by Brea
Hi everyone! I'm new here, so I wanted to quickly introduce myself. I'm Brea (pronounced Brie, like the cheese), and I'm 25. I've got three kids: Sam is 5, Evie is 4, and David is 18 months old. We live almost in the country, and have chickens and grow lots of our own food. And, obviously, we homeschool!! I'm here to give some hacks for younger kids. Honestly, I'm completely flying by the seat of my pants with this whole homeschool thing, so I'll just be here to give some tips for what's worked for us so far. I also have a board of advisers, also known as the women from my church, who give me the best advice and ideas I could ever ask for. Most everyone in our church homeschools, and has older children, so they really help me with the stuff they've already been through. I've lived in Texas my whole life, and say things like "fixin' to" and "the Walmart" and think anyone who lived anywhere else is a little crazy. (But I'm very polite in my Southern ways,so I would never actually say that ... would I?) Click on my name above to check out the everyday craziness of our life through my blog.
Ok, so that's me. And here's my hack for you moms just starting out, and kind of wondering where to start: read to your kids!! I know, I know. We've all heard it said over and over. But it's true. I'm a huge fan of Charlotte Mason, and if you haven't read The Charlotte Mason Companion, I highly recommend it. It's great! Miss Mason believed that your kids, especially up to about fourth grade, can learn everything they need to from 'living books;' books written by an author who loved the subject, books that aren't dry and boring and just a textbook. There are so many out there. Become friends with your local librarian- they are filled with knowledge, and love to help people when asked.
And don't be afraid to read a little above your children's level. I'm not saying to go out and buy Tolstoy just yet, but kids just soak up knowledge! We're in the middle of the third book in the Chronicles of Narnia, and my kids just beg me to read more everyday. Your kids will learn new vocabulary, their grammar will improve, and their attention span will develop beyond The Cat and The Hat (not knocking Dr Seuss, whom I utterly love!). And let me elaborate a little on the attention span theory. When we read, my kids can't do anything else. No jumping around, no coloring, no talking, no nose-picking, no singing. Even David, at 18 months, has to sit calmly on my lap and listen. It takes a while to work up to this, but it really does pay off in the long run.
If you're new to chapter books with your younger kids, there are some wonderful ones out there! (And I'm hoping people will chime in with more suggestions in the comments.) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is great, with great morals. The chapters are really short, and this has been our new bedtime book, so it's not uncommon for us to read 3 or 4 chapters in one sitting. Actually, Roald Dahl has many wonderful books. EB White's books are fantastic, too, like Charlotte's Web, The Trumpet of the Swan, and Stuart Little. I remember loving Mrs Piggle-Wiggle when I was younger, and I'm sure your kids will, too.
Ask your kids to narrate back what you've just read to them, and you're helping them to develop critical thinking skills. Also, it's really funny sometimes. And they'll pick up more than you'd expect, and retain little pieces of the story that will surprise you!
So go out there! Ask your kids what they're interested in. Make friends with your librarian. Don't be afraid to read just because you think you're not a strong reader; this is a fairly common fear. Start slowly. Trust me, your kids won't remember if you stuttered over a word or two, but they will remember spending time with you, and the wonderful adventures you take them on through great books, and you'll be giving the wonderful gift of loving books!!
Readers, any other read aloud suggestions? What's worked for you?
