One of our favorite times as a family is when we read together. We started doing it here and there a few years ago and enjoyed it so much that we've made it part of our weekly schedule. One night a week, we sit down together in our living room after dinner, each of us with our own book or magazine, and read. Sometimes we put on some pleasant music, but often we just enjoy the silence and each other's company.
Once your children are reading books on their own, this is a great way to make a somewhat lonely activity ("Why don't you go in your room and read for awhile?") into something you can share together (even if your little ones can only last for a few minutes). Plus, it's great for children to see their parents read. It may even make young kids who wouldn't normally choose reading to want to act "grown up" and read just like the rest of the family.
Also, here's a twist that we have fun with. While we're all cozy on the couch, we'll take a quick break and each read a couple sentences from our book out loud. It's a revealing, random peak into what someone else is reading, exposing each of us to a wide variety of writing. We're inevitably amazed at just how different our three books are.
If you don't already do something similar, see if you can find 15-30 minutes sometime this week and give Family Reading Time a try. Let us know how it goes and feel free to share any tips or twists from your family!
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