should I "change" her?
Hi all, just found this group a few minutes ago. I have 4 adorables-- 7.5dd, 5.5dd, 3.5dd, and .75ds. My oldest is a VORACIOUS reader to say the least. From the moment she wakes up in the morning, she picks up a book. She does spend a couple of hours a day playing but otherwise will not stop reading to eat, dress, or help around the house unless I beg and plead. She's gone through all the Little House books, Heidi, Roald Dahl's collection, Treasure Island, Swiss Family Robinson, EB White's books, and several otherson the TJ list, but she still enjoys myths and fairy tales and any of the other decent picture books that we have in our home (we have A LOT of books). I read aloud my choice of classic every day to the kids, sometimes she listens sometimes she continues her own reading. She does re-read and will only read parts of one book then go on to another and another and back to the original one a few days later. She is intensely curious and I would say is in Love of Learning. My questions are: shouldn't I be training her in housework and chores and is it alright for her to read parts of several books simultaneously? We haven't begun to discuss what she's read. I am really struggling here, she has learned so much in the last three years since she learned how to read and I hate to curtail her but the laundry pile is growing and growing. Thank you!
thanks!
Thank you so much for your input! I agree, how ridiculous that I am pulling her away from the book!! But you two are right, I'm only doing half of TJed if I'm not requiring the housework. And, I just re-read the Headgates paper again and found that they really do require a work period to help inspire a learning period. Thanks again.
Read!
What a great thing to have a daughter who loves to read!
My children read a lot (not as much as yours!), but I have a stern rule that there is no reading allowed until after Family Work time (which lasts up to 2 hours in the morning). I'd rather read than do family work too, but some things must be done. And doing one activity to the exclusion of all other activities isn't necessarily a good thing - even something as awesome as reading! My children moan and groan, but that is the rule! It's really hard to pull them from books, so I just made a general rule that I could use to remind them. It sounds so weird to say you don't let them read - contrary to the world which is constantly pushing kids to read! But it's only for a few hours and then they can read all afternoon and evening if they want.
I would definitely ask your daughter about the books she reads. It's one thing to rip through a book. It's quite another thing to remember the story-line and be able to explain it to another person.
In doing some education studying, I did come across an article (I think at Amblesideonline.org) that talked about the benefit of working out of multiple books at once and how it actually strengthens your retention. So I wouldn't worry there! It's just her personal style.
I agree with you that she's probably in Love of Learning. Look at the curriculum for LOL - you'll find it's a lot of adult skills classes. Those are things that should be learned before she hits scholar phase!
Good luck!
Is she using
Is she using reading as an excuse to get out of housework? I have a couple daughters who would do that, if allowed. When it is time to do family work or individual chores, my daughters and I must put books down and work together. I cannot run the home myself; they live here; they make messes; part of growing up is learning to take care of home and belongings.
If all the books she has available are good books, then I don't think it matters a whole bunch whether she reads them straight through or a piece at a time. I know some people who cannot keep but one book going at a time. I have a list of things I'm reading simultaneously (usually depending on which room I'm in at the time).
Do ask her what she thinks of the characters and situations in the books. She may tell you lots of stuff or she might not have much to say about them, depending on her personality. But it is a valid concern to know whether she's understanding and retaining what she's reading. Just don't make it a comprehension test... at 7 and a half she would rather tell about the book herself, not take a test.