Bored with Reb and the Redcoats

[aveigel]

I am doing Rev to Rev with my 14 yr. old son and we are both bored with Reb and the Redcoats. He feels like the kids in this book act WAY too young.
There is also very little that actually happens in the story....Every once in a while we come across a book that is
recommended everywhere, and we wonder why. I am wondering if some of these read alouds just appeal more to girls..? We also read Calico Captive
together (because we had already read Amos Fortune), and that seemed like a story for girls, too. Anyone else have this problem, or are my boys just
really picky? If anyone out there has done Rev to Rev with their boys and have some books that they highly recommend for that time period, I would
love to hear about it! I feel like the read aloud books take so much time (I have another son in HOD, different level) and as my boys get older, they
are wanting to be read to less and less, so I really don't want them to be boring.

Thanks so much!
Ashley

[LynnH]

My son really enjoyed Reb and Redcoats, so I can't help you with that. I am wondering though if maybe it has more to do with the fact that your 14 year old is in the extension age range for the guide, so a few of the books may seem young to him. I am wondering if there is a reason you are reading out loud to him? At 14 I would definitely have him reading the books himself, especially since you have a son in another guide. Is he doing the extensions? Since those books are written more to his age level maybe he would enjoy some of those.

[Nealewill]

As an encouragement, I think different books rub different people differently. I don't necessarily have any help. I have always just followed the plans because I lacked time (and desire) to research (and change) the guide, plus it seems like the guide presents a good balance. If I put a different book in there, it may be too short or too long. And if my kids were in school, they would have to possibly endure several books they may or may like anyway. I guess I feel like it is good practice to be attentive even if you don't like something. For example, last year and the year before, I was reading the storytime book about the hymns from CtC and RtR. I am sorry but I personally did not like that book at all. It was wordy and the readings took a little bit longer for me (or maybe they didn't it just felt like they did) But my kiddos LOVED it!!!!!! Same with the Door in the Wall. The first year I read that to my oldest, I hated it. She loved it. I actually think I made my husband read it to her because he liked it too. As for Reb and the Redcoats, my kids are loving it.

As you will notice, I keep saying kids. Many times at storytime, all of my kids come and listen to each others storytime box. For my oldest, she is relistening to the younger guide. And for my younger two kiddos have heard these stories before but it was 3 years ago. My kids love when I read to them no matter what and they love relistening to these stories. Plus, when I am reading storytime for one guide, the child(ren) who aren't using that guide can come and listen if they want too but in no way is it required. Almost every day, I have 3 kids at each storytime, including this book. We are reading it now and all 3 seem to like it. But I am sorry your son doesn't. That is frustrating.

[aveigel]

Thanks for the responses. I am still reading aloud to my son because I have heard many "experts" (ie-Andrew Pudewa) say that you should keep reading aloud to your kids--even in their teens--and also because I think there
is an important connection that occurs when we read aloud to our kids and I want to keep that going. Now that you mention it, though, it should be books that are above his level. We aren't doing the extension because they are also in a speech class and a Biblical worldview class, so he definitely has enough on his plate. But maybe I need to start choosing books from that list instead....

Nealewill, thanks for the encouragement. I completely agree with you. Most of us have limited time and a limited budget, so we want to go with the books that are recommended & purchased/tracked down from libraries. But we are all so different....I don't like it when we can't finish a book because it just doesn't hold our attention, but sometimes I think we need to. There are just too many good books out there to enjoy!:)

[Nealewill]

There are just too many good books out there to enjoy!:)

Ha ha. Don't I know it!!! I am a total book-a-holic!

[luv2homeschool]

Thanks for the responses. I am still reading aloud to my son because I have heard many "experts" (ie-Andrew Pudewa) say that you should keep reading aloud to your kids--even in their teens--and also because I think there
is an important connection that occurs when we read aloud to our kids and I want to keep that going. Now that you mention it, though, it should be books that are above his level. We aren't doing the extension because they are also in a speech class and a Biblical worldview class, so he definitely has enough on his plate. But maybe I need to start choosing books from that list instead....

Nealewill, thanks for the encouragement. I completely agree with you. Most of us have limited time and a limited budget, so we want to go with the books that are recommended & purchased/tracked down from libraries. But we are all so different....I don't like it when we can't finish a book because it just doesn't hold our attention, but sometimes I think we need to. There are just too many good books out there to enjoy!:)

Yes, I absolutely agree that you should keep reading aloud to your kids. I think you might be right about him being a little too old for that book in particular. My son did enjoy it, though, last year at age 12. We enjoyed all the Rev to Rev books. Amazingly, Florence Nightingale was a particular favorite of both of us, it had such rich language. We've also been enjoying the MTMM books this year. I cried through reading War Horse! I did have to make a substitution, we are currently reading Banner in the Sky as we had already read Gladys Aylward (he has a terrific memory for books).

[LynnH]

I read aloud to my son up until this year and he is in the high school US1 guide so I do think it is good to read aloud, but since he is in the extended range for the guide he is doing it may just be that those books would seem young to him. Since he is resisting being read aloud to, maybe you could switch off every other book and let him read some of them to himself. I always tell people 14 is the toughest year for boys. I feel like they are trying to break away from mom some and wanting to feel independent and grown up. It is tough to balance that. Maybe some of what you are seeing is that. I have never felt that the books were more geared to girls, especially since the author and her sister both have all boys, but I also have a boy that loves books that show the relationships between the characters. He likes action in books, but he also likes seeing how the characters interact with each other.

[John'smom]

We all loved it and when I say we, one is my ds. I'd say it is a personal thing as one of the previous posters was naming books they loved like Florence Nightingale and War Horse and personally those are ones we liked the least. We felt like Florence was repetitive, she is an angel, and War Horse the same....but we ALWAYS read the book. Not saying you don't know this, but life is full of doing things that aren't our favorites. So to keep going is good practice. I think one of the positives of homeschooling is being able to give our students exactly what works for them best but it can also be a downfall. One day they won't have options to switch books if it is dry or they don't agree with the content. My dh went to college for accounting and had to read several books he did NOT agree with nor were they profitable....had nothing to do with his degree. It is just part of life. My main reason in responding though is to say we are all different in what we like and don't like but just keep going. If nothing else, it is good for our character.