Reading Aloud

A more appropriate name for this activity in our house would probably be "Reading Very Loudly," because that's often what it sounds like!

Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, when I had just one child, I read to her ALL the time. We read stacks of books in one sitting, and even when she was just a preschooler, I began to read chapter books aloud to her, always gently pushing the boundaries of her attention span and comprehension. She responded by developing a greater attention span by degrees and better comprehension by leaps and bounds. Then I had child number two, and we had beautiful moments in which I would be nursing him and reading to child number one, feeling that I was at the heights of motherhood as I nurtured both their little minds and bodies at the same time. Child number three entered the scene, and reading aloud became slightly hectic, but this was still one of my favorite things to do.

Then child number three learned to talk.

He would began chattering, loudly, as soon as I began to read anything, whether it was for school, or just for an attempt at those pleasant read-aloud sessions while I was nursing the baby (child number four, who arrived rather quickly on the heels of number three) and hoping to be surrounded by happy, attentive children on either side. If that didn't work, he would suddenly need something - anything- that was impossible to have, and he would need it desperately. In all other respects, he looked like an innocent preschooler, but it sure seemed like he was doing this on purpose, the diabolical little darling.

The when child number four grew older and began walking and talking, things became exponentially more challenging, and it brings us to where we are today. For certain, the days of reading to happily settled children on the couch while nursing the current baby are gone. If I can even get them all on the couch with me, they begin climbing on my head, or, with their fierce brand of loving, trying to kiss or tickle the baby. So not snuggling together would be fine with me, and, as noted in the previous two posts, I've become flexible about having them sit down and listen. Child number two listens best when he's tossing a football around, anyway. But number three and number four like to talk...and talk, and talk, and talk...and wrestle, and argue, and laugh, and behave raucously in general...and do it all very loudly. They are in league against me! Or so I've told my husband via text or hysterical phone call from time to time.

I think, though, that they just can't help it. They are, and this is a big aside, but it's too true and too cute, just like the minions in Despicable Me. Have you seen it? If you have, then you know what I'm dealing with. And you know that while the minions are funny and adorable, it's hard to imagine snuggling with their incorrigibly mischievous selves and reading them the works of Tolkien while they listen in rapt silence (or even near silence).

See the resemblance?!

But the fact remains that even minion-like children must be educated, and must have their little minds properly nourished, whether they like it or not. And unlike some of my previous posts, I actually have some measure of success to share. In the first place, I just read more loudly. Sometimes Dave comes home to one of these reading sessions and shakes his head in disbelief, wondering aloud how anyone can be getting anything out of it. Secondly, it helps to keep their hands busy. I've found that play dough works better than cars, Legos, or action figures, all of which can become catalysts for loud fight scenes, both in play and in earnest. Better yet, involve food, because they can talk less when eating. Thirdly, concede that what worked for number one and number two probably won't work with number three and number four. Most recently for us, I tried to read The Hobbit to everyone, since I read it to the older kids when they were the boys' age, but I soon realized that we were never going to finish it if I tried to make the younger ones listen. So I let them off the hook, and finished reading it to Drew, but I did start reading Prince Caspian with the younger set. (C.S. Lewis is just a must.) They are slightly more receptive to this, although sometimes even minions get the last word. Almost halfway through the book, I read, "And then Caspian..." Child number three looked up, his handsome eyes full of innocence. "Who's Caspian?"

Diabolical. Just diabolical.

PS Humor aside, and just for the record...we do read plenty of picture books to the younger ones. I'm not such a hard taskmaster that I don't recognize their need for reading in very short doses! We've also read shorter chapter books that stretch them just a little, but not too much. Dolphin Adventure and Dolphin Treasure were very good for this!