Abolish Boredom: Chores, Reading & Imagination Part II

And, now we proceed to the reading section of the "Abolish Boredom" series. Click here to read Part I.

Reading should be as natural as breathing. Now, I realize that is not always as easy to achieve as I can make it sound in a silly seven word sentence. But, that should be the goal. A person who can read never need wonder... they can always know. (or be in the process of knowing.) My children are still in the learning process of reading. And, I will admit that as we started the learning process I was dreading it just a bit. I don't tend to be good at teaching things I do well. That being said, I've discovered that I've loved teaching them to read because it is one of my favorite hobbies--I feel very passionate about the joy of it and the worlds of wisdom for the growth of one's point of view that can be found in a book. It's so fun to be able to share that with them, and start them on the path of their own learning through paper and binding, and thoughts and words put together in a symphony of one person's individual work.


Now, I certainly will not pretend to be an expert at teaching children how to read or to know what people should do with a child that is struggling to read. This blog post is simply from my point of view as an avid reader, and as a mother who has sought to establish 1. imagination, 2. individualization, and 3. the joy of learning in her yet small children.


So far, these are some of things that we do here, in the Happy Sanitarium:

***Art supplies are ALWAYS on hand. Paper, canvas, pencils, crayons, chalk, paint, markers. ALWAYS. They know where they are, and that they can use them. They also know they are required to keep them as neat as possible, and clean up after themselves. I won't pretend that always happens, but it is a work in progress. I also keep small tablets sized approx 5X7 inches for each of them in my purse, with a little bag of crayons. Whether it's grocery shopping, or simply in the car while running errands, they have a creative outlet available to them at all times.


Yes, we go through a lot of paper here. But, it goes beyond simply drawing pictures. Almost every picture must have a story. I ask questions as they draw about what they're drawing... what is this person doing? Where in the world are they? What are they having for dinner? Where are they going next? Sometimes the pictures end up playing with each other. And, sometimes I tell them a story, and they have to draw it out just to mix it up a bit. The words, "I can't draw that." are strictly forbidden here. Everyone can draw some interpretation of something.

***Obviously reading to our children is important. To the point where they'll make you feel like a bad parent if you don't do that every day for at least an hour, or whatever. I know, I agree. Reading to my children is important, and I do my best to do as much as possible. However, the fact of the matter is that as important as it is to set aside the housework and read to your kids, at some point the housework has to be done or we'd all live in our own filth and walk around naked. THAT would be bad parenting. So, I have them-Yes, my as-of-yet-not-reading children-read to me. Here's how it works. They get their favorite illustrated books out. Then they tell me a story about what the pictures say. Usually when they do this with a book we know I set the rule right from the start that they have to come up with a story that is COMPLETELY different than the one the book is actually about. This is hard, and A LOT of fun. Try it sometime! The best part is you can usually have them sit in the kitchen and do this with you while you're making dinner or folding laundry, or whatever. Your job will go faster, and you both get quality time developing an imagination and joy for learning. You'll figure out really quickly which kids enjoy this and do great at it too-for them it's a pleasure. For the one's that aren't so great at it, it's a great exercise. I have one of each, and it's good for both of them.

***ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS ask for a verbal report. Even if it's a movie they watched--with or without you. Or a day of fun with Dad. Or an actual book. Or a game. Get them used to using their words to describe, to explain, to embellish a description. Allow them a period of time in this explanation to say what they WISHED had happened, or how they would have changed the story, the day, the ending. What was their FAVORITE part of the day? What was their least favorite?

***Tell stories. This is a great way to pass the time while waiting in a Doctor's office lobby. Or on a road trip. You can start--make it as weird, and unreal as possible, and then have them take it away. Give each person a paragraph or so to add to the story and keep going until someone has had enough. In my experience, that is usually me. They'll go forever.

***NEVER EVER EVER dumb down your vocabulary for kids. This may or may not be a pet peeve of mine, haha! Of course they aren't going to know what the words mean the first time you use them!! No one does. But, if you keep using them, and if you get them used to them, they will. They'll either ask for the meaning, you'll volunteer it when you see the blank look on their little faces, or they'll understand the meaning soon enough in context if you use it enough. And, their love affair with words/language and knowledge is born due to simple conversation with parents.

