reading

I'm reading "Mommy Teach Me to Read" by Barbara Curtis. (I cannot figure out how to underline a book title on here, it drives me crazy!) I've had it awhile but I have not read through it. It has caused me to think.

I don't know if I would have ever homeschooled my children if I lived in America. Even as a credentialed teacher, sending them to school is a very nice idea.

I am not a great homeschooler. I am doing OK and enjoying it, but I am glad for the ease of kindergarten. It is easy to get Weston's work done and do a good job.

I am convinced that it takes less time to homeschool Weston than it would to get him up and dressed, get his stuff in his backpack, drive to school to drop him off, volunteer in class, drive back to pick him up, do homework, do fundraisers, do extra projects that would be required for school.

In an hour and a half, we are done and thoroughly done.

We've read about every subject from tending a light house during the Christmas season, to Jewish children running from the Nazis and the French children that help them, to a boy named Elmer that goes to a wild island to rescue a baby flying dragon. We've read through Ancient Rome and Egypt and the Middle Ages in our history book. We've done lots of plant and tree science experiments. He knows all of his letters and is starting to read. He can write all of his capital letters without help and with a proper pencil grip. We are working on lowercase now. We've read through Genesis- Deuteronomy in the children's Bible.

He is truly flourishing.

That makes me feel good to write that all down, because if I think, "How am I doing at homeschool?" I would give myself a C+.

Homeschooling has also really helped me overcome a big chunk of Mommy guilt- not reading to my children enough. I've never been good at that. GUILT, GUILT, GUILT!!! Homeschool really helps that.

I have learned something about reading to my kids:

• If you don't like the book, get rid of it. Showing your love for reading is really a main point- to to model your love of reading, so that they will want to read. Read only the best- get rid of the crummy books. Don't feel bad. It is in the interest of your child to help them see you enjoy the book you read them.
• Read to them at a higher level, a level that you will enjoy more. We read novels everyday now and it is the best part of homeschooling. They can follow WAY more than I thought they could. It is fun for me too because I LOVE novels. For me, it is much nicer to read a novel than a big pile of picture books.
  
• Don't know what books to try? Check out Sonlight- and use their book list for your child's age to find some wonderful books. That will get you started. They choose really great read aloud books and did the work for homeschool parents.
• If your children are running around and driving you crazy and can't seem to get along, corral them, sit them on the couch, one on each side if needed and read. Don't stop. Give your little ones something to do if needed. Sierra ALWAYS falls asleep. Right when she starts fussing like a maniac, then it's book time. I read and she sleeps. Then Weston and I do school.
  

So those are my random thoughts about reading and homeschooling.

A good book is the gift that keeps on giving, that is unless Sierra gets a hold of it with her new found love---- scissors!

Do you have any favorite children's books?