Our family started a tradition a few years back that I would love to share with you. Based on homeschooling mentors recommendation in a class I took I picked up the book Jotham's Journey by Arnold Ytreedide. Based on the calendar in the back of the book we started it one advent season. You read one chapter a night leading up to Christmas, lighting our advent wreath as we go along. Jotham's Journey is fictional based on the New Testament story of Christmas. The book can be intense, even scary, in some parts for young children. However, it brings the Christmas story to life from a child's perspective. The author has followed up the first book with two others, Bartholomew's Passage and Tabitha's Travels. I just noticed that he has an Easter book coming out soon as well.
Reading a chapter each night during advent led our family to slow down and spend time together during the busy Christmas season. After reading each night for over a month we realized it was a part of our day we didn't want to end. On my husband's prompting we continued reading aloud from our school read alouds. This tradition is going on it's third year! We will be reading Tabitha's Travels this year for the first time and then we will revisit Jotham again next year. Each year as my kids get older I pray they glean a little more from the story.
1 comment:
I love this idea! Knowing those kids of yours, I am sure they enjoy the quiet family times as much as you do.
I wish I could listen in.
(Papa Gene and I miss you all very much)
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