Employ Creative Writing/Thinking books that are from a viewpoint different than your own. Currently we are using Language Lessons for Little Ones, Volume 2. (Pictured above.) I did not expect to love this book as much as I do. I wish I'd started them in the very first one a year ago. This particular book employs lessons that take between 5-15 minutes, and they are "easy" and fun. We're really enjoying the Charlotte Mason Method of learning that the book employs. Side note: Also pictured above is The Reading Lesson. These two items have worked really well together so far for us. (My only issues with it is the type they use... where "a" is as pictured here instead of how they usually teach kids to draw a's, and t's tails are curved, etc. Other than that, it's been a really simple, mostly pain-free intro to reading.)

One thing I've noticed, even just as far as I've gotten with my kids and reading, is that it helps so much if they have a selection of books that apply to these rules. 1. Some books that are easy for them to read, and some that are more challenging. Start with easy, then head them towards more challenging. And, 2. Allow them to read about things that interest them. 3. Allow them to pick the book they want to read. (I'm not discounting the fact that you're going to want to make sure it's appropriate here according to your household rules, to be clear. Also, I would really suggest reading it first, as a double check of appropriateness, and so you know what they should be talking to you about as they go through it.) It is really easy to start them off with books we think they should be interested in. I know, I've done that already. But, in order for them to be thrilled with the prospect of reading, the subject matter should totally capture their fancy. Once they are adept readers we can introduce things that are maybe not as captivating. I would suggest a starting point where you research books in subject matter that you know interests them... be it princesses, or bugs, or tractors, or camping, or farts, or girly girl stuff... so you know what's available, and then have a conversation about it. They might be interested in books about something that never even occurred to you! Books are made in any number of ways to interest readers. Perhaps your child doesn't like reading books--maybe they prefer graphic novels... find a selection that will have something that that is age appropriate, and interests them. Then, allow them to pick from that. I would even go so far as to say make a date with them, lunch or "coffee" and a trip to a used bookstore to allow them to pick out a book or books of their very own--make it special. Whether it's Tin-Tin, Captain Underpants, The Little House on the Prairie, Grandma's Attic, Nancy Drew, The Sugar Creek Gang, Jungle Doctor, or The Girlz of Galstanberry, or for the child that tends towards being a trivia nut, perhaps the DK eyewitness books, or whatever. Capturing their fancy with regards to reading is of the utmost importance. Then, requesting a verbal report (at first, then on to written) as they read, or when they are done will enforce the amazingness of the skill they have learned, and the usefulness of it.

Now, I realize the list above may slightly horrify some conservative Christian parents. I didn't list it to horrify, but rather to point out a vast difference of subject matter that is available for different interests out there. Obviously there's also a lot of garbage out there too, and in our most important job of "protecting our Lambs" we have to be careful what they read, and what goes into their heads. That being said, while some things are sufficiently trashy enough to not merit the gift of being read, some things are well written enough, and of interest enough to merit being inserted into our children's heads, especially if they do the job of capturing the magic of reading. While every book may not be a "Christian" book, every (age and subject matter appropriate) book CAN BE READ FROM THE CHRISTIAN VIEWPOINT. This is where the parent comes in, and the conversation about the subject matter, and our highest calling of not ignoring what's evil in the world, but training our young minds to constantly be aware of it, see it, recognize right from wrong, and address it for themselves. This should start at an early age, even before reading begins.

SOOOoooo.... Conversation appears to be the common theme throughout this blog post, does it not? Active Conversation... not just us talking to them, but a back and forth is what makes the mind grow. Helen Keller said, "Everything has it's wonders, even darkness and silence, and I learn whatever state I may be in, therein to be content." It may seem supremely odd for me to end a post about reading with a Helen Keller quote. However, there is a calculated reason behind this oddness. There should be nothing wrong with being left alone in silence, with your own thoughts. Reading is important... Learning is even more important. A lifetime dedicated to learning (reading) and developing one's mind based on a Christian Perspective is priceless. And, when one fills their head with first of all wisdom of God as known through the Bible, and then reads books written by others on different matters of the earth, the moments of "boredom" are nil. In fact, they are instead filled with thoughts of God, and how it applies to our lives, and the world that we see around us. And so, we hope to avoid filling our days with things and activities that don't matter. (which is a symptom of boredom.)



So, what do you do to encourage active thought and conversation in your home?