Our Reading Journey Today

Despite being a bookworm as a child and teen, my reading dropped significantly both in time and quantity as an adult.  I would still read, but it wasn't with the same burning desire to jump into a story. Instead, I found myself reading more non-fiction such as Christian studies and books on homeschooling methods. Occassionally I would snag a Karen Kingsbury or Terri Blackstock novel, having found only a minimal selection of Christian authors.  I spent one summer reading nothing but Christian Amish novels, but at least I was reading.  Over time, however, my reading dropped more and more.  I stopped having much motivation to read.  We were going through a tough time, and where reading had been my escape in the past, I found my brain wouldn't focus for long.

The problem with not reading, for a bookworm, is that it literally feels like stress.  Reading was a deep part of me, a part of my personality.  Reading becomes replaced with television.  It's not healthy.  It creates a passive brain, one that struggles to pay attention. 

I am sure my health had a bit to do with my reading drop.  Stress was taking a toll on my body.  I was dealing with a lot of brain fog from an undiagnosed thyroid condition.  Life seemed out of control for a couple years. 

I had to begin reading slowly.  I picked a set of Terri Blacksock novels that I hadn't read and began.  The first one was an audio book. I knew that getting back into reading was important.  I had spent too long binge watching NCIS and other shows on Netflix.  I looked around and saw each of my children with a face in a screen.  Even my youngest would use the tablet or the Nook to log in to Netflix and disappear into her room for hours to watch tv.  

I had read the research about how we watch too much television.  I had read about the damage it can cause, from low attention spans to rewired brains that crave more and more stimulation.  I knew my already ADHD daughter didn't need any help with distraction.  I knew, and yet a lethargy and an apathy had settled over me as I fell into the same pattern of watching tv every night.  My brain craved the stimuli.  I would wait impatiently for the time when evening would come and I could turn on the tv and veg into the characters in the shows. 

At the same time that I was working on getting back to my old reading self, I began to read aloud again to my youngest daughter.  The only reading aloud I was doing with my children was Bible time.  It began, at first, as a bedtime story.  The change of a simple bedtime story was immediately significant.  My little the eight year old would beg for more.  She loved being read to.  She also began to fall asleep quickly and deeply, after struggling with insomnia.  

What?!  She was going to sleep AND staying asleep because of a story?  How was this possible after years of fighting insomnia? According to Janet Krone Kennedy, PHD, "Bedtime reading also provides a point of focus and distraction, away from the day’s activities and frustrations, allowing the body’s fatigue to take over and bring the child closer to sleep. Even in young babies, this point of focus helps them to filter out the stimulating world around them and relax."

This worked for my child and for me. On nights I read a good story with a real book (not a book on a device) I notice I fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply. After years I such bad insomnia I was prescribed sleeping pills by a doctor, who knew reading could do such a great job?

God must have known I needed the encouragement.  I stumbled onto the podcast by Sarah Mackenzie, The Read Aloud Revival.  Suddenly I found a community of readers and writers that know and believe in the power of reading, and feel reading aloud to children is powerful. 

Sadly, I knew how powerful reading to my children could be. I had devoured the Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease when I first was considering homeschooling. I used to read aloud to my now sixteen year old for hours each day. Our first homeschooling years were full of reading wonderful stories and biographies.  This was how my child fell in love with George Mueller and Gladys Alward, from me reading to her their biographies.  As she got older and began to read more for herself, and life was hectic with a busy toddler and several teenagers, I slowly stopped reading to her, much to my regret. 

Could I correct all the wrongs from the way I stopped the reading culture in our home?  I still believed in reading enough that I had a lot of reading scheduled for my children's schooling.  And I went back to the literature based curriculum that I had drifted away from when life was  difficult. 

I began reading more myself.  I knew that if I couldn't get my brain rewired, regain my ability to focus, that I was not going to be a quality example for my children.  I'll be honest, it was difficult at first.  I want to model for my children a story-formed life, but struggled to sit and simply read. I began with the easier works by familiar authors.  I added in some audiobooks to listen to while I was cooking or walking.  These helped because I was able to listen while I was getting stuff done.  I decided to use real books as often as possible over ebooks so that I wasn't tempted to jump on social media. I began a facebook fast that still is ongoing. 

I simplified school immensely for my third grader.  We cut out some of the time consuming workbooks and a few projects.  I made time, a significant amount of time, to just read.  While she has books she is reading, I increased the amount of reading aloud I do, spread throughout the day. We usually have at least two books going at a time after science and history, and not including our bedtime read.  

Too much? Well, Megan has fallen in love with books.  My nine year old now loves to head to the library.  She loves audiobooks and will go through a couple a week, on top of all my reading aloud. She has a stack of books each time we leave the library. She loves poetry and books about various animals.  She is devouring the Cul-de-sac Kids series by Beverly Lewis.  

Besides my facebook fast, I don't watch much tv any longer. I would rather be reading.  I am branching out with authors, discovering more writers I enjoy, and a few that are just okay.  However, I am reading again, and that is most important.  My brain is alive again.  Now that I'm on some thyroid meds, my brain fog isn't as severe and I find I am able to focus for loner and longer periods of time.  When I read at bedtime, I sleep much better than even when I was on those prescription sleeping pills (unless the story is too exciting and I can't put it down).  

Reading aloud to Megan plays a part, I am sure, in developing my focus.  Reading quality literature to her helps my brain just as much as it does hers, I believe.  Also, I feel like I missed so many of these great books when I was a kid and now I get to read them, sharing them with my daughter. 

I am feeling confident that God has led me back to who He made me to be.  My love for stories has returned.  My brain can focus for longer periods of time, and can relax easier at the end of the day.  I feel like I'm me again.  For so long, I think I lost a part of myself. Even my spiritual life has improved as I can focus longer in my prayer and Bible times.  Yes, reading can do that!