Teaching Our Children How To Read

Books, Books, and More Books :

How Do I Teach Them To Read

One of my struggles as a parent has been with reading. I have not been an avid reader all my life. But to "train up" good readers, you need to model a good reading lifestyle. (Proverbs 22:6) I am convinced that if a child is submerged into a good reading lifestyle, and have a good source of literature, they will become good readers when they get older. When raising children, I feel it is a good rule of thumb to suggest that what children do when they are young, is practice for what they will do as adults. I want my children to be strong in Biblical faith...so when they are young I teach them and have them practice what we read from the Bible. That seems logical to me. So the behaviours that I allow them to practice will be a reflection of what scripture says. So in the area of reading, I feel the same principle applies. When we read, we are to read for many different reasons. I have read to learn how to do something, for entertainment, for communication, for wisdom, and for comfort. So I need to model that for my children. But my number one reason for teaching them to read is to "glorify our Heavenly Father and to enjoy him fully" (Tripp, Shepherding A Child's Heart) The Bible teaches us how to live, and should be our number one source of information. So I figured if I stick with the Bible, that would be the best source. There are all kinds of writing styles, stories, letters, and perspectives. There is action, love, drama, and mystery all wrapped up in one neat little package. Not to mention the fact that it is perfectly crafted by Our Heavenly Father through His Holy Spirit.

There are a number of resources that support the Bible as a way of life. But it requires some work to pick and choose what we allow into our lives. I would like to share with you an awesome magazine I came across on Homeschooling. There is much truth here for everyone, not just for parents, and home schools. Anyone who loves their children and wants to raise them up right should take the time to look over this magazine. The one posted is a copy of the free online subscription I get. I may not agree with all of the philosophy found in the magazine...so make sure you sift through the material with a Biblical eye to decipher the truth.

(Click on the blue underlined link below to view the magazine. You need to apply for the free online subscription to view it.)

July/August 2009 of Home School Enrichment Magazine

Jonathan Lewis is a 27 year old, Home school graduate and Helped to start "The Home school Enrichment Magazine". This month's issue, Jonathan is interviewed about an on-line library to help parents and home schools have better access to GOOD reading materials.

Jonathan Lewis started The Family Vision Library, which is a on-line library. For a reasonable membership fee you can get over 9,000 conservative Christian titles, 27/7 access from your PC, books, DVDs, Cd's, periodical's, and more. To learn more about The Family Vision, you should check out this great site:

http://www.thefamilyvision.org/

In this month's issue of "The Home school Enrichment Magazine" Lewis says, "The first thing I do when selecting books for me and my family is to apply the standard of Philippians 4:8: "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any
virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." When this first standard is established, it becomes much easier to weed out the harmful and to and to embrace that which is edifying." This applies to many of the things in our lives, but it is a great philosophy to apply to our reading choices as well. In Romans 16:19 Paul wrote to the Romans that he wants them "to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil." We are saturated with plenty of evil in the world. And it may be difficult, but we have to work hard to separate the "chaff from the wheat" (Matthew 3:12). But Praise The Creator Who has given us the resources to do so. This is one of my many reasons for Homeschooling. I get to decide, as we go along in our studies, whether or not the things we view in our family are of the "wheat" quality required of us. Keep in mind, I am not the head of my household, but I can be an influence for the Almighty. I will either be an instrument of His hand to fulfill His purposes, or I can be a stumbling block. Either way His Will will be done.

Later Lewis states, "As wise parents, we should not allow our children to be companions of fools, nor would we be so naive as to think that our own children do not have hearts of foolishness. The Bible tells us that "foolishness is bound in the heart of a child" (Prov.22:15) and that "a companion of fools shall be destroyed" (Prov.13:20) As careful parents, we need to select books that reflect the same care and concern we exercise in other areas of our children's lives." My brother once explained it to me this way:

"When we listen to music, we get into the mind of the composer." When we read books or entertain anything in our minds, we are "fellowship" with the people who created them. So when we read a book, that person's thoughts are in our head. What type of thoughts do we choose to allow in our minds? Proverbs 23:7 says, "...for as he thinks within himself, so he is..." We are sinful creatures by nature. I don't need help being sinful, and neither do my children for that matter. What we need is to look for books that reflect a "home-centered purpose and gives God's Plan for the home - a married father and mother who love their children, children who have a positive relationship with their parents, siblings and extended family."(Lewis, The Home school Enrichment, Issue #44)

Get a free sample of this article and the magazine when you go to their website. You can also download a free subscription to the magazine online. http://www.homeschoolenrichmentmagazine.org/

So, back to the question, What do I read and give my children to read? I think that it is plainly clear that we should read things that Glorify The Almighty. He gave us an example with His Holy Word. Anything we allow into our brains should model His Word and a life of Christ likeness.