A Control Freak’s Guide to Teaching Your Kid to Read

Ashford Evans
 I was one of those kids who never had to learn how to read. One day in kindergarten I simply just picked up a book and started reading. And I read well. They had to send me out to a reading group with the kids in the grade above me because I had surpassed my own age group. So naturally I just assumed this is how my daughter would learn as well. I had no idea that there was anything that I as a parent should be doing. (Please forgive me of my naiveté. I didnt say I was smart- I just said I was a good reader.) However, my daughter is like many children where this skill just doesn’t come naturally. And it is something she has to work on (and I with her).

guess I should also mention that I have a Type-A personality. It has been stated before that I tend to go overboard” if you will. Or slip into crazy mode” every once in awhile. Well, true to form (and like a dog with a bone), I latched onto teaching my daughter how to read with zeal. I have compiled this step-by-step list for all you Type- A/ Control Freak Mommas out there:

1. Attend a parents reading workshop” at your childs school.

2. Realize that your child is not reading at the level of most of the other children in her class.

3. Freak out silently in your head while reevaluating your skills at parenting.

4. Stay after the workshop and corner the teacher. Dont forget to get a list of the books they are currently working on in the classroom.

5. Return to your car and order every book on the list from your Amazon app (thank goodness for Prime).

6. Wait the two days shipping with bated breath.

7. Upon returning home, try your best not to tip off your child that the terror alert has been raised to orange.

8. Smile as big as you can. Explain to your child that We are going to start working on reading every day!!Try to act excited about it.

9. In these two days while you wait for your package schedule your child for a hearing test.(There must be some sort of medical issue causing this derailment.)

10. Take your child to the hearing test – which she promptly fails. (Now by fail, I mean shows as light issue with her hearing.) The doctor recommends tubes. Schedule this for Thursday (yes I know, thats in two days).

11. Discuss/ Google hearing issues and reading development with anyone who will listen.

12. Realize there is a speech component.

13. Despite the fact that you believe your child speaks very, well schedule her for a speech evaluation.

14. Finally, the books have come in. Have your child try to read them to you. Realize she cant.

15. Schedule an appointment for an evaluation with a tutoring service.

16. Surgery day!! We can take a few days off from the torturous daily reading exercises. But rest up- we have our speech evaluation on Monday.

17. Go to speech evaluation. Pass with flying colors. Realize there is no medical reason for the delay.

18. Attend an hour-long evaluation (read: test) with the tutoring service. Try not to laugh in their faces when they suggest 40-50 hours of tutoring at a discount price” of $2200.19. Smile, say. Thank you well be in touch”, and high-tail it out of there.

20. Go to the educational supply store and spend $50 on sight word flash cards, workbooks, and reading tools.

21. Spend an hour with your childs teacher categorizing the flash cards into the same order that they teach them.

22. Realize you bought the wrong set of sight words. Throw these out.

23. Go to the grocery store and buy a pack of index cards. Make your own sight word flashcards.

24. Now, every time you are in the car do these flash cards with your child.


Head to the Family Room


PIN IT FOR LATER:

A Control Freak's Guide to Teaching Your Kid to Read - Giggling


 This post was written by Ashford Evans exclusively for BonBon Break Media, LLC.

Ashford lives with her husband, three children, and three dogs in SC. When she’s not pregnant, breastfeeding, or polishing off a bottle of wine she is busy holding down her demanding sales career or working at their family owned business. She blogs about her crazy escapades and living life in between being the bread winner and the bread maker Biscuits and Crazy. She has also been featured on Mrs Muffintop, Mom Babble, Say It With A Bang, Scary Mommy, Beyond Your Blog and The Huffington Post.