Nanci Kuykendall

>Six years old is really young! So is seven. So is
>eight. Since you say he runs from anything that
>looks like school work, just follow his lead.
>And please don't worry and don't watch the >calendar.
He'll emerge as a whole person if you >allow him to,
but he'll may pick up on your >worrying, and that can
affect him, too.
>Marji

I agree with Marji...6 is really young. I have a six
year old son, Thomas. If he could dissect sentences I
would be astounded. His 4 year old brother, Alex is
on the cusp of pre-reading, sounding out letters,
identifying letters in words by sound (in his head,
not looking at words) practicing drawing letters, and
in general playing with letters. He loves letter
magnets and a new spelling toy he got for Christmas.

Thomas just isn't that interested in letters, spelling
or reading yet. I'm not worried about it. I taught
myself to read at 4, but my older brother didn't read
until 9. Neither one of us learned from the stupid
public institution we were in, despite their best
efforts to force him. Make reading material readily
available to your son, as I am sure you do, and get
him books and magazines about subjects that he's
passionate about, and it will come. Try not to worry.
He's still really young.

Nanci K.