Bedtime Ritual

Wherever we go, whatever we do, my kidlets know that they can always count on our bedtime ritual of reading. With the exception of very late social or sports nights we always accomplish this, even if it puts us to bed later. I am not sure who enjoys it more. The kids or myself. Being a big fan of Love and Logic (the BEST book on how to raise children and be a good and sane parent) I have always given them the choice. Come bedtime, they can either go to bed or snuggle up and read with me. Sometimes it is seen as the lesser of two evils but they always love it in the end. We try to mix it up with the books but the rules are always the same. You have to listen and if you have a question, by all means ask. There is no point in my reading if the words aren't being undertood. We read just about anything and everything. At first it was board books, baby books, picture books etc. We do picture books especially at the holidays. I love love love children's books and would love to write a children's book. Even at age 9 my daughter loves kids books. A good kid's book is so fascinating. It may make you laugh, cry, wonder or a host of other emotions all withing 20 or so pages. It's the original twitter tweet, except for kids. They cut to the chase as the target audience's attention spans are short. Less is so often more. We read books in Swedish and English and periodically in German. We read books about the serious (Big Words for Little People, The Brand New Kid) and the insanely not serious (The Pickle Book! and the Fartiste). Classics (Little House series), The Treehouse Series and for a good portion of the last few years the Harry Potter Series. Yes, every one of them. Both the kids love the stories, the imagination, and are understanding (especially the older one) the many lessons about the importance of friendship, goodness, and kindness the books have to offer. The characters have grown beyond just the half hour before bedtime, they are part of our daily fabric. If all I ever accomplish as a mom is to foster a love of reading in my kids, wow what bliss that would be.