You do this already. Of course you do. You wouldn't be here otherwise. But January marks new beginnings, and in the world of Proper Blogs that means new memes and campaigns to run year long and whilst I'm not a great meme-r one that seems worth bringing to your attention is this one, initiated by Read it Daddy: Read it Mummies and Daddies 2013.
His call to arms to reinforce the benefits and pleasure of reading aloud to your kids is already gathering some online momentum and generating interesting discussion. Yesterday book blogger par excellence Child-led-Chaos aka Anne-Marie disclosed her true dislike of reading aloud to her children in a really interesting and moving post. Loving books is not the same as loving reading them out of course.
This was a new insight to me;as both a natural show off and a natural slob- reading to my children is my idea of a PERFECT activity: I can sit down and eat biscuits whilst doing it. It involves no hoovering up of glitter or sluicing down of mud afterwards. Nobody is going to lose an eye with a stick. I get to perform to a captive audience with limited life experience to criticise. As far as they're concerned my Yorkshire accent is excellent for instance. ha.
I am not going to rehash all the benefits of reading to children or surrounding them with books; as I say I feel that would be preaching to the converted here and this will return to being a place to thrash out which books might be worth reading. HOWEVER... a few things I would like to share as I lend my endorsement (for what it's worth) to Read it Daddy's excellent campaign.
Firstly- in complement really to Anne-Marie's post- you may actually be keen to read aloud to your child but not all children are keen to be read to. My lovely Eddie is a case in point here. Having taught himself to read at a tender age he likes it to be a solitary activity and is extremely resistant to having me read to him now. I have to sneak books in by stealth; sitting near by, starting to read, having him say 'No Stop Reading That!' once or twice and then banking on him being drawn in despite himself to listen and enjoy. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't; it's a pretty stark test of a book's power I can tell you. Yesterday 'Leon and the Place Between' by Angela McAllister illustrated by Grahame Baker-Smith passed that test in spectacular fashion. I won't name and shame the others that fell flat. I still think it's important to keep reading to him despite his resistance or his repetoire can become a little fixed.
Eddie may take it to extremes but I've known a few children who just couldn't sit for a story. Read them anyway say I as they're busy with other stuff and eventually, if the story's good enough, they'll come.
Secondly- don't stop just because they can read (sorry Anne-Marie!)(although audio CDs rock too). My own best read it Daddy, read to me from the end of my bed for many years past the age where I had my own books on the go too. He favoured a whisky and oatcake over the tea and biscuits but I still have his voice in my head as I read the same books to my children. Reading to older children is to my mind even more rewarding than reading to your littlies; albeit exercising the same skills. You can unpeel complex stories together, discover new language and share a quiet communion or a proper giggle together. They have the sense of you valuing and enjoying the story as much as them which makes you both feel good; especially if it's new to you too. Plus they're getting big and bolshy at other times; talking books brings you back together.
The Little Wooden Horse is proud to neigh keep reading to your children in 2013.
But you knew that anyway.
Brilliant post and having your support on the campaign is fantastic (tis THE campaign, definitely not mine I'm just the haphazard person trying to create a giant snowman out of a snowball and hoping it'll stick together!)
ReplyDeleteAnne-Marie's post was thought provoking, beautifully written, and definitely something I'd thought about fairly early on when I decided to make 2013 the year of the big push on parents reading to kids. Similarly, we've had plenty of instances recently where C just DOES NOT WANT anything to do with books, no matter how much cajoling or what incentives we try and win her back with.
The real aim is to keep on gathering as much info and as many folk together to see if collectively, book folk can crack the toughest nut of all - encouraging parents who do not want to read to their kids, parents who cannot read to their kids and kids who don't want anything to do with books what they're missing out on or at the very least helping them out with resources and links, ideas and activities to take the bookworld to them.
Brill stuff, ace post and a massive thanks from us for your support.
Pleasure. I'm sure it's already on the database you are putting together but I volunteer for the brilliant Beanstalk' (previously Volunteer Reading Help) which aims to reach exactly those you are talking about. It's the highlight of my week.
DeleteAnother great post - lovely to see what Read It Daddy's campaign has already inspired. My eldest won't sit still for a story, but what works really well for us at the moment is letting her have free range with the lego whilst we read. She often ends up building things that she's hearing about in the stories.
ReplyDeleteI love that idea of subliminal building. Glad to hear your monster Lego purchase has clearly been a hit!
DeleteI read to Child4 (and by default all the others, although I'm not sure what the 14 year-old thinks about picture books) when they're sitting round the table having their tea. That way they can't escape. Mhwahaha!
ReplyDeleteyou are a clever lady with clever tricks and plans.
DeleteWhat a lovely post!
ReplyDeleteI just LOVE the image of your dad drinking whisky and eating oatcakes while reading, that is just priceless!
My son is 10 and is showing no sign of wanting me to stop so I will keep going until he begs me to stop :0)
We have given up doing bedtime stories in bedrooms and go for the sofa instead; my two tend to sit more still then, for some reason.
PS: this week-end I will be doing some "Little Wooden Horse" reading. My daughter (7) has read most of it herself but she is losing her stamina so I told her I would read a big chunk to her this week-end!
Oh hurray all round. I hope not to be dismissed either until at least the teenage years. Even then my dad did a good line in ghost stories by the fire (with more whisky)(he liked whisky)(but not too much or anything- sudden worry I am giving the wrong impression!).
DeleteThe Little Wooden Horse made to be read aloud I think. but then I would think that wouldn't I!
Great post, Polly - I really enjoyed reading it. I used to volunteer for VRH (as it was) before the boys were born and would love to do so again once they are in school. Like you, I found it immensely rewarding and it was a highlight of my week as well.
ReplyDeleteC and H are still at the stage where they will sit and snuggle up for a story and I'm going to make the most of it for as long as it lasts. Even so, there are times when they don't want to join in with storytelling and I have to sneak it in without them realising. Stealth is a valuable parenting technique in many circumstances, I've found... ;-)
Anyway, hopefully I'll have time this weekend to write my own blog post about all this, though I'm not really sure what I can add after all the great work that's already been done, but I'm looking forward to joining in and making 2013 a great year for reading and sharing books with children!
That was a great post. I have fond memories of my mother reading to me as a child. I must confess it often put me to sleep more easily than warm milk. She reads to my boys when we spend the summer with her. I think it is a special bond they will remember for years (like cooking together).
ReplyDelete