking into what type of library programs are available to families and kids in the area.

 

Books weren't a big part of my domestic life growing up, I read for school. My parents worked two jobs a piece for a good portion of my formative years, at one point my dad had three jobs. There were no bedtime stories or sitting around reading a book on a lazy afternoon---we didn't have lazy afternoons. If you were awake, you needed to be headed to work, working--whatever that work was--or eating.

 

I wan't my son to have a healthier appreciation for books than I have, I want to instill in him imagination, wonder and literary competence. I'm willing to do what it takes to do that (even if means get him into a great school and hiring a reading buddy for him in the early years!)

 

Clearly I have a lot of things to think about and don't want to overload myself with too much information that I can't/wont wind up using. (Less is more, and all of that.) I am trying to make the shift in my thinking from an independent, career academician to a mom. I know that the transition wont be complete until Jr. is in my arms.

 

Hubby and I have been talking about this a lot lately, the being expectant parents vs being parents bit. Its new to us, we've never gotten this far in a pregnancy before and we are really, really optimistic for a safe and healthy baby this time!

 

Hubby and I have decided to still build a collection of what are "Readers" and books on tape, as well as quality non-fiction, but we're going to try and get a collection of fiction also. I'm going to start with that list and the library. We'll go from there.

 

:)

[Hunter]

I realized I've come up with yet another quote today. That which is useful, is not always essential. Fiction IS useful, but is not always essential.

 

Mathmarm, I have complete confidence in you, that you will know what to do when the time comes. Sometimes you'll have no idea where the strength and knowledge comes from, but it will come.

 

Sarah, you don't like biographies? Wow!

[Alte Veste Academy]

Hubby and I have decided to still build a collection of what are "Readers"

 

Just to say, if you don't love the readers, they are not strictly necessary. I taught/guided each of my kids to read with whatever books they were interested in and wanted to learn from. DS7 was mostly inspired by dinosaur non-fiction, DD by a joke book because she was tired of being bested in the joke department by DS10 (seriously, LOL), and DS10 by Seuss. None of them ever loved readers, and there are something close to a bajillion at the library. :tongue_smilie:

[luzxkm]

I think it'll be fine. Reading non-fiction to them can still give them the richness of language

[Rosie_0801]

Take a look at Librivox. They are free to download and even stories you don't like are interesting when you're stuck in traffic.

 

The transition from academic to mum can be very tough. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you if the transition takes three times as long as you think it will.

 

If you think it will help you, you can always post on here threads like "Why should I like 'The Secret Garden?'" Though it might be wise to add disclaimers. :p Especially if you post about the Secret Garden! :svengo: (I used to have a friend in uni who was big on theory whereas I'm more of a practical girl. I'd do the readings for that class and ask her to explain to me why they weren't a lot of rubbish, lol.)

[Hunter]

Just to say, if you don't love the readers, they are not strictly necessary. I taught/guided each of my kids to read with whatever books they were interested in and wanted to learn from. DS7 was mostly inspired by dinosaur non-fiction, DD by a joke book because she was tired of being bested in the joke department by DS10 (seriously, LOL), and DS10 by Seuss. None of them ever loved readers, and there are something close to a bajillion at the library. :tongue_smilie:

 

 

:lol:

 

I strongly prefer to teach with readers, but don't mind teaching without fiction. And as for the biographies, I truly don't know how to teach without them. I'm sure it can be done. Almost anything can be done.

 

This all leads me back to my belief that there are just so many ways to be a good homeschooler that vary from the most common practices.