38 - An Enjoyable Way to Engage Your Kids (with Sarah Mackenzie‪)‬ Strategic Families

In this episode, Graham interviews Sarah Mackenzie, founder of the Read Aloud Revival, an amazing effort to help parents help their kids learn to love to read. She and her husband Andrew have 6 children. You may also know Sarah from her highly acclaimed book Teaching From Rest: A Homeschooler's Guide to Unshakable Peace. In this interview, we dive into the beauty and benefits of reading aloud to your kids (hint: it's way more beneficial than you may think!), including one of my favorite benefits: how it can help us build family culture through the shared experience of story. Sarah shares some of her read-aloud favorites and a powerful verse that has been helpful to her lately: Isaiah 40:31. Sarah also gives a preview of her upcoming new children's book, A Little More Beautiful.In this interview, we discuss:How her book, Teaching from Rest, came out of her desire to seek whether the peace that passes understanding that we've been promised in Christ could be realized with the craziness of life with little kids (it is!!).The story of how Sarah started becoming passionate about reading aloud -- finding a book and listening to an inspirational talk from Andrew Pudewa.Benefits of reading aloud: good vocabulary, increased reading comprehension, better writing skills.The case for reading aloud -- helping our kids get "sophisticated language patterns in their brain" -- this comes only from books!Reading aloud is a great idea for when your family members may be picking at each other -- it helps you get on the same page, rooting for the same hero -- engrossed in the same story.It is a beautiful way to build family culture -- you share stories together and the kids will bring that into real life issues or situations.Reading aloud helps you remember within your family that you're FOR each other.Reading stories with your kids helps everyone see how characters face obstacles and overcome them -- it helps build fortitude.Reading aloud also helps build compassion and empathy because you're walking in the shoes of someone else. You can't know what's happening in others' minds normally, but you CAN in books. You get to eavesdrop on what they're thinking.We often prioritize reading on independent reading, but there are so many things you can get with reading aloud that you can't get with independent reading.Family culture is so central to how we think about ourselves. We can create a culture that's unique to our family.Knowing the things that are important to your family -- that make you who you are.Sarah's read-aloud recommendations: The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, The Green Ember books by S.D. Smith, The Vanderbeeker books by Karina Yan Glaser.Redeeming time in the car by listening to good stories.A preview of her new children's book, A Little More Beautiful.Resources:Purchase Teaching from Rest: A Homeschooler's Guide to Unshakable Peace on Christian Book Distributors or Amazon.Check out the Read Aloud Revival podcast.ReadAloudRevival.comALittleMoreBeautiful.comInstagram @readaloudrevivalRead-Aloud Revival with Sarah Mackenzie on Facebook Scripture referenced:Isaiah 40:31: but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (NIV)Music:Intro: Life of a Traveler, by Black Rhomb (License #3565685)Outtro: Avocado Street, by Wes Hutchinson (Courtesy of YouTube Music)If this podcast been a blessing to you, please consider subscribing, leaving us a review and/or donating to our Patreon account. Thank you!Check us out on www.strategicfamilies.com.