A Reading Nook

I have made no bones about the fact that reading has been a real struggle in this house. And I am beside myself with worry, frustration, and impatience. All things that are not conducive to creating a peaceful environment for learning. But all of that changed last week when I decided to take matters into my own hands and create a peaceful space for McKinley.

I browsed Pinterest one afternoon for inspirational reading nook photos and found tons! If you have a lot of time, and money, and space on your hands, you can create some magnificent spots for your children. But as luck would have it, I had a limited budget and space to work with, but in the end I think it turned out just right.

McKinley's room always seems to be a work in progress. Remember when I was trying to decide where to create a good work space for him? Did I go with the tradition kitchen table or go for a space that was just for him? Well, I turned a small corner in his room into that work space and guess what? He uses the kitchen table for all activities for school. And that table in his room became the catch-all for literally everything! Just like it did in the basement. So I cleaned off the table, carried it back downstairs (where I'm sure it will catch all the toys), and began my work in his room once again.

He hasn't used his changing table in quiet sometime. Or at least for its true intentions. I made it a mini library awhile back and it worked out really well. We read books to him every night and all of his favorites, and then some, were always on hand. And aside from the library shelving, we also have his underwear, socks, and pajamas in the drawers and storage baskets. We still use the table for several purposes. However, it's a huge piece of furniture and takes up a lot of room. My mom had the brilliant idea of putting the table inside the closet. Brilliant I tell you. Until I had to clean out the closet. 

You see, I have a lot of clothes and I utilize two closets in our house. However, because I'm not really working outside the home these days, I don't really need the corporate America wardrobe that is housed inside both. So, I did a major purge. Some things were donated while others were stored in a flat wardrobe box and it's currently stored under one of our beds. I still have several things that need to be stored elsewhere and I may bribe my mom to let me use one of her closets.....again! Oh, and I had to clear out all the shoes that were in that closet as well. And clear out I did. I donated a huge box of shoes and I'm prepared to sell the others. I still have more shoes than I actually need, but what woman doesn't. But I did it! And the transformation is perfect! (And yes, there is still a small portion of my stuff in his closet. I truly can't purge it all....)

From there, it was time to create the peaceful reading nook. I knew I wanted to use the corner of his room for a portion of the space, but I wasn't really sure how to execute it. I thought a bean bag would be super cool based on the photo above. But did you know that right under my nose was McKinley's Pottery Barn Kids chair? This poor chair has been moved around and around our house, but I think it finally has a good home. I found a build it yourself bookcase at Target and it will work for now. I would like to find something a little bigger and one that runs horizontally versus vertically. I would like it to house his art supplies in addition to all of his books he will eventually be reading. For now, the books are arranged according to paperback versus hardback. All Little Golden Books are on the same shelf. His larger books are on the bottom. And all the paperbacks are on top. He's got his art caddy, Jingle Pup who is super integral when reading Jingle Pup, and his albums and record player for when a little light music is needed. Isn't it sweet?

The top of the bookcase needed a little something so I went scouring around the house. I found his seashell collection and sand from the Outer Banks. I added his favorite antique car which was my dad's when he was little. We have our marbles for the marble reading jar. And what six year old doesn't need a Lava Lamp? That was mine and it was time to pass it down. All things have meaning which makes the space complete!

When I first showed McKinley his new space after school last week, he immediately asked if he could have his afternoon snack there. Of course! And he asked if he could have a basket of books next to the chair so he could lean over and grab one. Absolutely! I wanted him to know that this was all for him. He used the extra floor space this weekend to color and I loved seeing that. And, he did read there last night, with a little coaxing by me, and then he "read" a Richard Scarry book called Cars and Trucks and Things that Go. At least he used it!

We need a little artwork on the large open wall space and I think I'll fill it with his school artwork as it comes home. What a perfect way to showcase those pieces that aren't on display in my office. I'm hoping this space becomes one of a haven of opportunity for him. The opportunity to become a successful reader. A space for listening to soothing music to help fuel the soul. And a place that's all his own to feed his body, mind, and spirit. 

