by: Topher Wiles

We
are deliberately a reading family. As you can imagine for a guy with
my energy level, slowing down, sitting in a chair, and reading a book are all
challenging tasks that rub the wrong way against the grain of my
temperament. Much like eating vegetables, we know reading is good
for the kids, so Ashley and I choose to slow life down to read books to our
children. Also, much like eating veggies, if you keep doing it, you
eventually learn to like it. So our time frequently finds the Wiles
family travelling through India, braving the rough seas in the new Americas, or
travelling west in pioneer caravans as we read aloud.
The Green Ember Series has been our favorite read aloud of 2020! |
Reading
to your kids has been proven to be a big benefit in their lives. In a 2018 New
York Times article titled “New Guidelines From Pediatricians,” doctors of
medicine found that parents reading to children is a valid way to help kids
with their behavior and attention span issues, and it’s as cheap as a library
card. Researchers shared, “The parent-child-book moment even has the
potential to help curb problem behaviors like aggression, hyperactivity, and
difficulty with attention, a new study has found.” I struggle with
attention deficit and we know a lot of families with kids struggle
too. Focus on the Family researchers tell even more bonuses in their
aptly title article “The Benefits of Reading to Your Children.” Children that
are regularly read to at home generally:
·
“Read better, write better
and concentrate better.
·
Are quicker to see
subtleties.
·
Have an easier time
processing new information.
·
Have a better chance for
a successful, fulfilling adult life.
·
Have many interests and
do well in a wide variety of subjects.
·
Develop an ability to
understand how other people think and feel.
·
Acquire the ability to
sift information and to understand how unrelated facts can fit into a whole.
·
Tend to be more flexible
in their thinking and more open to new ideas.
·
Weather personal
problems better without their schoolwork being affected.”
I
know it’s hard. I’m a sporty, outdoorsman who would naturally rather
put a hammer, baseball, or fishing rod in my kids’ hands than a book, but even
I see the big benefits of book-time for my kids. I’ve witnessed so
much good for my children and wife, that I’ve even increased my quality reading
consumption by joining a book club at the White County Public Library. The Wiles family has been blessed to organize
our schedule to include ample amount of book-time, and we hope your family will
experience the benefits too. Here are a few of our suggestions as
you and your children digest regular reading together.
·
Kids react differently
to reading. Gabriel could sit perfectly still and listen while Ethan
struggled. Putting a hot wheels car in Ethan’s hand and letting him
lay on the floor to play with it made a world of difference in his attentive
abilities.
·
Make time for reading
before bed. Yes, we have hard and fast lights-out times for our
kids, but those deadlines aren’t as important as ending the night on a positive
connection.
·
Involve mom, dad, older
siblings, and grandparents in the reading repertoire. You will all
choose different book subjects, giving the kids a variety of adventures,
relationship connections, and funny voices to imitate.
·
Be patient with your
kids learning to read. One of our boys learned to read chapter books
at 4 years old. Another struggling with dyslexia and didn’t pick it
up till 6. Now, they are both voracious readers!
·
Keep
reading. Our eldest is thirteen, and he still enjoys being read to!
·
Force yourself as an
adult to read a book, too. It helps my mood, attitude, & blood
pressure!
If you’ve got questions
or are looking for tips for reading lists, the internet has a wealth of
information on the topic, but we’ve found that our local White County
Librarians are very well-versed in this area of study and are happy to
help. Go ask them for age appropriate suggestions and you’ll be amazed
at the variety of fun titles they’ll offer!
Here’s a few of the
Wiles family book recommendations for reading aloud to children 13 years old
and younger.
·
The Chronicles of Narnia
by C.S. Lewis
·
The Green Ember series
by S.D. Smith
·
The Lord of the Rings by
J.R.R. Tolkien (yes, even my sixyear old loves it!)
·
The Boxcar Childrenseries by Gertrude Chandler Warner (the originals are best)
·
The Cricket in TimesSquare by George Selden
·
The Russian Saga (or
anything else) by Gloria Whelan (best for older elementary/middle school)
·
The Little House series
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
·
The Roman Britain series
(good for middle school age) by Rosemary Sutcliff
·
The Mercy Watson Series
(great for younger kids) by Kate DiCamillo
·
The Beginners Bible (for
young kids) and the NIrV (for older kids) all inspired by God.
We saved the best for
last in our list; we’ve been blessed to spend Bible time together every single
day of our kids’ lives. We hope reading is a blessing to you
too. Even while social distancing, your
family can still travel the world!
“For whatever was
written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance
and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” – Romans
15:4
The word “forte” comes from the latin word “fortis” meaning strength. Our weekly Family Forte article in The Expositor is the effort of family at Central Church of Christ to give your family the love, care, and attention it needs to become a stronger version of itself. If we can help you in any way, please contact us at Central Church of Christ through email, topherwiles@spartacoc.com, or through our website, www.spartacoc.com.
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