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How many books are too much?
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My DD6 is a very fast and voracious reader. She pours over books and reads her favorites over and over. I struggle to keep her supplied with enough non-twaddle books. She learned to read before I really knew about CM, and is used to choosing her own books at the library (15 or 20 of them a week). We are slowly weaning her off books like the “Rainbow Fairies” and “The Puppy Place” and trying to include more living books, although that is a challenge since we have to specifically look for books online and reserve them. Isn’t it sad that living books just aren’t as readily available as the twaddle?
Anyway, I’ve been wondering if I should be choosing more books relating to our history, science, or other studies to let her use for free reading. Are there any drawbacks to letting her just breeze through books about Egypt or some animal stories (to supplement the Burgess Animal book), without expecting any narration. Just to give a point of reference, she would probably finish “Boy of the Pyramids” in less than an hour if I let her. I keep remembering reading somewhere that a lesson not narrated is a lesson wasted. So I have been doing all our school books as read alouds in order to slow her down and make sure she is narrating. However, she does remember incredible amounts of information from the books that she reads just ‘for fun’ and is always telling me things I didn’t even know.
I guess the question is basically, how much should I control what she is reading, and how much should I just lay out a HUGE feast and let her go? Following the feast analogy, is it possible to ‘gorge’ too much when it comes to reading?
Joanne
Great questions – I look forward to reading others’ thoughts. Here are my thoughts:
My oldest is similar. She is 10 and voracious. Since Saturday, for example, she’s read over 1000 pages between books she’s read for fun (Redwall series books 14, 15, and 16 – close to 400 pages each) and her time she spends reading scriptures. This doesn’t include reading for school work.
What I do is try to let her supply of books run out. For example, I will only get 3 books in a series like Redwall at a time. If she consumes all 3 in a week or in 3 weeks it is up to her. I enforce breaks by not taking her back to the library for more, so she either re-reads, slows down and enjoys a book, or finishes books and moves to some other activity for a time.
I also do not let her read books we’ll be using for history ahead of time. She has to stick with the schedule and be patient.
No matter how much she retains from her personal reading, it is nothing compared to what she retains and the connections she makes when she is forced to slow down and read at our “school” pace of 1 chapter per day or less. It simply is impossible to compare the experience of gorging on a book or living with the characters for a longer, slower period of time.
I try to keep a list of books going that I can offer her for her personal reading, and when she’s taken a break after a reading binge I offer her the list to choose from. I do think it is important to take breaks between book binges though, which she doesn’t appreciate…LOL.
I’m just going to answer the last question at this point…
is it possible to ‘gorge’ too much when it comes to reading?
I think the questions is – what else could/should they be doing that they aren’t because they read so much? Are they getting time outside? Are they doing handicrafts? Do they do physical activities (ride bikes, swim, skip, run around, etc…?)
If they are doing those other things (and maybe some I forgot) – then let them go at it, and know that there are parents that would love that problem. If not – well then yes, they are reading too much.
I agree with all that Tristan said btw – when I say “let them go at it” there are limits – not books that will be schoolbooks, and not lots and lots of the same series, etc
I used to read a LOT (well, still do when I get time)… and I wish my kids would read more… sigh.
My ds7 is very much like your dd. He has been a voracious reader ever since he first learned how to put sounds together. I don’t really give him books related to our subject matter for his free reading time. This is something I plan to start next year when he is 8. I just think it’s a bit too soon for me to assign reading outside of school time. I also do not require narrations of his free reading selections, although I will occasionally ask him what’s going on in his books or what his favorite part has been so far. If he can’t give me a good, thought out answer, I know he’s flying through the book for the sake of turning pages, not for soaking it in and actually learning something.
That said, maybe you could encourage her to read longer books. It sounds to me like “Rainbow Fairies” and “The Puppy Palace” are short picture books, rather than long chapter books that encourage her to really immerse herself in the story. We also have pretty much cut library time out, not because I don’t love the library but because finding too many books was becoming an issue. Not only do we not have the space, but like others, I would much rather they took their time really enjoying one great book than flying through as many books as possible just for the sake of it.
I think suzukimom was wise in asking what else she does in her free time. Is reading it? Is she playing outside? Involved in any extracurricular activities? Helping around the house? Learning life skills? Chores? To give you an example of how our free reading time works: Children wake up and must do their personal devotion first. Then they are allowed to read until 8:30, when they make their bed and get dressed. After breakfast is school time, then they have chores which must be completed before they are allowed to play/read. If this doesn’t happen before lunch, they have to postpone playing and/or reading until after mandatory rest time when chores must then be completed. About two days per week, I will allow them to have quiet reading time in their beds rather than nap/rest. Only after chores, rest, and a snack can they have free reign over their time to read or play. If it’s nice out, I sometimes require them to ride their bikes, sidewalk chalk, or we’ll go on a walk. If too cold or windy, they obviously can read if they choose. I have also discovered that several non-battery operated games are good investments for long afternoons in the wintertime. We enjoy Connect 4, Skip-Bo, Bananagrams, Bingo, and Guess Who?. Then we have supper, family clean up, devotional, and family read-aloud.
Before implementing this schedule, my ds was reading 4-5 hours a day. I didn’t think it was a problem until I realized what you are realizing now. It’s a good problem to have, but like anything, even reading in moderation is wise.
Blessings,
Lindsey
Thanks for sharing everyone.
I’m not really worried about the amount of time my DD is spending reading. She is very active and rarely reads more than a few minutes here or there during the day. She reads about 1 hour after bedtime (all the kids go to bed at the same time, but DD just is not ready for sleep as early as the younger kids,) and there is always a stack of books in the bathroom after she’s been in there! Other than that, and of course our official school time, she is actively involved in many things.
I’m mostly pondering what types of books to provide her with for her bedtime reading. She’ll go through several short chapter books (Boxcar Children for example) or a couple of longer books (Little House series, for example) in that time. As I said, she reads them very fast, but then will re-read many of them over and over.
I think I’ll start by giving her some of the living science books like the “Among the … People” series. These are books we probably won’t get around to reading and narrating together, (there are just too many!) but that will give her something with a bit more meat than the books she chooses for herself. I’m going to ask her to tell me something about the book the next day, but not expect a detailed narration.
Sound reasonable?
Oh, and yes, suzukimom, I realize that this isn’t really a ‘problem’ and that I should be grateful she loves reading so much. I’m just figuring out how to channel that love so that she is feasting on real food. I just wish someone had done that for me. I read a lot of twaddle as a kid. A LOT. That was how I survived the drudgery of school – I always had a book secretly under my desk. I know my mom must have had several family rules, but the only ones I specifically remember were these: 1. No reading at the table and 2. No reading while riding a bike. I heard those rules repeated quite often. LOL
Joanne
Wow, Wonderful. Let her go. I found my son reads tons of books too. I am amazed he can read them all. Like you said they learn more sometimes then we know. I know the more they read the more they can associate it with other relevant books later. I encourage him because I read alot too. I don’t always believe everything I read. In our readings we learn what is good and what is not. I have been making my kids write our book reports. This way they have to give a brief explanation of the books they have read. We have been putting these in a binder so I can keep track of them all. This way I know what they got out of it. If they liked it and they are having fun with it they should just keep learning.. I would get her some history books from different time eras. That ought to keep her busy for a very long time. Just a thought….. 🙂
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