It was so many years ago now, I can't remember when, but somewhere in history past I found
myself wishing that I read aloud chapter books with my kids. But...I didn't.
myself wishing that I read aloud chapter books with my kids. But...I didn't.
Rather than beating myself up about missing out on this captivating pastime,
I decided that everyone has to start somewhere...and so...I did.
One day turned into two. A week became a month. The months rolled into years and we never looked back.
We savored our time together with children draped on laps and stillness while I read. Inside, outside, morning, afternoon, nighttime, bedtime, the children would beg for one more imagination-filled chapter. And I loved it. We all loved it.
Then...after our adoption in 2012, read alouds came to a screeching halt (along with everything else, so it seemed).
We went through transition and trauma and adjustments (and everything else, so it seemed) until...little by little,
day by day, we began getting back on our feet again. Things slowly returned to normal(ish).
Recently, it's dawned on me that our beloved read aloud season might be re-added again from
the list of things that disappeared in transition mode. How could I have let this one go? But...I did.
Oh, where do we begin? It's been so long and the little ones won't sit still. And, it feels like I'm shooting myself in the foot. These, the thoughts that swirled through my head as I considered the seemingly daunting task (as I had long ago) of read aloud chapter books with my nest full of kids. Surely, it'd be easier to give up before failing. But...I wouldn't.
Rather than beating myself up about my hiatus, I decided last week that I'd have to start somewhere...again.
I'd need to remember how one day turned into two last time (just like anything new), how a week became a month,
then months rolled into years of mama/children blessed read aloud and we can do this again!
And so we did. We started. Week one under belt and I'm not giving up.
This crop of little people will sit still (or wiggle, whatever!). They will learn to savor, as the older ones had before them, the beauty of imagining words to life in their creative, inquisitive minds. They may squirm at first (or somersault) and I'm prepared for that. (Fruit of the Spirit training, here I come!) Expectations are low for starters. But, WOW does it feel good to have taken that first intimidating step toward memories in the making, years of children draped on laps and treasured nostalgia piling up, days gone by of dearest worthwhile investments...cherished read aloud.
[Not an atypical scene above to my chagrin...but we're working it out with the little people. (Yes, India is pulling off her Band-Aid.) I remember it working well before to have our toddlers sit on their special blankies with a toy for daytime reading...maybe I'll try that too. And oy, I'll accept the patience that God's grooming in me all the while. I'm committed. :)]
This crop of little people will sit still (or wiggle, whatever!). They will learn to savor, as the older ones had before them, the beauty of imagining words to life in their creative, inquisitive minds. They may squirm at first (or somersault) and I'm prepared for that. (Fruit of the Spirit training, here I come!) Expectations are low for starters. But, WOW does it feel good to have taken that first intimidating step toward memories in the making, years of children draped on laps and treasured nostalgia piling up, days gone by of dearest worthwhile investments...cherished read aloud.
[Not an atypical scene above to my chagrin...but we're working it out with the little people. (Yes, India is pulling off her Band-Aid.) I remember it working well before to have our toddlers sit on their special blankies with a toy for daytime reading...maybe I'll try that too. And oy, I'll accept the patience that God's grooming in me all the while. I'm committed. :)]
[Here we go, starting back at the beginning, round two of our favorite read aloud series. It's been many years since we last read through Little House and we're eager to start again. We love this special read aloud edition of Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder because it's an extra large hard cover copy. I highly recommend for Little House fans!]
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[The Story For Kids - We've never read through this one before, but we're giving it a try as well. So far it seems to be a concise rendition of God's whole story with questions at the end of each chapter...perfect for nighttime devotions.]
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[The Story For Kids - We've never read through this one before, but we're giving it a try as well. So far it seems to be a concise rendition of God's whole story with questions at the end of each chapter...perfect for nighttime devotions.]
"Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God."
Psalm 84:3