One of the beautiful things we’ve enjoyed doing over the years is celebrating the last chapter of a read aloud book with style!
Recently we finished the last chapters of both Farmer Boy and Little House in the Big Woods. This is our second reading. I read it through with the older 3 kiddos when they were this age and marked each chapter with the date we read to. It's so lovely to look back over those and see that we read to a certain date ten years earlier!
Anyway, Zip and Zeek dressed up recently for our end of chapters tea time and I prepared our special treats! I asked them the day before what kinds of snacks they'd like at their dream tea time tomorrow and they mentioned muffins and chocolate so before they woke up, I went out and got a few special things.
I know that at times money can be tight - we have lived on one income for a long time - but I see these little times as an investment in the ways my kids continue to be engaged learners.
Give kids the opportunity to associate learning with fun, with excitement, with all sorts of sensory-pleasing rituals and rhythms.
The kids loved our special morning of reading and Little House on the Prairie pilot movie watching at the end!
Such a worthy investment in time, learning, connection and rhythm for us.
My older kids remember these times and even as they were going off to work this morning and I said that we were doing a last-chapter-tea time today, they said, “I used to love those Mum! Have fun with the little ones!”
Make the memories when you can. And if this is not the season in which you can manage this - that's ok too.
I know it's hard when you're tired or you're sore, or the baby has had another rough night. I know. I really get it. Do it *when* you can and do *what* you can.
Lusi x