5 year old reading "Little House on the Prairie"

[Anonymous]

I had this argument with my sister once, way before I had kids. She was reading aloud Harry Potter to her 5 year old and he was LOVING it. I told her that it was a shame he was reading the story to him. It is such a fun book for kids to read on their own, and I had seen so many reluctant readers in 3rd grade have the joy of reading this book on their own.

But you know what? There are LOTS of books for kids to read and get that great experience. And kids will re-read books they loved as a read aloud, to that they read on one level as a 5 year old, and will gain plenty on a second read. I'vew read tons of novels as a grown-up that I read in middle school with a totally new understanding.

There's no shortage of great books for a 4th grader to read when she is in fourth grade. It's not like there are just 7 books in the universe, and if kids read them all when they are 5 they are out of luck. There's a million books for them to read and explore.

And for the record, my son knew all about chores, and churning butter, and log cabins, and fighting with your siblings, and making snow angels, when I read him "Little House in the Big Woods" when he was 5. It was a little above him though, so after a few chapters we tried something different. He LOVED Harry Potter, and some of the Narnia books though, at that age. It was clearly at his listening level.

Rest assured there WILL be more books for kids to read when they turn 10.

[Anonymous]

Yes, there are more books for them to read when they're 8 and 10, but there are also plenty of books on a 5 year old's level of comprehension for them to read now. They may re-read these books with a fresh perspective when they're older, but they will never be able to replace reading a book appropriate for a five year old, through a five year old's eyes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:13:22 here. I didn't mean to push anyone's buttons with my comment, but I stand by it. BTW, I read above grade level throughout school, my DC tested in the 99.5th percentile, and I am a member of Mensa. I still think that emotional and psychological needs are as important as intellectual ones. I can't recommend other books as an alternative to LHOP because my brilliant DC doesn't read yet, at the ripe old age of FIVE. Maybe you should check out the thread about all the adults who were labeled 'Gifted' as children. It might help you lighten up a bit.

It doesn't matter what happened to other gifted kids who are now adults. It has no bearing here. You have expressed an opinion critical of "allowing" a child to read a book at THEIR reading level in favor of forcing them to read what you consider age appropriate. If your child does turn out to read at higher-than-age level will you remove books from the house and make sure the teacher only allows them to pick from the beginning reader section, even if they are YEARS ahead of that? It made no sense until you said YOU HAVE NO EXPERIENCE with this situation. When you do have more understanding you will see that you holding your children back or down when they have an ability is at least equal to if not worse than pushing them too hard to achieve BEYOND their ability. Were you allowed to read above grade-level? Did someone remove books from you until THEY judged it the right time for YOUR optimal enjoyment? It's a nonsensical proposition. My kid isn't at the 99th %ile but in 1st gr. he reads at a 6th gr. level. I was the same. I read Dickens at 10. So what? Why would anyone care? Would I have benefitted more from re-reading Dick and Jane or The Bobbsey Twins repeatedly for years? Why do you care what someone else's kid reads? You seem triggered or threatened in some way by this thread. Kids SHOULD be protected from graphic content above their emotional or age level which is VERY hard with popular books these days so LHOP is a GREAT alternative to the exploits of those wacky kids in High School Musical. If I'm coming on strong it's because it is so tiresome to hear a constant refrain on this board from a few folks who think that people with smart kids push push push them. My kid learn to read ON HIS OWN. I did NOTHING and didn't really know how well until his teacher told me. There are kids that are smart and there is nothing wrong with that. It just happens. If it bugs you, it's the same as it bugging you that people have red hair. I just don't get it.

Are you insane?? I was simply breezing through the posts. I really couldn't care less what you read when you were 10. I responded to someone who posted a question ASKING for responses -- the OP didn't say, "Only people with children who read at above grade level need reply." I gave my two cents' worth. I said it sounded like it was a shame, not that I was in favor of forcing anyone to read or not read anything. Sorry i blew your gaskets by responding with my own opinion, not yours.

Really? Is that all you said? What about:

"BTW, I read above grade level throughout school, my DC tested in the 99.5th percentile, and I am a member of Mensa." " my brilliant DC doesn't read yet, at the ripe old age of FIVE" and "Maybe you should check out the thread about all the adults who were labeled 'Gifted' as children. It might help you lighten up a bit."

Reread your own posts and then mine.

I was just trying to let readers know that I am an intelligent adult (and a former intelligent child) with an intelligent child of my own, and yet I still think reading ability doesn't matter as much as psychological and emotional maturity does. Too bad you had to feign indignation just so you could tell readers about your status.

