Gifts That Keep Giving- Part 2

"There's no great loss without some small gain." -Pa Ingalls (Little House on the Prairie)

Piled up on my bed in jammies, we did it. The boys and I finished Little House on the Prairie tonight.

I am convinced that I will never regret all the reading that the boys and I do together. Boys snuggled up to me, twirling my hair, playing with a pillow...doing nothing. Just listening and waiting for the next sketch in the book.

--------

this is a favorite photo of my Mom In Law, reading in her pool

Joey had a disappointment today. For a nine year old, a big disappointment. We were just heading up to read and he really wanted to tell me about it, but I asked him to wait. Listen to the book and then he and I could talk about it. (Sometimes this boy needs to simmer a little so he can use his words well. Um, so do I. ) So we snuggled up on the bed, he pulled a blanket over his head in grief and I read the final two chapters of our book.

Joe, always a book in hand, on a Canyon hike

I tucked Eli in bed, when I went to the kitchen Joe was waiting for me, "Cup of Tea, please Mom?" We chose our tea and put the water on to boil. Joe looked square at me. "There's no great loss without some small gain." he said. Then he rattled on the bleak gain he saw that he pulled from his loss.

Thank you, Pa Ingalls. Because it sounds better coming from you.

Joe and I sat down and discussed disappointment. We talked about the idea that sometimes the things that we want aren't the best things for us. Sometimes we just don't get what we want and it's just plain disappointing. It was a wonderful opening for good discussion.

Eli & Waldo: quality time

From the coziness, quiet and stillness of reading together to the ideas and discussions that it brings, reading to your kids is a gift that keeps on giving.

A Few of Our Favorite Books:

For the Younger Crowd:

Curious George by H.A. Rey

Little Critter by Mercer Mayer (and all others by Mercer Mayer)

The Cozy Book by Mary Ann Hoberman

I Can't Said the Ant by Polly Cameron

The Tale of Peter Rabbit series by Beatrix Potter

For the Bigger Ones:

The Magic School Bus books

The Magic Tree House books

Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books

Encyclopedia Brown books

The Story of the World books

All Books by Holling C. Holling

The Litte House on the Prairie Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, of course

Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

Oh, I have more but it's getting late. Perhaps I'll return with other favorites. :)

What are your favorite read alouds?