My 9yo was slow to learn to read. I parked it, waited on him, and it came. Eventually. And then he took off and reads everything he can get his hands on, within reason of course. So, because he was so behind for so long, and because I knew he'd made leaps and bounds, and because I've been hunting for substitute literature for the program we're using because I can't find the books used... I decided to check his reading level. It was handy that I decided this while perusing the Sonlight website that just happened to have one right there. So I tested my 9yo, who's aged right to be starting 4th grade in the fall by ps standards, but is behind enough in some subjects that I'd basically been considering him a full year behind academically and thinking he's really starting 3rd grade work this year. And then he tested for Sonlight Core F - 5th grade, geared for 11-13 year olds "and advanced 10 year olds." Wahoo!! Not so behind after all! :angel:
SEE!!! When we wait until they're ready, there's NO holding them back!!! Same thing happened to my friend's daughter. Once she started, she was off and running! GREAT JOB, MOM!!!
congrats job well done! My ds1 did the same way,he was stubborn learning but in the start of high school he tested in College levels in a lot of his stuff. keep it moving though! don't slack and don't push, just keep him going. I send my oldest out and he is the one still struggling or rather again, he is in end months of College about to head into Grad School but has struggled to keep on top of home work and such. Sure made me glad I held on to him learning to read as we saw him progress so well in home school. He has now decided he wants to do the online U classes and work at home! HA!
Love that story, DaLynn! My dd 13 didn't read until 10. I was starting to panic though we knew there were some learning difficulties. She's caught up in math this year, and other than writing, is doing so well. Moms know best!!
That is so great!!!! My ds has always struggled with reading and I am thinking of just holding back on it until he is ready!!! There is no reason to push just because they, and they being the school system, said so.
Posts like this make me happy My mom was worried to death because I didn't make my oldest read everyday for the past 3 years. About a month ago, he came to me with a reader and started reading to me. He lacks fluency, but, like Jackie said, it'll come.
Nice. I don't think there's anything quite like the true joy of reading. It's a marvelous skill your son has acquired.
Thanks ladies. At the time, I can remember hubby giving me a hard time. He's not DOING anything. He's not LEARNING anything. I tried to tell him, we just have to park it until he "gets" it. I don't want to make him hate reading - I want him to LOVE IT. It's a needed skill and if he hates it we'll be up a creek without a paddle. There were several months of this, and I began to feel pressure. So we did a little more phonics work here and there, and I began to require silent reading time - of anything he wanted to read. So we got some silly stuff for a while. And look at him now! WOOT! So now his little brother is in the same boat. Parking it on reading, parking it on memorizing addition facts. Park park park. BORING. For me and him. But seeing ds9 and his reading is sure confirmation that it's the right thing. And hubby knows it, too. :heart:
That's wonderful! And it must make your son feel so proud, too! I hope it helps him enjoy reading even more
Dalynn the ore you make a big deal about whatever the older one is reading and give him attention for memorizing the more the littler one will try to please you in the same way... especially if you make a "reading club" time and discuss books you both read. Dd and I did this informally we started reading the same books as the older one was reading, my youngest started wanting to read more because he wanted to be in on the fun too!
