Strategies to Keep the Streak Alive

Hi everyone!  This is Val from NYC again.  Today was day 80... wow, let me say that again... e_i_g_h_t_y... EIGHTY....80 of our family's reading streak!!  We started out on the first day of summer vacation with a goal to read every day of the break.  A week and a half ago, we met our summer's goal, celebrated over tea and scones, then reset the end date for our reading challenge.  Our new commitment is for me to read aloud to my boys for at least 10 minutes everyday for an entire year.

Definitely a daunting endeavor when I think of the 285 days of reading ahead of us.  Coupled with the busy school year, after school activities, chores, etc., just the idea of one more thing to do everyday can feel overwhelming.  So how are we fitting this one more thing into our everyday?

Here are our strategies for keeping our reading streak alive.

1. Make the commitment to read aloud everyday... or 5 days out of the week... or one book per month.  Whatever the decision, make a verbal and/or written commitment to do this.  If I had to decide each day whether or not to read, chances are I'd put off our reading time to the next day... when I have more energy... when they finish their homework... when there's not karate, piano, basketball, chess...  For us, no formal commitment would mean reading aloud only sporadically or not at all. 
2. Link reading time to something else that happens everyday.  During summer break, we read after breakfast.  Now that we're back in school, we try to read after dinner.  This works well because the kids eat much slower than I do.  Since I sit at the table with them until they finish their meals, reading aloud keeps me from digging into seconds and thirds and provides them with some food for thought.  What about bedtime reading?  If it works for you, go for it!  But I'm grumpy and tired by tuck in time.  The earlier in the day we can read, the cheerier and more patient I can be about it.
3. Designate a comfortable spot for read aloud times.  If we're only reading 10-15 minutes, we stay at the kitchen table.  If we're settling in for a long 45-60 minute reading session, we relocate to the living room couches.  I've noticed we are all able to focus best when we're in our designated reading spots.
4. Keep a selection of books on hand... because we're never sure what we'll be in the mood to read next.
5. Remember it might take a while to warm up to a story.  We've found it difficult to transition from one book to the next.  Sometimes it takes a few chapters before we settle into a new story. 
6. Leave yourselves the option to put a book down.  Our challenge is to read aloud everyday.  It's not to finish every book we start.  We have the option to choose not to complete a book if it's not working for us.
7. Weed out the competition.  By this, I mean that I limit the days and time that my kids can be plugged into electronics (TV, computer, 3DS, etc).  TV on weekends only means my reading to them is the only game in town most days of the week.
8. Be ready to improvise.  Some days are crazier than others.  If we're out and about all day then we just bring our book along & read wherever and whenever .  We've done our mandatory 10 minutes on the subway, sitting in the corner of Central Park (amidst pigeons and tourists), in airports, in the car and in restaurants.  Whatever works, right?

And that's it.  A few strategies and lots and lots of reading.  If you're thinking about starting your own reading streak, I hope our list is helpful to you.  If you have any suggestions or book recommendations for us, I'd love to hear from you!