{"id":10753,"date":"2015-07-13T05:00:04","date_gmt":"2015-07-13T10:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.allaboutlearningpress.com\/?p=10753"},"modified":"2020-12-09T19:18:02","modified_gmt":"2020-12-10T01:18:02","slug":"how-to-stay-awake-while-reading-aloud","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.allaboutlearningpress.com\/how-to-stay-awake-while-reading-aloud\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Stay Awake While Reading Aloud"},"content":{"rendered":"\"How\r\n\r\n

Does read-aloud time find you fighting fatigue? Being a parent is a tiring job, and by the time you sit down for read-aloud time, it\u2019s all too easy to drift off to sleep. These mom-tested tips will help you stay awake while reading aloud.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

My Story<\/h2>\r\n\r\n

My kids love to tell embarrassing stories about how I would fall asleep while reading aloud to them. I just couldn\u2019t stay awake! My head would start to bob, I\u2019d start to repeat sentences, and\u2014most mortifying of all\u2014I even talked in my sleep a few times!<\/p>\r\n\r\n

All the late nights washing dishes and early mornings preparing lesson plans caught up with me.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

It was inevitable.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

I would begin to read and before long my eyelids would get heavy ... I\u2019d start feeling sleepy ... <\/p>\r\n\r\n

... very sleepy\u2026<\/p>\r\n\r\n

...and my kids would sneak off to play, giggling softly.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Tips for Staying Awake<\/h2>\r\n\r\n

Before you<\/span> inadvertently drift off to dreamland and leave your kids with a half-finished story, try these tips for staying alert during reading time.<\/p>\r\n

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  1. Vary Your Location<\/h3>\r\n\r\n

    Your comfy sofa or reading chair might be just a little too <\/span>comfy, so try reading somewhere else\u2014at the kitchen table, perhaps, or on the front porch. The fresh air and sunshine can help keep you energized, and a slightly less comfortable chair will help keep you awake.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n

  2. Vary the Time of Day<\/h3>\r\n\r\n

    If your read-aloud time is scheduled for your kids\u2019 bedtime, chances are that you\u2019re already getting sleepy yourself. If possible, change your read-aloud time to earlier in the day\u2014perhaps right after breakfast\u2014when you are still fresh and wide awake.<\/p><\/li>\r\n\r\n

  3. Distract Yourself<\/h3>\r\n\r\n

    Stay alert by sipping ice water as you read, or engage yourself in the story by developing and using different voices for the characters. Eat some apple slices or plain popcorn. Prepare yourself some hot tea\u2014and take a sip each time you start to feel sleepy.<\/p><\/li><\/ol>\r\n\r\n\"How\r\n\r\n

    Now back to my story ...<\/p>\r\n\r\n

    Eventually, my struggle with sleepy read-aloud times made me realize that I was fighting fatigue in other <\/span>areas of my life, too. A simple blood test revealed that I was anemic, and the subsequent iron supplementation helped a lot.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

    And so did getting to bed a bit earlier!<\/p>\r\n\r\n

    Do you have a favorite tip for staying awake while reading aloud? Please share, and I\u2019ll add it to the reader\u2019s tip box below!<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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    Stay-Awake Tips Recommended by Our Readers<\/h2>\r\n