"Learning time"

For reasons I don't even know or understand, teaching my children to read is the most daunting task of being responsible for their education. (Though regardless of what type of "schooling" you choose, I realize that I, the parent, am ultimately responsible for all areas of their education).

It's extremely silly, I know. J tries to be sympathetic, but he just smiles and tells me everything is going to be just fine.

Because it is.

H is a young three. And long before she even ever turned three she all ready recognized the alphabet, knew all the sounds they made, and could sound out small words. And this was all on her own. I didn't sit her down and do drills or anything.

And still, I'm daunted.

H wants to learn to read. She's been saying this for a while, but now she is more adamant. She wants to "really read" books. (Because she opens books and makes up her own stories or repeats them from memorization all the time).

This girl floors me mostly. But I'm trying to just go with the flow and follow her lead. She long ago sailed through the pre-reader BOB books that her godmother sent her. I bought the Level 1 ones for her, and we also have the kindergarten Hooked on Phonics (also from her godmother). I haven't pulled them out for her, but that's my goal today during nap time (did I mention these kids have miraculously both been napping for the past few weeks? It's probably because they insist on 5am wake ups...).

So I'm going through all these books, trying to figure out the best strategy to teach her to read. Because although I keep telling her that all the things we do in every day life is teaching her to read (reading the signs outside, tracing letters, reading books, etc., etc.) she insists on more.

She is my "more" child.

Though it's frustrating because she's a perfectionist and so easily frustrated. She practices writing her letters all. the. time. She wants to write too...

But she gets so upset when they're flawed. When she gets the "b" wrong or the line on the "p" is more centered. It's the end. of. the. world. Epic meltdowns ensue.

I just tell myself that their are lots of positives to being a perfectionist as well.

They're just hard to remember when your tiny 3 year old is distraught over being, well, you know, 3.

But she's mandated that after nap times she will have "learning time." Because you know. she's not been learning anything in the past 3 years. Oy vey.

Honestly, I don't see this lasting. Because of that perfectionist gene. Because B will bother her. Because she'll just be 3 and make mistakes.

But because I'm her mom, I'll go along with it. And maybe she'll surprise me. Maybe this will stick.

Either way, she'll learn to read. I have no doubt about that. Because she is stubborn and determined and can and will do anything and everything she sets her mind to.

Which is daunting in a whole different way.