Parents of precocious readers: Why do I feel like I have to pretend my kid can't read?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When my kid first started to read he would tell people occasionally because he was pretty proud of it. Initially I'd hear that kind of dismissive reply - "oh he's just memorizing" etc.

Now it comes up more organically - like he reads the menu while we're out or a sign at the playground or something on someone's shirt and people will be shocked and always complimentary. I wish they'd stop telling him he's smart or a genius though -- we try to praise for effort instead, though it does seem to be effortless.

Now that he's 4.5 and reading advance chapter books I'm no longer in awe but the fact they he reads in public (takes books to a restaurant, for example, or reads in the grocery cart while we shop) he still gets a lot of praise and attention from strangers. I don't think he likes the attention too much.

But the only REALLY negative stuff I've seen about early readers has been here on DCUM. People are BITCHY and JEALOUS.

Pride goeth before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Not just bitchy and jealous, BIBLICALLY bitchy and jealous.

No, just someone with the experience of having a "precocious" reader.