Do you all read everything you kids do

[CAMom]

for literature?

I'm thinking that I'm going to have to read all of the books that I assign to both of my kids for literature. I'll have a 10th grader and a 7th grader this year. I did manage to keep up with my son last year in 9th grade but we're doing more books this year and I have the 7th grader, too.

So, do you keep up with all of their reading? It's not that I don't want to read all of their books but how am I going to fit it all in?:tongue_smilie: Can any of you give me an idea of how you keep up?

[Michelle in AL]

I try to read as much as I can, that does not mean all. I started reading the books scheduled for fall in April. Before high school we did many books as read alouds. The ones they read on their own, I really didn't read often, but relied on the curriculum for discussion ?'s.

I started to attempt reading most of their books for high school so we could attempt socratic discussions.

[Kelli in TN]

I try to, but sometimes I simply cannot keep up with being a homeschool mom to 4 kids and being a high school literature student at the same time.

We use a curriculum that includes a question and answer format for that reason. If I can read 50% to 60% of her lit per year I am doing well.

[Chris in VA]

Absolutely not. Wish I could, but I don't have the time or the inclination. I get by on what I remember from high school, discussion guides with synopses, and sparknotes and cliffsnotes.
I will say that, when I have read the book, we get more out of it.

[HollyinNNV]

for literature?

I'm thinking that I'm going to have to read all of the books that I assign to both of my kids for literature. I'll have a 10th grader and a 7th grader this year. I did manage to keep up with my son last year in 9th grade but we're doing more books this year and I have the 7th grader, too.

So, do you keep up with all of their reading? It's not that I don't want to read all of their books but how am I going to fit it all in?:tongue_smilie: Can any of you give me an idea of how you keep up?

I do unless someone I know and trust has read it recently. Because I do not use a set curriculum, and I am teaching a class, I have to pre-read for appropriateness. I, obviously, also have to teach the piece of literature.

I do all my reading in the summer so I can send out the literature list to the families in the class. Then I read and skim the literature during the school year. There is no way I'd have time to really read each book like I do in the summer. In the summer I read slower and much more in depth. The school year is a light reading to refresh my memory.
Holly

[Pamela H in Texas]

I couldn't possibly keep up with my daughter. I do try to keep up with ds but I'm sure that will change also.

[threetreasurs]

No - I couldn't possibly keep up!

[Starr]

I'm thinking of assigning books to different family members, dh, d uncle...

[Kris]

Can any of you give me an idea of how you keep up?

There's just no way I could read everything he does. I try, but I don't get it all in. Fortunately, a lot of the books he's reading I read in school, too, so I have at least an idea of what it's about. The ones I haven't or can't get in, I just have him do all the work. Of course, I don't tell *him* what I haven't read. :D

[Peela]

My kids are 12 and 14 and I still like to do some of our reading aloud- I try and keep my two together for a fair amount of things and we go much more in depth when we do stuff together, so it works well. So, I don't pre-read our together books, and I save the hardest, meatiest ones for together. That way it's an adventure for me, too.
With their independent reading, I do try and read it more and more as they get older, but no, I dont get to it all, so I just prioritise.

[Michelle in MO]

of their literature, but like the other posters mentioned, if I've previously read something, I might thumb through it for a refresher.

I also did some reading in my dd's chemistry book and try to keep up with other stuff, but I certainly can't keep up with everything. To some degree they have to be self-teaching. It's a constant scramble every single day---really!

[angela in ohio]

I read everything I assign them, including literature and everything else. That way I can discuss it with them, share it with them,etc.

They also read a lot on their own, and they choose those from books I have either already read or know I can trust (old children's classics, etc.) I don't read every single one of those.

[Beth in SW WA]

I read everything I assign them, including literature and everything else. That way I can discuss it with them, share it with them,etc.


