Loving Life with Child = Creating Literacy Skills

Summer is a great time for loving life with your child. As adults we benefit tremendously by allowing ourselves to take a break from routines and schedules to include time to enjoy life around us. We are often motivated to do this for the sake of our children. Yet all find a release from pressures when we ease into the kid's point of view. 'Eeyore' is quoted as saying "Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them" (A.A.Milne). Open yourself to a fresh take on life.

Let your children have a time without screens: TV, computer, computerized chip-driven toys.
Those things amuse them, but human children learn about life from human adults and older siblings. Do you have non-screen time with your child?

Martin H. Fischer once said "Life is a ticket to the greatest show on earth." We all have the tickets to the show. "Knowing is not enough ; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.", said Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe. Do it together with your child> enjoy the show of life together.

Be daring! Turn off your iPods, iPads, Smart Phones, and look around. There are parks, libraries, picnic areas to be visited for free. Sometimes we overlook possibilities in our own backyard.
On a dry weather day, get together any big empty card board boxes. Remove all staples and help your child create a pretend house. Add a simple play blanket, or large scarves and a few pots & pans for props. "Pretend" is great fun and very language and imagination building.
You can even bring out a small play table, bread and cheese and apples for lunch by or in the playhouse. Try water in refillable stainless steel water bottles or sippy cups for beverage.
After lunch you can share a picture book together outside by the playhouse, or indoors if its naptime.

Another idea is take pictures of your children acting out their pretend life in the pretend house, for "make your own picture book" fun on a rainy day.
You can use any notebook, with your child: glue in the photos one per page; and talk about what was happening in the picture. Let your child hear you say a few words as you write them down near each picture in easy-to-read print. After the words are printed, point to each word as you read them out loud with your child. Point to the parts of the picture your words describe. Help your child point at these parts too.You have created your own picture book that's sure to become a new favorite to read with your child again and again.

If you have a few tasks around the house that need to be done, adopt the "Work Together- Play Together" idea. First fold the clothes together with your child ( or another simple task that needs to be done), and decide where or what you want to do for the "Play Together" part. Once your child experiences that the play with you does follow the work with you, the whole thing becomes fun. Start with toddlers/ pre-schoolers. It helps them learn to follow simple directions, and you will see that your child loves doing things with you.
Your chores get done; you both feel you have accomplished something together; and even your adult side feels better about taking the break for childlike play together .

Remember the importance of a close, caring relationship between you and your children for learning, reading and enjoying life together. Heart-centered book fun creates love of learning about life, and love of reading. Beyond pursuit of happiness, we need to find these moments to simply BE happy together.
Warm hearts+ loving moments shared= bright memories+ life (literacy) skills for your child.