Family Summer Reading Program

There's a tangible tension in our cottage these days.

Our Summer Reading Program is coming to an end.

The program officially ends at 8:30 am on Tuesday morning, the day after Labour Day.  That's when the tallies will be totalled and the rewards declared.

We created our own reading program this year.  Often our kids join in the local library's program, colouring in their charts for every twenty minutes they've read and rejoicing over their kaleidiscope or plastic pencil box that the library hands out in August.  With our family traveling this summer, we decided to create our own program.  A friend of mine posted her family's summer reading ideas on Facebook and I was immediately inspired!  Thanks, Tanya!

I loved her idea of providing a reading list.  My children have a tendency to read a lot each summer, but to reach for easy reading series, like Rainbow Magic books.  I created lists (based on my friend's lists) of classics and award winning books that I wanted my kids to experience.  And instead of keeping track of how many minutes they read (i.e. everyone reading with a timer beside them, thinking constantly in twenty minute sections), we just keep track of how many books.  Books are recorded on our family white board, and whenever a book is finished the reader describes the story to us over dinner. 

As I made the reading lists, I realized that many of the titles were books I've been meaning to read for a long time myself!  Jon and I decided to join in the fun.

We had a very enthusiastic and creative family meeting as we brainstormed ways for us to reward ourselves.  Here's what we came up with:
Once everyone read five books, our family would go out for an Italian Ice treat.
When an individual finished reading ten books, s/he could stay up for an extra hour on a day that s/he chose.  (Mom and Dad get to go to bed an hour earlier.)
Once everyone read fifteen books, our family would buy a new game and enjoy a game night.
When an individual finished reading twenty books, s/he would receive an extra 90 minutes of electronic time.
Once everyone read twenty-five books, our family would go out for supper at the Olive Garden.
When an individual finished reading thirty five books, The Ultimate Goal, s/he would be able to choose the menu for all meals in a day and would be addressed as "sir" or "madam" from morning til night.

And so, today, there is tension in the air.  We have only four days left (plus an hour or two on Tuesday morning, of course).  The kids are close enough to their goal of thirty-five books that if they read like crazy for the next four days, they just might be able to score the Menu-Planning-Treat-Me-As-Royalty prize.  The trouble is that Jon and I are behind - we don't get as much time to lounge around reading.  The kids suggested that they would be fine if the two of us combined our reading lists and thus be more likely to help earn a family supper at the restaurant.  Even so, we're still a few books shy of fifteen.  So the kids are torn between trying to help us get more time to read ("I can put myself to bed.  You stay here and read.") and giving themselves more time to read for their own individual prizes. 

So, there it is!  Will we go out for supper?  Who will earn the title of "Madam" or "Sir"?  Will Mom ever finish her book?  It's a tense place to be!

We'll keep you posted!

Erika