A few months ago, I started a new routine to get all of our readings done. I gathered everybody in the girls' room for story time. I have two rules: the babies lie down with eyes closed and the big kids sit quietly while I read.
I do this for naptime and bedtime. I have one book for naptime and a different book for bedtime. (At bedtime, the boys go to their room after I finish the story and there's only one rule- everybody has to sit quietly.)
Not only are we getting a lot more reading done painlessly, but it has really helped settle the babies down. At naptime, I read for about 20 minutes and the babies usually fall asleep while I'm reading. I pick up the bookmark when I get to the last paragraph and that signals the big kids to sneak quietly out of the room.
See that sleeping baby? He passed out before I got to the second page.
A few months ago, I started a new routine to get all of our readings done. I gathered everybody in the girls' room for story time. I have two rules: the babies lie down with eyes closed and the big kids sit quietly while I read.
I do this for naptime and bedtime. I have one book for naptime and a different book for bedtime. (At bedtime, the boys go to their room after I finish the story and there's only one rule- everybody has to sit quietly.)
Not only are we getting a lot more reading done painlessly, but it has really helped settle the babies down. At naptime, I read for about 20 minutes and the babies usually fall asleep while I'm reading. I pick up the bookmark when I get to the last paragraph and that signals the big kids to sneak quietly out of the room.
See that sleeping baby? He passed out before I got to the second page.
8 comments:
Great idea! I am going to have to "borrow" it for our family. :-)
I used to do this when my littles still took naps. My littlest still really needs a nap but I hadn't figured out how to get back in the habit... the eyes closed is the ticket! I can't wait to try it!
Amy
Trujillo, Peru
homeschoolblogger.com/amada
PS. Friends of ours here that have worked a year in the orphanage that we have here, have decided to adopt 5 siblings. They have no children of their own and hadn't planned on adopting. They are on their way back to the US to make all the preparations necessary. I am SUPER excited for them, even though I know they have a LOT ahead of them!
Oh goody! Now I get to share with all your blogger friends how YOU were trained to take a nap every day at precisely 1:00 p.m. when the intro music to Days of Our Lives started playing on TV. As soon as you heard it, you would yell out, "NAP TIME!" and start running to your room. You were such a good kid!
You're kids are so well behaved, sitting there so sweet and letting the babies get to sleep.
Is that "100 Dresses" you're reading?
MommaOfMany,
Yes, it is. :) What was your opinion of it?
I liked it very much. I have it scheduled into my just-turned-seven year old daughter's curriculum this year.
You're such a cool Mommy. Love the pics!!
Ginger,
I gotta tell you, lady. You inspire me.
- Kelly (West Coast) from TCL
Post a Comment