142 HAWAII PARENT September/October 2024 A revolution has begun to take root among families who long for stronger connections in our increasingly busy, selfabsorbed and disconnected lives. One of its unassuming leaders is “Read Aloud Revival” founder, podcast host and bestselling author, Sarah Mackenzie. In her new book, The Read Aloud Family, she describes how reading aloud, even after our kids are able to read well by themselves, is “one of the best ways to be fully present” with our children. A Simple Path to Connection I had the opportunity to speak with this mother-of-six whose movement began with the question, “How do we create lasting, beautiful relationships with our kids?” Her revival proposes a wildly uncomplicated way to achieve this “deep heart’s longing.” It turns out connecting with our kids is as easy as ABC – “literally.” Remember when bonding with your child was as simple as reading a great storybook before bedtime? Turns out, it’s still that simple. The Joy of Reading Aloud Even when my girls began to read on their own, they still wanted me to read to them. Back then, I believed the grade school goal of reading aloud was to improve fluency and move toward independence. I read them the first Harry Potter book, hoping it would be so amazing that they’d be desperate for more and pick by Louise Black
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