Читать книгу Dadventures: Amazing Outdoor Adventures for Daring Dads and Fearless Kids - Alex Gregory, Alex Gregory - Страница 19

If your lives are anything like ours, getting the evening school-book reading done is not the easiest thing in the world. We’re finding more and more that reading is left until the last moment before we walk out of the house in the morning. It always seems to be done in a rush, with a toothbrush in the mouth and everyone scrambling around to find what they need for the day. This is not conducive to good concentration and therefore enjoyable reading time. It’s certainly tricky with three children, giving each one the time they need and deserve. It’s something we’re always battling with and trying to figure out.

Daisy and Daddy sitting under a hedge reading, by Daisy. Notice the smile – they are genuine from us both.

What you need

 A reading book/homework

 Warm clothes

 A rug or coat to sit on

 Tarpaulin or plastic sheet to shelter under

What to do

1 Take your child to read or do their homework somewhere unusual after school, anywhere that isn’t home.

2 Stop somewhere with a good view – run up a hill or climb a tree, walk to the middle of a field or clamber into a den you’ve made.

3 Take a large plastic sheet or tarpaulin and shelter underneath it in the dry and read together when it’s bad weather.

Despite being outside with plenty to look at and with it being a strange situation, it’s actually really easy to concentrate. For some reason, taking yourselves away from the everyday distractions of home concentrates the mind and enables you to focus on what you’re doing. I’ve found that Jasper remembers the books or parts of the books that he’s read in unusual places far more than he does when at home. If the book doesn’t get read, then at least you’ve spent some time together outdoors that you wouldn’t otherwise have done. So it’s a win-win!