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Tuesday, February 8, 2011

D.E.A.R


When I am at Bible Study on Tuesdays we always know it is time to leave small group and head up to the lecture when we hear the school bell chime and a voice say, "Teachers, it is 10:15 and time for D.E.A.R."  The Acrostic stands for "Drop Everything And Read" and that is just what the students at KDS do - they stop everything and spend 15 minutes reading.  One day a friend said, "We do that at our house."  (She has a 3 year old and 11 month old.)  

On one of the snow days last week I remembered all this.  I had just a few chapters left in the book I was reading and saw an opportunity . . . for me AND my kids, mind you.  So, I called everyone to the living room and announced, "Kids, it is 3:45 and time for D.E.A.R."  I handed Bubba his Magic Treehouse book, gave Little her "book box" selection, Stinky Socks, and handed KB 3 picture books to peruse.  We had 15 minutes of reading time.

This is going to become a normal part of our routine.  It's only February 6 and I have already finished two whole books! That's just one less than I read all year, last year.  Could I be turning a life-stage corner? 

(I've already read 1/2 of Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover but started it a couple years ago.  The goal is to have it finished by the end of February.  A year ago that would have caused me to yell, "Dear Me!!" but now will smile confidently.  It's a brand new stage.  A brand new year.  Yes folks, "It's 2011 and time for D.E.A.R!!"

2 comments:

Debbie said...

What a great idea!! Happy Reading!

Julia said...

I remember it as SSR (Silent Sustained Reading) in junior high. The last 15 minutes of first period you were to read. I recall that it was a math class and the room was always warm so warm that the tops of the desks were warm too. One day I just laid my head down and went to sleep!