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As I'm preparing a schedule for this year, I'm overhwelmed as my kids get older and I have more to teach! I have 2 that will be in Res To Ref. I have one that is beginning Bigger and one that is in Little Hearts (plus a 3 year old). All 3 guides have storytime...and I just don't see any way I can get through 3 separate storytimes on top of everything else. Last year, I just read storytime aloud from the books we were reading in CTC and my younger ones were in and out, hearing some but not all of the book. Again this year, I'm wondering about just reading the books for storytime from Res To Ref and hoping the younger ones hear parts of it and not doing storytime in both of the other guides. Any suggestions here on how others balance the storytime out? Thanks!

With, Bigger, I have been able to find 7 of the 9 books as audio books at our library. That way my daughter can listen while I work int he kitchen or on laundry. The Burgess books might also be available on audio (and I know the Potter stories are) for LHFHG.

I don't have 3 different storytimes, only 2, but I suggest moving one of them to lunchtime {to read while they eat}, and one of them to evenings {maybe before bed, or after dinner}. I read Reddy Fox in the mornings to my 5 year old, and we do so much reading during school, that we do the story time for Bigger in the afternoons {outside} or in the evening. Hope that helps!

My oldest took over the storytime box halfway through CTC. If I were you I would have the ones in Res to Ref read their own storytime books and read separately to the ones in Bigger and Little Hearts. The storytime books in the upper guides are not really appropriate for younger kids due to historical content. Little Hearts and Bigger Storytime skills are perfect for the target ages.

Thanks for the ideas ladies, I appreciate the input!

rodandmegs wrote: don't have 3 different storytimes, only 2, but I suggest moving one of them to lunchtime {to read while they eat},

Ok, I'm NOT being critical just honestly curious and really, really wondering about this...I have read others suggesting this very thing on other boards as a time when books could be read... ok, just how on earth...so when does MOM get to eat!! ?

kidsforHim wrote:

rodandmegs wrote: don't have 3 different storytimes, only 2, but I suggest moving one of them to lunchtime {to read while they eat},

Ok, I'm NOT being critical just honestly curious and really, really wondering about this...I have read others suggesting this very thing on other boards as a time when books could be read... ok, just how on earth...so when does MOM get to eat!! ?

I feed the children first, then wait and eat with my husband since he usually comes home for lunch. Sad to say, but some days that is the only time we have to talk. It gives the children 20 minutes or so to run around and burn energy or finish chires. I do realize this option wouldn't work for every family.

I usually feed my kids first and after they clean up, they go have quiet time. That is when I eat! I like to eat in peace and quiet, usually reading. That is what works for me, but everybody is different!

I eat first at our house! Ha ha! When I've had enough of school for the morning, I send them all out to play. I eat lunch and quietly read a book (right now I'm reading the RTR history books). It is my favorite time of the day! Then I call the kids in and read to them from the Bigger and/or Preparing storytime while they eat (my youngest has just started Bigger). The hardest part is having the will-power to end my lunchtime to start theirs...

As for how I handle storytime, my oldest reads her own in RTR. She has done that since the beginning of CTC. She is a good, fast reader, though. I'm sure I won't be able to have my second child read her storytime when she gets to CTC.

If your older two are capable of it, I would have them read their own storytime, and then do the Bigger and LHFHG storytimes for everyone at lunch. The LHFHG storytime is quick and easy.

I have tried reading at lunch, but usually while I'm eating too...and that obviously just doesn't work well! We try to have lunch as a family when my husband comes home on his break, so I'm not thrilled with the idea of foregoing family lunch. My oldest 2 really enjoy me reading aloud to them, and while they're both capable of reading it on their own, I really feel like at this stage, the read alouds are one of the few books I actually get to read with them, as I just can't keep up with all their history and science books with all the other kiddos. So I'm just kind of stuck...guess we'll just go with it and see how it works out!

Yes, a family lunch with Dad is special - I wouldn't want to give that up either. It's a bit of a shame for the youngers to miss out on storytime, though. I had a few other ideas:

- continue reading RTR stories to the older two, and then also have a shared storytime for the younger two - either from LHFHG, or Bigger (using easier books possibly from the Beyond sets)
or
- do as above except have one of your older children read Thornton Burgess books to the younger ones (or have the older ones alternate reading to the youngers)
or

- have the older two read their own RTR storytime, and then do a general storytime for all 4 kids using Bigger-level books from a set that is new to everyone.
or

- alternate: read an RTR book and when that is done read a whole book to the youngers while your older ones read their own book. Then read the following book from the RTR set.

A few things I have done is set the timer for 10 minutes when reading to my older dc who are doing CTC or RTR, and when it rings, they finish the reading. In doing this, my oldest politely asked if he could just read the books on his own , as he retains it better and loves to read. I let him! The focus at that point is not the reading, as older dc can usually read well - it is more the follow-up skills. My middle ds enjoyed the 10 minutes and then was happy to finish it out. With my youngest, I have my older sons occasionally take a turn reading to him and doing the follow-up skills. The reading aloud in the younger guides does not take much time at all, and I guess I feel it is more important, as they are still developing as readers - it helps better develop their listening and reading comprehension. I have also read to my youngest first thing in the morning cuddled up in my bed, which he loved. I occasionally would do it at night as well, but then the follow-up skills were harder to do, and I have found them to be integral in developing strong LA CM habits of narrating well. As any book can be used for some of the guides (i.e. Beyond..., Bigger...), choosing a shorter book that still matches the genre is another time saver. I think what helps me make the time is seeing how important the skills begin taught are, and how each year builds upon those skills from guide to guide. Storytime isn't just a read-aloud book; it is an important part of the plans that has specific skills attached to it that the next guide is assuming dc have intact. This fuels me on to find time in our busy life for this! But the things I mentioned already are certainly 'helps' I take advantage of to save time! HTH!!!

In Christ,
Julie

Ladies, thank you so much for your responses and causing me to really think over all this. I am thinking of having my husband do the read-aloud time with the younger 2 when he is home on his lunch break. He doesn't get much opportunity to be involved much with the kids' school time, so this may be a great opportunity for that as well as great daddy time! When he is not able, my older children or I can fill in. I like the idea of reading aloud to my older kids for a set amount of time and then allowing them to finish reading it on their own. That still allows me to be involved, yet provides a little more freedom in my schedule. Feeling blessed from all your support and responses. Thank you!