Jeff & Kate Kerr

***But I need my
children to at least learn to read and write, well actually a lot more
than that.
Dalene (obviously still not quite there)***

My youngest, she's 5, is learning to read (not yet reading, but on her
way). She is doing it on her own, with a little bit of help from me and
her dad.

She says, "what is this word" and we tell her. She says "this word
says p hon ee," we say, "close, good sounding out" and we tell her the
sound p and h make when they are together and how an e on the end of the
word changes the vowel sound. That's our teachable moment and then we
let it go.

She can read very simple words without help now, something she is doing
on her own without us sitting her down and making her go through
workbooks (friends keep trying to loan us 100 easy steps to reading - or
whatever it's called - I keep saying thanks, but we're doing fine
without it).

My 7 1/2 yo is not interested in learning yet (although I suspect he
knows more than he cops to). When he's ready to start asking, we'll be
here to answer the question, not to sit him down and make him work.

The point is they will learn. If you read to them, show them that it is
fun, and if you read for pleasure or information yourself they will pick
it up and teach themselves.

We read every night for at least an hour (we've only missed a few and I
feel guilty for that!) since our first was new born.

Keep it up, it works - I've seen the grown up proof!

Kate