Morning Routine.

Until about two months ago, Seth really did not like it when I read aloud.  Given that I try to read out loud every day (sometimes for fairly long periods of time), it was a little discouraging when his response to gathering in the library was always something like "do we have to?" or "not again!" - or something similar...but always said in a plaintive, whiny voice.

Around two months ago something changed: our first-thing-in-the-morning routine.

Seth and Lizzie are totally morning people - they're up before dawn and irreversibly wide awake.  Matthew, on the other hand, loves to stay awake late at night and loves to sleep until about 8:30 in the morning.  

About two months ago, I decided to take advantage of this difference.  I got the younger kids out of their rooms at 7:00 (which is when they're allowed to get up) and headed down to our little library with them...still in our jammies.  I suggested that they each pick a book and that I'd read both of the books to them.  They snuggled up next to me on an arm chair and we pulled a blanket over us, and we read their books.  Then they picked more books and I read all of those, too.  By the time Matthew came downstairs at almost 8:30, we'd gone through quite a pile of books!

That started a routine - we do this about five times/week now.  While Lizzie has always adored someone reading to her, the biggest change has been in Seth.  He now loves being read to.  He's the one now whose first words of the day to me are often something like "can we go read in the library, mommy?"  They take turns picking the first book of the morning, and we really do get through quite a few books.  They both hate it when our morning reading time ends.

Given how important this step is in developing a lifelong love of reading, and given my own love of reading, I couldn't be happier about this start to our day.  Besides, it's another good way to cuddle!