Time again for Works For Me Wednesday!
I've seen many reading incentive ideas, but never one as simple to execute as the one I use. Bedtime at our house is 8 pm, but lights out is not until 9 pm, as long as you are quietly reading in bed. I think most kids would willingly read if it was the means for staying up an extra hour. My youngest usually falls asleep before 9, but she, with the others, manages to do a significant amount of reading each night. Like most proud moms, I think my children are bright, but I attribute the fact they all read well above grade level due to this one thing we do. The potential of losing bedtime reading time is also an excellant behavioral motivator. They are more likely to cooperatively get ready and go to bed, if doing otherwise means an earlier lights out.
Works For Me!
Be sure to check out Shannon's list of other Works for me Wednesday tips!
It's wonderful that you have kids who love to read! And what a great incentive--a later bedtime, while they're really already in bed!
ReplyDeleteOooo, I used to do that growing up, great idea!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea! I used to read after going t obed, but it was usually because I snuck a book and a flashlight into bed with me and then hid under the covers to read!
ReplyDeleteReading in bed was, and is, one of my favorite things to do. Last night Princess Daughter read in bed, even though after the 4th of July company left it was already 11:00. What fun!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea - we do something similar at our house! Also, I think that seeing parents read and enjoy books contributes as well.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea. My dd always wants at least 15 minutes of reading time, before lights out, no matter how late it is.
ReplyDeleteI agree Nettie. That's a great thing.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea (I particularly love the picture), Nettie! I am going to give this one a shot. It is so neat when our children embrace reading so much! I remember, as a child, putting the book under my covers with a flashlight. Your kids don't have to be all cramped up, sneaking in reading- plus they think they are staying up late and you have quiet! That is always a blessing!
ReplyDeleteWe do that too! My kids love that they get to be up later; I love that they are nurturing their minds and entering new worlds in their imaginations.
ReplyDeleteAnd Sarah, do you think your parents knew that you were "sneaking a read" at night?
Awesome! Always been a firm believer in that!
ReplyDeleteGreat Share!
That's a smart suggestion! My oldest daughter loves reading but has trouble finding reading time, so I'm going to try this out.
ReplyDeleteYou inspire me to rein in our summer bedtime. We are getting to bed TOO LATE!
ReplyDeleteamen we arebbig on that here
ReplyDeleteThat is a great idea! One I'll defenatly have to implement when my little guy is old enough!!
ReplyDeletemom and dad used to have us do this on Sunday afternoons, but usually we fell asleep in about 10 mins anyways, so they still won! :) besides it was never a chore for me to read, it was usually a punishment to have my reading time diminished as I read ALL.THE.TIME.
ReplyDeleteI love to read and my kids do too! Good idea!
ReplyDeleteOne of my co-workers suggested this idea to me. He said it worked every time for his kids. In fact, they'd fight over bathroom time to make sure they got into bed at EXACTLY bedtime or they wouldn't be allowed to stay up longer to read. :)
ReplyDeleteOur son is only 18 months, but I intend to use this technique as he gets older. :)
I just posted my first WFMW. Stop by and take a peek. :)
I love the picture! Good idea.
ReplyDeleteFabulous tip as usual! I can't wait to enforce this!
ReplyDeleteI think it's a wonderful practice. At "bedtime" I tell my 13 y/o she can stay up to read as long as she wants, otherwise, it's lights out. (Non-school nights, of course.)
ReplyDeleteI have tried this with my kids and they would rather sleep. They don't like reading to much. May be if I keep pushing it.
ReplyDeleteYou are becoming The Excellent Picture Queen. What cute picture :), I wonder if I could "pose" my kid like that...nah.
ReplyDeleteGood tip!
Nettie, I use this as well! This is something I learned from my mom. My kids are all still quite young, so they only get a half hour, but my oldest gets to earn more reading time the more she cooperates to get in bed and help me with the others. And visa versa, if I have behavior that is not appropriate reading time gets decreased.
ReplyDeletethat is a great idea....I will have to try that with my kids!
ReplyDeleteWe do/did that here too! B just started reading independently this summer, so it's fun to be back at the age to do this! The older boys had that rule too, one took us up on it everytime, and one asked if he could write in his journal instead. I would have preferred the reading, but I'm glad I let him write instead. He has a couple of notebooks with notes on growing up!
ReplyDeleteWay to go Nettie! But, I wouldn't expect anything else from a gal that use to read every word on the cereal boxes at breakfast.
ReplyDeleteOh, I just love the picture of your little one with the book on her head, fast asleep. So precious!!!
ReplyDeleteWe love reading around here, too. The babies all have a load of books in their cribs and we just rotate them through to the other cribs. I think books are most definitely our favorite "toy". I hope that it always stays that way - and that they have a joy of reading their whole life.
Great idea! Filing it away for when the babies are bigger...
ReplyDelete