Bedtimes have always been the most challenging part of the day to me. I've tried just about everything strategy I could think of and anything anyone suggested to me. In the fall, we started reading chapter books. Dan or I sit in the hall so the kids can see us and read by the bathroom light. I've enjoyed rediscovering my childhood favorites and adding some new favorites to my list. So far, here are the books we've read that we can remember:
Ralph and the Motorcycle, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Danny the Champion of the World, James and the Giant Peach, The BFG, The Whipping Boy, Trumpet of the Swan, Mr. Popper's Penguins, From the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, Rabbit Hill, several in the Magic Tree House Series, The Boxcar Children, Pippi Longstocking, several Junie B. Jones, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Freckle Juice, The Borrowers, Indian in the Cupboard
So, do you have any childhood favorites that aren't on our list? Please share them so I can add them to the "need to read" list.
Kelly,
ReplyDeleteI only have two to pin down, but this is what I do: The tend to get a little excited from reading (The Elmo book, So Big, is Sammy's favorite), so after we finish reading we turn out all the lights and sit on the floor next to Sammy's bed. I pull them onto my lap and we do our prayers in the dark. We do the Lord's Prayer, Hail MAry, and then "now I lay me down". The last part of the prayer, I ask them who they want to pray for. They add Mommy and their stuffed animals, and even their friends. It gives them a chance to slow down from the bathtime/reading/wrestling excitement. If they are still worked up, I talk to them about tomorrow and what our plans our (school/what toys to play with, etc.) They seem to calm down and they climb in bed and fall asleep with a minimum of fussiness...after reading this I realize, I REALLY NEED Julie to come home!LOL