I said very little about what you call my "status." To ME high reading ability is JUST that. The ability to read at a high level compared to peers. To YOU, based on YOUR comments it is about status. I am not a member of mensa because it has NO appeal to me. It must have a status appeal to you or you wouldn't be a member AND want people to know it. If you are highly intelligent or gifted or what ever - why do you need a group to validate and stroke you for it. High reading ability is what it is - like I said, like red hair. It doesn't add to your value or status. That said, you shouldn't be ostracized or penalized for it either. Which was MY point.

You are obviously not the Merry Fruitcake Troll, but maybe you were separated at birth. I'm going to take the MFT approach of ignoring your posts about me from now on, with the hope that your need to berate me withers and dies. Happy Holidays.

If you can find berating, good luck to you. It's the reasoned response you are objecting to, I guess it would be best to agree to disagree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, there are more books for them to read when they're 8 and 10, but there are also plenty of books on a 5 year old's level of comprehension for them to read now. They may re-read these books with a fresh perspective when they're older, but they will never be able to replace reading a book appropriate for a five year old, through a five year old's eyes.

If you don't get that a 5 or 6 year old reading at a 12 year old's level, and comprehending and ENJOYING it won't necessarily enjoy or have any interest it a book aimed at a typical 5 year old, then you don't get it. Perhaps though you could allow room for the possibility that you don't understand what that is like or how it should be handled. If you have some suggestions to support your assertion, I'd love to hear them How do you propose managing an advanced reader's choices so that you feel the potential age-level enjoyment is maximized? And yes, that question sounds as silly as the whole idea of "saving" books for when you deem the right amount of wistful, misty childhood experience can be wrung out of them. (Meanwhile, leaving kids slogging for years through basic storybooks and early readers in misery and boredom. That doesn't sound that great to me.)

[Anonymous]

Why are the parents of these advanced readers such an angry bunch? Is it really THAT hard have an advanced reader??? I already said, I have NO suggestions, I am JUST tossing in my two cents' worth. But FWIW, the expert in the field agreed with my opinion so maybe even though I don't know first hand just how HELLISH it is to pick out reading material for a gifted child, I am onto something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are the parents of these advanced readers such an angry bunch? Is it really THAT hard have an advanced reader??? I already said, I have NO suggestions, I am JUST tossing in my two cents' worth. But FWIW, the expert in the field agreed with my opinion so maybe even though I don't know first hand just how HELLISH it is to pick out reading material for a gifted child, I am onto something.

What expert are you talking about?

[Anonymous]

A five and a half year old, on the other hand, still thinks it's possible to defy gravity or learn to fly, has no concept of money or how things are made or get done, etc.

But won't she learn things quicker if she's allowed to read about them?

[Anonymous]

I mean, really, isn't part of the purpose of reading to learn about things? Who says a child has to know stuff before she reads about it? That's just backwards.

PP, a "shame" is when a parent never encourages a child to read. Allowing a five-year-old to read something that she might enjoy but not completely understand yet -- that's not a shame.

[Anonymous]

A "shame" is when people go to extremes to argue their point -- for example, my saying 'LHOP is over the head of a five year old' in terms of their life experience is just like saying a parent should never encourage a child to read, or that I'm saying parents should discourage their children from reading, or that I am critical of "allowing" a child to read at their own level but am in favor of FORCING them to read what i consider age appropriate -- and on and on. What nonsense. You may have gifted kids, but you are a bunch of dumb a$$es.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: You may have gifted kids, but you are a bunch of dumb a$$es.

LOL!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think that's awesome! What more is there to say?

One more time. I think that's awesome! What more is there to say?

[Anonymous]

I find it amusing that the angry poster who denies she's angry, tries to make points about something she clearly doesn't understand, gets rude and then can't understand why these persecutors are subsequently rude to her, denies she had a point in the first place but continues to try to make it, says she has nothing more to add but then keeps posting, quotes "experts" without stating who or what about, and then mischaracterizes her own posts, ends by calling US the dumb-asses! Priceless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find it amusing that the angry poster who denies she's angry, tries to make points about something she clearly doesn't understand, gets rude and then can't understand why these persecutors are subsequently rude to her, denies she had a point in the first place but continues to try to make it, says she has nothing more to add but then keeps posting, quotes "experts" without stating who or what about, and then mischaracterizes her own posts, ends by calling US the dumb-asses! Priceless.

Huh?

[Anonymous]

I just bought a set of LHOP books for my 10 year old niece. She's of average intelligence. Are these books too *young*/babyish for a 10 year old?

[Anonymous]

No, they should be perfect. They've been around a long time for good reason. Many moms are happy to read them to their kids b/c it means they get to read them again themselves. They can be re-read happily by kids too.