Every summer my children (son 14 and daughter 10) and I make summer goals list together. The list includes things like:
- Run a race (5K)
- Take a family vacation
- Throw a bbq in our backyard
- Improve health and fitness
- Improve swimming
- Enjoy a summer concert or two
- Go out of town and visit several family members and friends
- Make homemade jam, kombuchia, almond milk, peach cobbler, etc
- See a new movie once per week
The list typically exceeds the amount of days off.
This summer I added a new goal. Group family reading.
Most summers we read together, seperately.
I would set the timer from 15-30 minutes and we would all grab a both and read.
But this year I wanted to try something different.
Through reading together, I felt I could do increase the following:
Vocabulary
My children are constantly asking me what a word means. As a child my parent would say, "Look in a dictionary." Now I may say "google it" but typically I give the definition and move on. But together we will build a list of words to look up and learn new words. And hopefully retain it.
Elocution (Let's add this to the vocabulary list) the study of how to speak clearly in a way that is effective and socially acceptable
Reading aloud, even to your sibling and parent may be nerve racking. With practice and guidance there will be improvements. Reading also helps you to convey the emotion of the character which help in speaking to be understood.
Family Time:
I now have a teen and pre-teen. They don't have the same needs as smaller children so I see them less. Also with so much technology like smartphones and tablets that can keep us entertained for hours with the social media and streaming shows. I am as bad as my children if not worse with constantly having a device in my hand. By allotting time to read together, we can all be present with each other.
Patience:
When I use the Overdrive app to listen to free audio-books on my iPhone I crank the speed so fast that it sounds like a chipmunk. Listening to children read and even adults is a true test in patience. Honestly, living in New York City, we all need to increase our patience so I will listen intently and encourage my children to do so.
(see http://exposuremom.blogspot.com/2015/12/free-reading-how-to-read-all-books-you.html on tips to get bestselling books for free -ebooks and audiobooks)
Comprehension:
Sometimes I can watch a whole television show and not know what happened because Instagram was holding my attention. The same happens when reading, while our minds are distracted we can decode words and then realize we don't know what we've read.
With the three of us together our comprehension will increase. I can always stop and answer questions the kids have as well as ask questions to make sure we all understand.
Our Summer Reading Has Commenced
So far, we have read together 3 times. It's going extremely well. We all, including myself, drag to the living room but once we get into the book we are all enjoying it.
I went to an actually library and found 3 copies of a book called Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon.
I hate to admit it but I go through phases when I read YA, Young Adult, literature like John Green and Rainbow Rowell. This particular book I read last year and it was really good and it had a twist which I felt my kids would really like. Not giving away much, the main character is a "bubble girl". Her impaired immune system keeps her home bound.
Fun, fun. Matbe I will pack a picnic and we can read together in a park.
Maybe I will find a book to ready with hubby. Hmmmmmm.
