Mouse Soup

[monkeysugarmama]

So I had this mama come in the library yesterday. She was checking out about 20 of our little beginning reader books - the very easiest ones with huge pictures and about three words to a page. She mentioned they were for her son who had just started reading. I asked how old he was and she said "He'll be four tomorrow."  WHOA!

I said "Your three year

Comments

[deza]

The thing that got Ro reading avidly was when I suggester she read to her brother. It made her fell all "big sistery" and starting with repetitive books made it easy for her. They particularly like Farmer Duck a few years back.

She's 9 now, and is currently reading Eclipse (#3 in the Stephanie Meyer's quad). At the end of the school year, she tested as reading on a 7.5 grade level.

[kittenboo]

that mom may also be mistaking her child reading with her child memorizing.

Indy can "read" but all he's doing is reciting the pages he knows from what we've said.

remember too that all children are different, with different interests at different ages. I wouldn't have tried to be teaching indy to spell at 2 years old except that I saw a stop sign and non-chalantly said "S-T-O-P spells stop" and now he wants me to spell everything.

Obviously you are doing a great job with your kids.

[monkeysugarmama]

You are too sweet.

It's just that, as important as education is to me, and reading...I really do feel like complete slacker mom sometimes, waking up early with the kids, getting them a quick breakfast and then falling asleep again on the couch while they watch Sesame Street and Curious George...How naughty am I??

I try to console myself with the fact that it's PBS and not Cartoon Network, but I know I could do better!

That is so cool that Indy likes you to spell for him! It really is funny what different kids like at different points in their life.

Sam isn't interested in spelling, but he counts to ten and knows some colors. Again, it isn't something we really "worked" on with him - we just count stairs when we walk down them or discuss color throughout the day when we see a firetruck or a bee. I think having a big sister helps him a lot too because she likes to talk about those things with him also!

You and

[kittenboo]

thats how we do numbers too, with the stairs. although lately he has taken to not saying 4. Then I'll say "what happened to 4?" and he just laughs.

[popfiend]

AMEN!!!

[wyrdwriter]

This post made me smile.
She'll be picking up Bev Clearly books before you know it! ;O)

[eqfe]

In a house where the parents read, the children will read.

"I am definitely going to have to work with her more now. Gently, because I don't want to stress her out." Exactly, there is a place for Sponge Bob, no matter what the religious right says about him and Patrick.

[walkertxkitty]

If you love books, she will love books. And a little television never hurt anyone as long as it's controlled.

I think that mother is probably lying about her kid's ability. Being able to read at that age is extremely rare (I too am an educator, but unlike her I am not a poopyhead :D).

I was a bit...different. I was able to read (but not necessarily understand) adult books by the time I was three and by the time I was five I was able to understand what I was reading.

Believe me when I say that's unusual; I went through enough psychologists and learning assessments to prove it.

I wish it had been done your way; I came out with a love of books, sure enough, but it was a long time before I could truly appreciate them.