I've been thinking about how I should begin this post for a little while now. I decided to just throw this information out there all nonchalant-like, sounding like Meredith Grey, even to myself (obscure pop culture reference for anyone who knows me well) and not even address the fact that I have been totally MIA for over a month now.
So, as I was saying - my little Bean is a reader!! This is such a big huge stinkin' deal - and not because we've been "working on it." Truth be told, she probably would have been reading months ago if we had been "working on it" but I was just letting her write away, spelling things in that beautiful phonetic childhood way, filling up pages that I LOVE LOVE LOVE - or as she would say "LuV LuV LuV" because, not only is she all about phonetics, but she is also quite fond of the lower case, or baby "u". . . and "e."
ANYWAY - I got her a new table and a set of chairs from Target, because she really had outgrown her other one. By the time I had the table and one chair put together, it was 7 o'clock at night and it was time to get Mighty Mouse and the Sweet Pea ready for bed and Bean is begging to "do homeschool." I apologize a hundred times over and tell her it will have to wait til tomorrow. She begs to please just do a couple of pages in her workbook. (I bought a couple of those Kindy and 1st grade workbooks at Target months and months and months ago just for this type of occasion.)
So she begins her workbook thing as I'm beginning the ready for bed thing - soon she comes running into the room "MAMA!!!! I CAN READ!!!!"
She'd grabbed the first grade workbook and there was a colour by word picture of the Easter Bunny, with eggs all around him. She points to one of the eggs and reads the word inside it, "green." Then then next: "pink." Of course, bedtime routine is put on pause and she read all the rest of the colours to me - all in lower case letters - black, orange, blue, red, yellow, grown, purple.
CLICK
The kid can read. Just like that.
I said its a big huge deal because it seemed like such an insurmountable task when we first committed to homeschool (before she was even born) and even more daunting as we began "kindergarten" last fall. Yet, voila - here we are. What an accomplishment for us both, to be honest. I'm certain that every homeschooling parent has those doubts that linger in on darker days - are you giving your child everything she needs and deserves in the realm of education. Are you really cut out for this? Are you really able to do it. I think the first step on that journey of "Holy cow - seriously?" that you find yourself standing shakily on, as you begin to homeschool the younger child any way, is the idea of teaching them to read. I mean, let's face it - we can chalk everything else up to homeschooling ideology or curriculum pace but there is nothing enigmatic about reading - either they can or they can't. Period. Even though we were relaxed about it and I was fine if she didn't learn for another 6 months or so, it's still a nice hurdle to have sailed over, feeling the word "flying colours" take to the skies of my heart.
My little Bean is a reader.
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2 comments:
Congratulations to Bean! I remember being so frightened by the thought of having to teach my child to read! I did not think I could possibly manage it. In the end I didn't have to do anything but read to her! But I'll never forget my anxiety about it.
Oh felicitations and congratulations and all those other big words! What a terrific moment that is when the little light clicks on and *poof* I can READ!
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