Summer Reading

We've started to settle into our new summertime groove around here.

Slow and steady.

Nothing too structured. Nothing too stressful. Just laid back activities that feel like slipping into your favorite sandals and going for a nice stroll around the neighborhood while a warm breeze floats along your shoulders.

We've had plenty of fun playdates, but we've also instituted the "Summer Electronics Rules" which leads to much more reading and writing around this house than is ever done during the school year.

Payton loves to read. He truly does. But if he had the choice between reading and the computer... he'll choose the computer every. single. time.

So, the fact that I've already spent $4 for a book on his Kindle and picked up 4 more reserved books at the library for his 3rd grade reading challenge (more on that later), shows that he's consuming books like they were crunchy, orange Cheetos.

Since Payton pretty much has to read a few times throughout the day, I thought it would be good for Parker to start reading at the same time. Of course, he can't really read, but I can read to him, or he can flip through the pages of his favorite books and enjoy the process of looking at books.

So, now we have "QRT" each day.

Quiet Reading Time consists of at least a few minutes of Parker looking at books on his own, and then me reading a few to him. All the while, Payton is reading his own book, either near us or in his room.

This allows me some quiet time in the house   which is few and far between these days - and it gives both boys a set time to really get used to reading.

Payton developed a love for reading very early on and I am praying Parker does the same.

You may remember this reading rewards chart we used last summer. It worked really well, but this year, I'm planing something a little different.

Next school year, Payton wants to participate in the school's "Battle of the Books" which is basically a reading comprehension contest made up of teams of students. So, along with his report card, we received a list of all the books that will be included in next year's 3rd grade Battle of the Books.

So instead of instituting a reading rewards chart, basically, Payton is just going to read through all of these "Battle Books" and when those are completed he gets a reward. He'll get to choose the reward, and since some of these books are quite lengthy, the reward will be significant. Probably a visit to a theme park.

But for those of you who are looking for other reading rewards systems for the summer, I highly encourage you to check out your local library, where I found two great reading programs - one of which rewards the child with a free Rays baseball ticket if they read 72 hours this summer! Not a bad incentive!

Of course, you can also just Google "Reading Reward Charts" and you'll have a plethora of choices from companies who encourage kids to read (e.g. Chuck E. Cheese has a rewards chart that gives the kids free tokens), to crafty moms who have come up with fun rewards charts like this one from Chicken Babies where you put reward tickets inside of balloons and then let the kids pop them when they achieve certain reading goals.

Point is, there are so many options out there to help encourage your children to read this summer. And trust me, there's nothing more beautiful than the sound of quiet reading during a long summer day.

Here's to more reading and less computers this summer! 

Oh... and what will I be reading this summer? Well, I just finished up "Bloom" by Kelle Hampton, and I am waiting for my library to get in "Carry On Warrior" by Glennon Doyle Melton, "Daring Greatly: How the courage to be vulnerable transforms the way we live, love, parent and lead" by Brene Brown. My mom also gave me "While We Were Watching Downton Abbey" by Wendy Wax. Lots of different types of books for my variety-seeking mind to devour. What will you be reading this summer?