I got her a set of story books today. I was getting her into bed and picked up one of the books. I read some of it to her while she was doing something else and then asked her if she wanted to read to her teddy. To my amazement, she read it from start to finish. It had sentences like ‘I am top cat’ ‘I can go pop’ ,…we’ve been doing sight words only and I just posted a question about teaching phonics as i had noclue how or when to start teaching blending and all, but obviously she figured it out herself! I screamed for my husband and older son to listen to her read.
Once again she has proven to me that even when it seems I’m wasting my time 'teaching’her stuff and she seems uninterested, she really is learning! She just shows what she can do whenever ready.
I hope this will encourage everyone who wonders if early education is worth it… It really is! I think the stimulation alone helps. My daughter never really took to LR and she doesn’t read sight words half as well as other kids I see here and to be honest I get a bit discouraged sometimes. But tonight proved to me that it’s not just a matter of knowing the words, it’s the stimulation that matters. I’m amazed that she read a book that she had never seen before and was able to decode the words on her own.
My first child was very easy to teach. But my second seemed like she wasn’t learning at all. Then at 2.5, she was suddenly able to read everything. So, they often are absorbing what you teach even if they don’t show it. Even though your child is reading very well, do phonics with her anyway because she will need it for spelling later on. The Starfall.com ABC section is great.
Absolutely/ There have been days where I felt like what I was doing was for nothing. Only to find out that my daughter was learning spite me. lol Way to go on the good work. Its so awesome when they start to put everything together and start to read. It gives you a little affirmation that what your doing really is making a difference.
Hooray for you and your little girl! I am so happy for you.
My boy read as a baby but my youngest daughter, now 4 1/2 was different. I continually showed her stuff and read to her. I wasn’t sure if she would get it, just because things were different with her than they were with him, but I am so excited that she just started to read last year. Everyday she reads and she prefers to read to me now for most of the books. We just took a road trip and she was reading a bunch of poems to me while I was driving. It makes me so happy that she LOVES to read and wants to read without being asked.
The stimulation is so important. I decided when she didn’t read as young as my son that I would really focus on reading to her, text pointing and developing her love of reading. It has worked, she loves books and can read on about a second grade level. Just keep on keeping on even if you cannot see the fruit of your efforts. All this stimulation is making connections that strengthen their little brains.
It’s so true that every child learns at their own pace, I have seen it with my own time and again! I am really thrilled for you and your daughter, it sounds like she really loves reading. How dedicated you are to keep believing in her even when it didn’t seem like you were making progress. Good job Momma!!!
I finally have some videos to share of my youngest reading. I just love that she is not afraid to read anything. Wherever we are, if she sees print, she will try to read it. She LOVES to read. We like poetry and fun picture books best of all. Here she is reading me a poem. If you haven’t started, I suggest you do, there is nothing greater than having your child love to read and read well.
I can’t wait until I have such a moment with my son…