Friday, October 7, 2011

Kidamerinks Preschool: D.E.A.R.

D.E.A.R.

Drop. Everything. And. Read

Isn't that a great acronym??

I came across this blog post on D.E.A.R. from 1+1+1=1 and it had a huge impact on me. 

I read this blog post a few weeks ago, and I've been trying to implement it in our home. 

I realized that I often get too busy to just sit down with my kids and enjoy the beauty of reading to them during the day.

It's not like I don't read to my kids, we are always very good at reading before bed etc., but I get caught up in the "I know I need to sit down and read with you today, but I have so much stuff to-do..." way of thinking, that I'm not really "present" when my Kidamerink begs me to read his favorite book of the day. Ya know what I mean? I hurry through "Go Dog Go" since we've read it a bazillion times and sometimes skip pages when he's not looking, just so that I can get back to my task list.

I always have an endless "To-Do" List and it takes over sometimes!! :)

I'm guilty, I know!!

So, we've been <trying> to implement D.E.A.R. this week (since it is our Review Week for Preschool) and it has been so great.

I'm not perfect, and some days we are just too busy -- i.e., not even home due to errands and library classes and playdates etc.

But, Our reading sessions have now turned into something amazing. It has become a great bonding time and has forced me to get down on the floor with my kids, even though the endless laundry isn't finished, or the toilet needs to be scrubbed, or dinner isn't done (or even started).

And, I've tried harder to be more "present." It has been so great.  

So forget about yourself and what you have on your "To-Do" list and Drop Everything And Read... 

All it takes is 15 minutes a day!

DropEverything&Read

I created a weekly Check-Off for D.E.A.R. 

I laminated ours so that every day when we Drop Everything And Read, we can mark it off with a dry-erase marker.

I LIVE by visual reminders! :)

1 comment:

Jamie {See Jamie blog} said...

I love that. We have been reading aloud every day, but it is sometimes hard to "drop everything" and do it! I'll keep this acronym in mind! :)