XO,

Andrea

He'll Love to Read, Eventually

With a show of hands, how many of you remember learning to read? If you didn't raise your hand, that's okay. I didn't either! I honestly don't remember learning to read which includes the techniques. I remember my dad reading to me nightly as a child, even after I could read, but that's about it. So when it comes to helping McKinley learn to read, I'm relying on old news and techniques that I think might work. And the early homework arguments have begun....

We've been reading to McKinley since birth. In the wee early hours of morning, after his bottle, I would bounce him to sleep while reading small books. I would read on car trips to VA, even if he was only three months old, hoping that the words would sooth him and soak in via osmosis. Plane rides brought new books to entertain him for the first five minutes. We took the book The Little Red Caboose with us every where we went. And, we would find him reading to himself from toy catalogs from time to time. Still today, at age six, we share the nightly reading of books he picks out. And I'm looking forward to the day he can read a book to us and we read one to him. I don't want to give up reading to him.

 

I created a library in his room. We have so many books, which isn't a bad thing, that I didn't have a place to house them all. So, I turned his changing table, something we still need for storage, and turned it into a mini library. It still houses underwear and socks in the drawers. And in the larger baskets on the bottom are pajamas, small blankets, and bath towels. But the shelves hold most of the books that we read often. I also have a large basket in our den that's full as well. Again, trying to instill that reading is fun! That he will love to read...eventually! And I love this little bookcase. It's full of Little Golden Books, books we've purchased at his school book fairs, and others that Santa has given him over the years. See, even Santa thinks it's important to learn to read. My hope is that one day he will simply pick books off of these shelves, sit in his bed, and enjoy reading to himself from time to time. Fingers crossed!

But the reading is a slow process. And when I say slow, it's not because he can't, it's because he doesn't want to. He read weekly to his class over the past 20 weeks, and I know it's 20 because he had to fill out the 20 books he read, and we practiced daily. When he's interested, meaning his idea, he's totally into it. When it cuts into McKinley time, which means play time, he has zero interest. He works at sounding words he doesn't know and excels at the site words he does. And he's even making the effort to spell three letter words. It's just getting over the hurdle of doing it consistently and with gusto. I know we will get there, but it's the most frustrating thing for a parent when you have a strong willed child!

At the same time, he's very much into writing his own books. At first it started with pictures and he would "read" the book to us based on the pictures he drew. Most recently, it was a Ghost Ship book, you can view the reading here, and it's evolved into books with pictures and a few words. Words that he have to spell for him. I try my hardest to sound out the letters in hopes he will start writing the word himself, but it usually turns out that I'm angered by his lack of trying and just spell it for him. Or leave the room in a complete huff. Strong willed parents should not be allowed to raise strong willed children. It's not good for the chemically colored hair that turns grayer with every argument. I guess it's good for my hair stylist....

On the last day of school this year, McKinley announced that he wanted to go to the library. I knew why. He recently discovered Titanic and wanted to check out a few books on the subject. I used this opportunity to get him ready for the Summer Reading Program. I even told him it was time for him to get his own library card in hopes it would excite him to start the reading journey. And, that when he finally got a wallet (something he's dying to get), he could add the card to it. We, I, picked out books that I thought would interest him, while he spent time at a small table scouring through his Titanic book. I even picked out three beginning reader books for us to work on. So far, he's read the Titanic books three times each and a couple of the other train books I found. I figure it's only the third day of summer vacation so I shouldn't push too hard. But come June, I'm changing my tune. We are going to tackle this thing called reading, and we're going to come through it with flying colors. Or more chemical color to my every growing gray hair. At least something will have color....

What are you doing to help your child read? Do they have interest or do they just want to be left alone? Do they read fluently? And if so, what did you do to assist? I know he will learn to read. Just like he learned to talk, walk, and everything else I thought he would never learn to do. The impatience in me just needs to learn to backseat. Or just leave the room in a huff....

XO,

Andrea