Home
>
Parenting
>
The Laid Back Parents Guide to Teaching Your Child to Read

The Laid Back Parents Guide to Teaching Your Child to Read

At first I thought of titling this article "The Lazy Parent's Guide" but then I realized that most parents aren't lazy, but they may have a slightly different philosophy about children and learning.

If you're a big reader yourself or if you're homeschooling, you're probably concerned about how to teach your child to read. Reading is one of the most important skills a person can learn, and a great joy in life.

My laid-back methods of teaching a child to read:

1) Be a reader yourself

Children naturally want to copy adult behavior. If your kids see you often with your nose in a book, they will probably begin to wonder what is so interesting about this activity.

2) Read to your kids

This is probably a huge no-brainer. Read to your kids early and often. And don't read in order to "teach your child how to read". I believe that the best way to teach your child to read is to NOT teach your child to read!

Read to your child because you enjoy it and it's fun. Some forward-thinking education experts believe that the teaching of reading is mostly what prevents reading. After all, don't adults read as a means to an end? Because they want to learn something or because they enjoy the act of reading?

3) Don't worry so much

Don't worry about a right or wrong way of reading to your child.

If your preschool-age child isn't interested in books yet, or won't sit still for more than 30 seconds to finish a story, don't fret.

If your 3 year old wants to point at pictures or turn to favorite pages and ask a million questions, don't fuss.

Children learn in different ways than adults do and I don't think anyone knows enough about the human mind to figure it all out. Make reading together pleasant, not stressful.

And don't worry about how old your child is when they learn to read. If they're reading at 3 or at 8, studies show that it makes little difference in their intelligence or ability by the time they reach middle school.

4) Pick topics that interest your child

My oldest son's interest in reading really skyrocketed when we started the Series of Unfortunate Events books by Lemony Snicket. We would sit for hours and read aloud together when he was only 5 or 6. Visit Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events for more information about these books.

These books were technically above his age level, but I advise you to forget all that.

John Holt, the legendary educator and author, has been quoted as saying:

"It's nice to have children's books, but far too many of them have too much in the way of pictures. When children see books, as they do in the family where the adults read, with pages and pages and pages of print, it becomes pretty clear that if you're going to find out what's in those books, you're going to have to read from that print. I don't think there's any way to make reading interesting to children in a family in which it isn't interesting to adults."

So let your child pick books from the library or bookstore and don't concern yourself about whether the titles are "age appropriate".

Above all, have fun snuggling up with your child and enjoy reading together!

Carrie Lauth publishes an informative newsletter for Moms doing things the natural way. Get your subscriber goodies at http://www.natural-moms.com

Wood Dale Chicago prom limo .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare

In The News:

Fueled by artificial intelligence, CyberDog the robotic dog is designed specifically locate fire ant nests, which are endangering ecosystems.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents

Internet browsers are useful, but they can be dangerous. Clicking on malicious links can direct you to dangerous websites that steal information or infect your device.

Apple's latest iOS update introduces advanced artificial intelligence capabilities, which may be capturing and analyzing sensitive information.

Breach site confirmed 56,904,909 Hot Topic users' data leaked online. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says the company's silence makes matters even worse.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how an innovative Easy-Way kit turns standard strollers electric, simplifying navigation for parents.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about T-Mobile being hacked in broad cyberattack on global phone and internet companies.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson shows you how to add, customize and manage widgets for quick access to apps and info from your iPhone home screen.

Wrong Google searches can not only compromise your device and personal data. They can also bring law enforcement to your doorstep. Hackers are targeting Google searches.

China's Shanghai Kepler Robotics has developed a new humanoid robot that can carry up to 35 pounds per hand for commercial applications across various industries

Checking your hearing has gotten easier with the new hearing test feature in AirPods Pro 2. You can take reliable hearing tests using your iPhone or iPad.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how a VPN — virtual private network — works and how running it can slow down the operation of your device.

The WalkON Suit F1, an exoskeleton developed to help people with disabilities, can actually walk over to a person in a wheelchair, solving a major problem.

ClickFix, a new scam targeting computer users, is on the rise in the U.S. The scam prompts its targets to click on a link to fix a problem.

Skydweller is the world's largest unmanned solar-powered aircraft that can stay airborne for weeks, and even months, without refueling.

The U.S. government said it is investigating after People's Republic of China hackers targeted commercial telecommunications service providers in the U.S.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Scammers are using increasingly sophisticated ways to lure unsuspecting victims, and some are impersonating an email help desk or support team.

You can unsend or edit your iMessages with the latest iOS updates. Kurt the CyberGuy explains how you can save yourself some potential embarrassment.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says there’s been a rise in cybercriminal services using hacked police and government emails to send subpoenas and data requests to U.S. companies.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how Axiom Space and luxury designer Prada are collaborating on NASA's Artemis III spacesuit design.

Voice assistants may cause confusion across devices. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers some solutions to fix it.

Shameless scammers trick veterans into giving personal info or cash. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explores five common scams.

The Laid Back Parents Guide to Teaching Your Child to Read

Parenting