Beginning to Read

Josh, my third child, was the only one that didn't want to be read to.  There was no getting him to sit through a story for the first four years of his life.  He was too busy.  He had too much to do.  Or rather, he needed to spend all his time running, flipping, standing on his head, climbing, etc.  Books didn't include enough movement for him.

About a year ago, I finally figured out a way to get him to listen to a short picture book.  When I found the perfect book for him at the library, I brought it home and read it to Maddie while he was in the room.  A few times, it worked, and he was finally open to me reading it to him.

When he turned five, something happened.  All of a sudden, he was willing to listen to chapter books at bedtime.  He got interested enough in those that he'd occasionally ask to hear a chapter during the day. After a few chapter books, he got burned out, and we've been focusing in picture books for a while now.

Also during his fifth year, he started using Reading Eggs.  He has really enjoyed that program.  I'm not pushing it because I think it ultimately ends up in the child memorizing words rather than learning the phonics needed.  He spends most of his time playing games rather than doing the lessons.  His subscription runs out in a week, and he's requested that I renew it.  I probably will.

The other big change was that he was finally interested in joining us for school.  He's been slowing doing some phonics.  We've gone through the sounds for each letter of the alphabet in Phonics Pathways.  We're now working on finishing up the alphabet book we're making.  He's at the point that he can read CVC words and a few sight words.

But through this all, he been very reluctant to attempt to read any words to me.  Today, I caught him reading Are You My Mother to Madelynn.  I was able to get this quick snapshot with my cell phone.  It's exciting to see him finally showing an interest in reading.