Do you have a resolution?
I have two. Get at least 5 hours of sleep a night, and read aloud to my kids every single day.
I first started this blog as a way to keep myself motivated with pre-afterschooling my kids in English. I wanted to get people's feedback and to push myself to do more, better by my kids. I wanted to give them a taste of my culture, a sense of being Canadian even if they are not in Canada. As the months have moved on I have realized the best thing I can do right now is read out loud to them.
I love it too, curling up with them in pajamas, smelling of shampoo and toothpaste, arguing over who chooses which book that night. Then delving into picture books with beautiful illustrations and words that are fun to say. Then talking with my kids after about what they liked about the book or whether it is ever okay to emulate a Robert Munsch character. It's my favourite part of the day.
But, the thing is, it's hard to carve that time out sometimes. I'm a working mom, my weekday time with my kids is limited. Sometimes I am busy and daddy puts them to bed. Sometimes Spinky is exhausted after 2 hours of soccer practice and falls asleep for the night in the car on the way home. Sometimes it just doesn't work out.
In 2012, I want to make it work everyday. If I know Spinky has soccer, we'll read in the morning or on the commute. If I know work will be busy, I'll record a tape for daddy to play.
And to keep myself on track, I am putting a financial incentive to my goal. Every day that I do not read to my kids, I will put $5 in my kiva.org account to be lent to the world's working poor. I believe in Kiva, so it's a win-win, right? I wanted to give to a children's book charity, but was too lazy to look for one before it became 2012, so next year I guess! (If you know of one that is secular and will take donations from Japan, please tell me!)
If I really suck, that could be $1820. (I've already finished reading today!)
Are you interested in playing along? Please, the more the merrier! Feel free to steal the very shoddy button above for your own blog, comment here, or just do it. You choose your own incentive! Just let me know so I can cheer you on. I hope to have round-up posts every month to see how everyone is doing, but no promises.
Jen, this is a FAB idea. Now, I don't know that I can commit to ANOTHER resolution, because I have made about a billion (and coming from someone who kind of *hates* new years res' this is kinda a big deal) but still. What a cool idea. And what I love most is your incentive for yourself. I may have to steal THAT idea!
ReplyDeleteThanks Erica, I appreciate the support!
ReplyDeleteI'm not a big resolution person either, but I can do this, and it will have immediate results (I have no patience!).
Good luck with your resolutions too!
Excellent plan! I think I'll do the same
ReplyDeleteYay, thanks for joining Jamie!
DeleteI don't know if I'll be able to read aloud to all the kids everyday but I'll try to play along too..as I know it is certainly possible to read aloud to the baby everyday and her books are really short to read :P ( plus point!!)
ReplyDeleteAs teachers, at our children's school no less, it's fortunately easy for us to keep on the same schedule as our kids so we're usually able to do the nighttime read-alouds with little fuss. Weekends we usually take off from it though. Good luck with your resolution and happy new year!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea. I read to Matthew (almost) every night. Madison loves to be read to as well. But she mostly likes to look at the pages.
ReplyDeleteYou can do it!
ReplyDeleteLove the idea of having a couple books on tape that DH can use to read to the kids as back ups!
I have a resolution about reading with the kids everyday too and also a resolution to not buy more kids books {which in my mind I hope to stick to for at least 6 months- we have a ton of books, too many almost. Problem with this is I would LOVE to get more Aussie books while in Australia in March so might have to hint at mum which ones I would love or ask for them for MY birthday which is in Feb!}
I can't believe you can go 6 months without buying kids books- I can barely go 6 days!
DeleteGreat idea! When I was little my mom would read aloud to my brother and I every night, I think it is part of the reason why I love reading so much.
ReplyDeleteMy parents did often as well, I have very fond memories of those times.
DeleteI'm a definite read-to-the-kids anywhere and everywhere kind of person! My two are older now - 13 and nearly 11 - and we now manage to read together 3-4 times a week, more just with Little Brother. I know the day will come soon when Older Brother will say it's okay, thank you, I'll just read my own book :-( But we plan to read Lord of the Rings this year, so that should keep us going for a while anyway! And you're right, there's still nothing like all snuggling up together. My favourite times are in the holidays when we can have a "Book Session" (not a very poetic name, but there we are) - just spending the morning reading together. Bliss!
ReplyDeleteLord of the Rings, and if you add in The Hobbit that'll be a year or so. ;) I love book sessions, I'll call them that from now on!
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