My Little Reader

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ReaderNora has wanted to be able to read for forever.

When I picked her up from her very first day of Pre-K 3 and asked her how her day was, she disappointingly told me “Good, but they didn’t teach me to read.”

Fast forward to the first week of Pre-K 4 and as we were driving around town one day, I hear this from the back seat:

S-t-op. Stop.  Mommy, that sign says STOP.

And indeed it did.  I have no idea when or where she started to read. We have always read a lot of books in our house, but I believe the lion’s share of credit for this new skill goes to her preschool teacher and Nora herself.  I figured it was time to step up my game and do what I could as her mother to help her become proficient at reading. This process has been interesting to say the least.  And challenging to me as a parent.  I give huge kudos to English teachers across the country because this isn’t easy.

On any given night, the following conversation can be heard in our house.

Nora: Does that say “blu -eh”?

Me: No, honey, the “e” is silent, it is just “blue”.

Nora: Oh. Why is the “e” silent?

Me: Because that is just how the English language works.  Sometimes “e” makes and “eee” sound, sometimes it makes the “eh” sound and sometimes it’s just silent.

After a few moments of thinking this over, Nora says again “Why”?

I have no idea!! Because the English language is dumb!!!

And if you think that is hard enough, try explaining why sometimes one says you have “read” a book – past tense – and sometimes one says you will “read” a book, future tense.  Same word, sames letters, COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PRONOUNCIATION!!

Seriously, it’s enough to drive you batty.

The other day, Nora was trying to write a card to send to her Nana and Papa Joe in Florida.  Without asking for help, she wrote out “NANA PUPA GO”.  Not bad for trying to sound it out and spell it all by herself (also something I just realized she was able to do – I am starting to think I pay zero attention to my kids). She had the sounds right as she was saying them. How was she supposed to know that Papa Joe is spelled with an “a”, “j” and that silly silent “e” again?  Especially since Papa could also reasonably be Poppa.  It really is a wonder any of us can speak, read, spell or write in this county.

I will say that she is learning in spite of me.  She loves the feeling of accomplishment she gets when she reads something new all on her own.  She loves the stories. But, every day, when we sit down to read, I say a silent prayer of thanks to Ms. Gail for taking on the bulk of the work involved in the challenge of teaching my little reader to read.

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