Balancing Read Alouds

[HawaiianMoon4]

I had a question about the read alouds. They are one of my favorite parts of HOD! That being said, I am currently running three guides with one only being LHTH in which I don't really have a read aloud this year. Just doing the read alouds for Creation to Christ and Beyond is a bit of struggle to accomplish. I'm looking to next year when I'll have LHFHG, Bigger, Resurrection to Reformation and a toddler running around. How do you keep up with three read alouds? My children love them, but I am wondering where we will find time in our day.

[Larica]

Usually I read one or two kids' stories in the morning during their school time. Sometimes I read another one over lunch. Often I read several after lunch while the kids are folding laundry. Yes, I sit and read while they fold it all!! When time is really tight I might read one at bedtime. I currently have 4 kids in guides that require read-alouds. Next year it will be 5. It is one of my favorite parts of our day too!

[HawaiianMoon4]

Thank you! Those are good ideas! And I just saw tonight that in Resurrection to Reformation, my son can read his read alouds himself which would bring it back down to two a day. I'm not sure if I like that idea completely as I love to read to them, but it might just be a necessity next year. And there's no judgement from me on making the kids fold the laundry! We all have to work together to keep a house running (especially with homeschooling) and it is a vital life lesson for our children. I think it is wonderful! I'm so impressed with all the levels you are balancing!

[StephanieU]

One thing I do in Bigger and Beyond especially is look for the audio books for storytime. Our library has many of them, and others I have been able to pick up on Audible inexpensively. With Google expanding to audiobooks, I might get some there as well (we do Google Rewards, so I have money available there to spend). I can play the audio while I cook dinner, snuggle the toddler, etc that way.