Mondays with Mowat

Monday breakfast reading now includes Owls in the Family by Farley Mowat. We still do parts of our Morning Stack (those parts are adjusted as time goes by) but we'll slip in some Mowat for the next 10 weeks, at least.

  

I had realized again (for only about the 37th time) that my younger two children hadn't exactly been read aloud all the great, not-to-be-missed books my older two had enjoyed when they were younger. And I felt a little guilty.

Not sure why, because my younger ones have enjoyed listening to books I would have never read the older ones when they were seven and five. But I don't want them to miss treasures such as Mr. Popper's Penguins, All-of-a-Kind-Family, Pippi Longstocking, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, My Father's Dragon, Betsy-Tacy, The Mouse and the Motorcycle, and many others. Those, like so many, are fun to read out loud (aloud? out loud? guess I use both interchangeably), whether or not the children are capable of reading them on their own.

I have vivid memories of rocking a fussing baby, grasping a book with one hand, and reading with a projected, animated voice (over the noisy baby sounds) to my older children who were sitting sprawled around my feet, with joy in their faces. 

Mondays with Mowat is just one more way for me to be intentional about my younger two children and bring more things into our days with them in mind. 

Comments

[cheryl]

I can relate to your realization that a younger child has missed out on some treasures that the older child(ren) have enjoyed. There are several delightful books on this list that I have not read with Bekah. I think I'll get out Mr. Popper's Penguins today!

(Our family read Owls in the Family last spring and thoroughly enjoyed it!)

[Melissa]

I've had the same experience and am now reading much more to both. Sort of got lulled into only reading history books there for awhile!!

[Meredith]

I am LOVING re-reading our old favorites with my younger two now as well! And there's so many more new favorites that the older ones keep telling me about that our list is going to be on a continuam for years to come!!! We loved Mowat too1

[Kristin]

I find I feel guilty about this, too. There are so many books I've read with the older children (or even older child) that I want to read again for the benefit of the youngers! But I remind myself that in this season of life, it is not necessary to read EVERY book I want to read. So we purpose to read what we can and be content not to read the rest.

We love Owls in the Family, too! And many of the others you mentioned. Great stuff.