That is my goal also, which is why my house is always a mess! Too much reading! :)

[CAMom]

I really appreciate the insight! I feel relieved by those of you who don't read everything!:) Although I want to read everything they do, I feel like I have permission now not to if I just can't keep up.;)

Part of the problem is having a toddler. I can't read anything unless he is asleep or I'm interrupted every two minutes and cannot get the flow of a book.:glare:

I do like the idea of starting the spring before to read their upcoming books! That would just mean that I actually have to plan that far in advance.:lol: I think I could manage that, though, to give myself that head start.

Thanks again!

[gardenschooler]

I really appreciate the insight! I feel relieved by those of you who don't read everything!:) Although I want to read everything they do, I feel like I have permission now not to if I just can't keep up.;)

Part of the problem is having a toddler. I can't read anything unless he is asleep or I'm interrupted every two minutes and cannot get the flow of a book.:glare:

I do like the idea of starting the spring before to read their upcoming books! That would just mean that I actually have to plan that far in advance.:lol: I think I could manage that, though, to give myself that head start.

Thanks again!

I've tried, but it sure is hard! I really don't think I could do it if I had a toddler. Moms of several kids, and especially small ones, already have so much going on, I don't know if that is really realistic to try to read 100% of it.

I have a goal of reading all of the literature dd13 will read with rhetoric level TOG this year, but mostly for my own long-neglected self-education. I really want to meet that goal, and barring anything major happening, I think I can do it.

Dd16 will be in AP Lit at ps, and while I know I can't keep up with both, I will try to read at least some of her assigned literature. I read a good bit of it last year, but then I sort of fizzled out.

I'll need to turn this computer off, first, though! :tongue_smilie:

[Laura K (NC)]

I make notes for myself too, so when I read something I will remember it enough when each of my kids encounters it.

[Alphabetika]

Hey, CAMom,

It's your pal in Orange. :) I wish I could say I read everything that 14yo dd reads, but at the moment, I don't. She just started Starting Points, and I had a goal to read "Know What You Believe" before she did so we could have decent discussions. Didn't happen, and I don't have a toddler, either! But I did just finish The Scarlet Letter (for Notgrass American), and I'm going to try to catch up to K so I can have decent discussions with her. That said, I don't think she minds me NOT having discussions with her. I just want to.

I don't think you HAVE to, though. I'm just being an idealist. :)

[CAMom]

Hey, CAMom,

It's your pal in Orange. :) I wish I could say I read everything that 14yo dd reads, but at the moment, I don't. She just started Starting Points, and I had a goal to read "Know What You Believe" before she did so we could have decent discussions. Didn't happen, and I don't have a toddler, either! But I did just finish The Scarlet Letter (for Notgrass American), and I'm going to try to catch up to K so I can have decent discussions with her. That said, I don't think she minds me NOT having discussions with her. I just want to.

I don't think you HAVE to, though. I'm just being an idealist. :)

Well, and you know how active and crazy my toddler can be.;)

The discussion thing is what I'm going for. I'm really thinking of using Teaching the Classics and I think I'll have to read everything if we're going to have meaningful discussions.

And...you know J!! Meaningful discussions are deep around here!;) I'm trying to finish Farenheit 451 right now in order to have a great discussion with him. He finished about a week ago and really loved it.

Why does it have to be so hard?:)

Oh, BTW, I did read Frakenstein when we did Starting Points but never did finish Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Frankenstein was one of J's favorite books he's ever read!

[Anna]

So, do you keep up with all of their reading?

Was I supposed to do that when my kids were in high school???
:ack2::ohmy::lol::smilielol5:

[Laurie4b]

Sure! I just get the versions that are yellow with black stripes (Cliff Notes) or that are available online (Spark Notes). :) Honestly, that works when it needs to and Spark Notes are especially helpful with lit. analysis.

[SheWhoWaits]

I try to, but I just can't. So far I've been able to keep up with my soon-to-be 9th grader, and we still do read-alouds, too. But my soon-to-be 11th grader is a literature nut like his mom, and I just can't do it. He too AP literature through a gifted and talented program last year and loved it. I read as much as I could of what he read, and I'd already read some of it, but I couldn't do it all.