Reading

[Anonymous]

Do not rely on the school to teach reading: https://www.apmreports.org/story/2019/08/22/whats-wrong-how-schools-teach-reading

Anyway, first child, I used a hodgepodge of different resources.

Second child, I had less time, so I went with Engelmann's "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons", which is dynamite. This is a phonics-based program, and highly scripted: it tells you, the parent, exactly what to do and what to say at any given point, including for when your child is having trouble. It's dirt cheap as a used copy, as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I didn’t. He just picked it up somewhere. It’s my job to love him, not drill sight words (unless and until a teacher tells me there is a problem I can help with).

Same here, somewhat. DD is 5.5 and I don't push her to read because she doesn't seem ready. It seems to make no sense to her and I back off. She understands and enjoys writing and counting, so that's where I focus teaching her, trusting that practicing writing teaches her about reading.

We read every night, and she loves it. Spirits, folklore and mythology interest her, so this is what we learn nightly for a year now. As with writing, I trust that hearing stories that she loves prepares her to appreciate and love reading when her brain is ready.

[Anonymous]

I didn't, his kindergarten teacher did. That said, I did start reading to my son when he was about a week old, and he has always loved books.