Reading

There are many times, in my homeschooling career that I have felt that I might be missing something or felt I could be doing something better, different, etc.  There are so many choices and decisions to make.  It is a huge deal to educate your kids.

But, one thing that I know, that I know, that I know, that I have done right is read to my kids.  From the very beginning and literally almost every night.  I can remember rocking NG to sleep in the blue chair in the living room reading Charlotte's Web to her and she was about 4 months old.  It was her very first book.  And I could not wait to share it with her.

When each child was born, they got a book I thought they would enjoy.  Little Mama got Black Beauty.  Boop got Tom Sawyer and EG got Understood Betsy.  Back then I had no idea how important reading to my kids would be.  I just knew it was something I could do.  That I wanted to do.

Now, as I read through all of these"homeschooling help" books, I see how important it really is.  God designed us to want to read.  It has been an honor, privilege and a blessing to be the one to cultivate that desire in each of them.

I love when they are "bored" that they look for a book and start reading.  I will never forget when Dr. H had to check on NG for something and when he came in the exam room (she was about 18-24 months) she was "reading" a magazine.

So far, they have all learned to read differently.  I have learned to just take my time and make it enjoyable. The benefits are paying off.  Early today I was thinking, I only have one child left to encourage to read.  Kind of sad.  But, then I think about all of us on the couch, almost every night reading.  And the gift of literacy continues to give.

One night last week, I was tired (not to mention my eyes are getting bad), I asked NG to read for us.  She did and she did fantastic.  It was so nice just to hang on the couch with the kids and absorb the words.

If, by chance, I get nothing else right, at least I know I have instilled the desire to read in my children.  Whatever they don't know, which will, I am sure, be something, I know they have the tool to learn it themselves.  Isn't that the goal of education?  Not knowledge but the desire to know . . .