Notes on Reading from the Homeschooling Mom

How do I get my kids to love reading?

The simplest answer is to be a reader. Enjoy reading. Read with your kids. Read out those passages from your books that touch you. Even if they don't seem to be listening, they are seeing that reading is important to you.

Throw out any ideas you have about "standards." They aren't written in stone. Children are not standardized. It is better to watch what your child enjoys and then tailor book picks to those interests. And don't think you can offer the same choices to your other kids. Each child will have their own tastes. Some interests may cross, but that doesn't mean they will all want to read the same thing.

Accept whatever they want to read. Try not to belittle them for picking a book that is too easy, or snub their choice of a comic book or picture book. Even a book without words will do a better job of igniting a love of reading than that "classic" that you yourself have not read.

Keep trying. Sometimes it is simply a matter of the right book at the right time.

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Shifting Identities

Coming to my blog makes me feel guilty lately. It's been so long since I posted a comic strip.

Life as a part-time unschooler has been wearing on me lately. I love my job and I love being mom to creative homeschooled kids, but at the same time I'm frustrated. My focus has shifted. I'm not the one home with my youngest and last homeschooler. I don't bring her to as many activities as I used to bring her siblings to. I can't even convince her to come to work with me regularly, which I considered an advantage of working in the library. I miss being around my kids.

At the library, I meet a lot of children and their parents, as well as children with babysitters. The majority are on the public school path. I don't see as many homeschoolers here. There simply isn't that large a population of homeschoolers in our area. To the patrons, I'm the library clerk (or librarian, as most don't know the difference). I feel a loss of identity here, or a second identity forming, as if I were a superhero or spy, living a double life. I can hear the intro...

Strange visitor from an alternative reality, she is Homeschooling Mom! Protector of learning, advocate for her kids, and who, disguised as Cristina, mild-mannered library clerk, fights for truth, knowledge, and a homeschooling lifestyle!

Except I don't talk about homeschooling much at work. Homeschooling isn't something we do, it's who we are. Instead, I compliment kids who borrow books my family loves. I recommend biographies by Mike Venezia to young readers because they were engaging to all of my children. I suggest graphic novels for reluctant readers (which some of their parents don't approve of--"You mean...comic books?"). I've reassured parents that it's OK to let their kids read books below their reading level if the children really love them. It's weird, I feel like I'm trying to homeschool the community.

Lately, my time has also been eaten up by my volunteer work at the library and the nature center. Each have big events coming up on the same weekend. These are also separate identities with their own sets of responsibilities. Superman had it easy. I'm stretched a bit thin.

To maintain my sanity, I try to do some creative things, even though I don't have the time or energy for comics. Here are my latest CD creations. I'm hoping to add more soon. Because I don't have enough to do!

Cat

Spirit of the Wind

Minotaur