family reading

I grew up in a house that had a family reading time.

So did my husband.

these times, as a child, were really special to me..... and they bring great memories of my dad, who has now passed away.

I particularly remember him reading the C.S. Lewis children's books "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" series.

After dinner we would all get cleaned up, in our PJ's and gather in the front room to hear my dad read. I loved hearing his voice,

as I am sure, if you ask my siblings, they would say the same thing.

now....

In our house,

we do the same thing.

after the baths, and PJ's are on.... the kids gather on the couch and I (or Bry) read to them. Last summer they were short chapter books.... mostly about dogs, or ducks. This past winter, we read together the Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo. This spring we read the Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane- by the same author. Well, this summer... with the interest of dragons and such in the house....

we are reading the series of books narrated by the famous dragon Hero Hiccup in the book How To Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell. We are reading from this book more than just in the evenings.... and it has triggered a dragon imagination that continues throughout the day. This is one reason why reading books together is a wonderful time spent together~ you really get to emerge yourself in a story, and have the benefits of a shared imagination in play!

so grab a book and read.

be a princess, go on a shark hunt, be a mouse or even a rabbit doll....

it doesn't matter what you are, just be someone else for a while, and have fun being in the moment with your child....

a moment that they will remember with great fondness.