I am a reader. I always have been. I would rather be curled up with a book than doing just about anything else. It doesn't even have to be a good book. I have forced my way through some really awful stuff just to be reading. When we lived in France, and books in English were hard to come by, I read all kinds of things on the Internet. I just love to read.
I had always dreamed that my kids would be avid readers as well. I had visions of the book discussions we would have. And the trips to the library where we left with arms laden with books. And the unchaperoned trips to the book stores that would break the budget.
I never dreamed that one of my girls would struggle with reading, that one of the Misses would fight reading to the point of tears. Or that I wouldn't have the patience to work with her or that I wouldn't be able to understand why she isn't "getting it." Why do letter combinations elude her? Why does she guess instead of sounding out the words? Why is this so hard for my child?
I've said for years that I was a high school teacher for a reason. I do not know how to help young children with their educational issues. Teen angst and issues I can field daily, but not the stuff the little guys have to deal with. Give me the kids who already know how to read and do basic math. This is now coming back to haunt me.
I don't know how to help my child. Add to this the fact that her sister is devouring books faster than we can check them out. Sister offers to help but that is worse than a 3 week long time out. Sister wants so badly to help that I can't get the one-on-one time that I need. I know my child can read. She does it fairly well when we are alone. I just need time to help her build her confidence. I want it to be fun though, not too much like school.
It is quite a dilemma (that is a fancy word for problem), but one I will keep working on. The Misses earned their first prize for our local summer reading program today. It is just a coupon for a free ice cream cone, but they are pretty excited. And they are motivated. I do not like using extrinsic rewards but it just might work in my favor this time. The Miss with the confidence issues came to me this afternoon and asked me to read with her. She read and I helped with the tough words. She did pretty well.
If anyone has any ideas, please share them. I want my child to love reading, or at least like it a little. I want her to be confident and to know that if she can read, she can do just about anything.
2 comments:
I can imagine how tough this is for you. Maybe she is confused too as to why it is easier for her sister and not for her. An easy way to explain it is that we all buy different foods at the grocery store according to our needs and wants. The same goes for learning and we all don't learn the same way. Keep encouraging her to read about things she likes but also let her develop her strengths in things that she is good at while her sister reads. Maybe you could get read along books for her or maybe record a book and let her read along with the recording. Just a suggestion.
I'm sorry I missed this, life has just been so hectic this summer.
No advice, unfortunately, but plenty of sympathy. When Julianna learned to read it was a huge relief to me, all four of my kids love and enjoy reading very much.
It won't help her learn, but one thing we've done that I know helps them a lot is that reading is a treat. Every night, even now, they each pick a picture book that we read, then I read from whatever chapter book we're enjoying, then they get to go in their own rooms and read for a while. They love it. It's a very special time for them. Yes, it means that "bedtime" can be anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours long, but they love it. I know it's contributed to making them such good readers and good students. Reading, as you know, enriches their lives so much because they have gained such wonderful knowledge and vocabularies from their reading adventures.
Also, and this may be key, when they read in their own rooms the book is their choice. It's not school reading, it's not a chore, it's just for the pure pleasure of doing it. They feel like they get to stay up later than they would otherwise, which makes them even more excited about reading.
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