Did I push too hard?

[SunshineMom]

My now newly aged 5yr DD is bright. She started reading simple three letter words at 3ys. I have provided a phonics based reading program with Rocket Phonics. She is on page 182--1st grade reading. So she can read however she often choses not to read when she is with books on her own or with me outside of our "reading/lesson time." Am I just pushing her too much? She has so many questions, it can drive me a little batty. Her attention to detail and memory recall is remarkable. She asked me the other day, "Who was the first king of England?" The other day she was explaining to another child that dolphins don't bark but use echolocation which she demonstrated underwater. She has completed Singapore 1A, loves science and now is interested in identifying plants that can be used for healing. She is making herbal teas from various plants. She writes little stories on her own (very simple with pictures). She collects things to study with her microscope. Right now we are taking a month off from school. I have not asked her to read anything. Have I been pushing too much?

[JenneinCA]

Probably not.

 

It is more likely that reading is not easy and she doesn't want to do things that require more effort when there are easy things out there. I wouldn't worry about pushing her to read. Just do whatever you do during lesson time and don't worry about the rest.

 

My ds7 was very similar, he didn't read very much until reading got easy for him. Now he reads all the time. Keep doing the lessons and try not to stress.

[summer]

It is very possible she associates reading with work now. She is only 5 yrs old. My son was tested at a 3rd grade reading level with the public schools at 5 yrs old, but I am quite certain he would have grown to hate reading if I pushed it too much. Even now, at 6 yrs old, he reads when he feels like it. I figure he has time. I want him to LOVE reading. I did not push it with his older brother and sometime around close to 8 yrs old, his older brother suddenly took to reading sooo much..I mean...I cannot even tell you how much! He would get in trouble at school (he was in public school) for reading all through all his classes and for reading through lunch and not eating. He would devour a book a day literally. So, I figure I am going to give it until 10 maybe to take off and if he does not by then, then I will start requiring certain reading.

[summer]

I will add though, I do limit TV watching and computer games so my children will be forced to spend more time reading or lay there looking at the ceiling. Going to the library somehow gives a spark to reading too. Just make sure not to push books just because they are at the level she is capable of. It is better to read a book she enjoys than to suffer through one she does not.

[Mommy22alyns]

I don't think so. She's just got other things that are sparking her interest right now. Sometimes Becca chooses to read in free time, but if she's got the choice she frequently goes for imaginative play. That cracks me up about your DD demonstrating echolocation! I bet she and Becca would have a blast together. I know what you mean about the endless questions!

[nmoira]

 

My now newly aged 5yr DD is bright. She started reading simple three letter words at 3ys. I have provided a phonics based reading program with Rocket Phonics. She is on page 182--1st grade reading. So she can read however she often choses not to read when she is with books on her own or with me outside of our "reading/lesson time." Am I just pushing her too much?

Does your daughter balk or otherwise seem unenthusiastic at lessons? What types of books do you have around for her to read? Do you do a lot of reading aloud? [i always suggest erring on the side of more read aloud. :) ] She's young enough I would be inclined to let her explore her interests; IMHO, kids that are "ahead" have the luxury of time to follow their whims.

[SunshineMom]

She reads through quickly our assigned reading (Rocket Phonics) if I ask how fast she can read. She enjoys "school." I read to the girls about 1 1/2 to 2hrs a day and no TV except one movie on Thursday. We visit the library weekly, checking out about 50-60 books. She often will write a list of subjects of books she would like to check out--her thrill is to go with the librarian to the adult section to find her books. She often will grab one of my books and "read" however she is not really reading. She takes stacks of books to bed to read---anything from first reader books to chapter books. We have books everywhere! She has the skills ie workbook to read however I do not hear her reading on her own, by herself. I dont see the kid who is so anxious to read everything around her (a little but not a lot). I know she is young but I am perplexed to why she doesnot read more on her own when she has the skills.

[nmoira]

 

She takes stacks of books to bed to read---anything from first reader books to chapter books. We have books everywhere! She has the skills ie workbook to read however I do not hear her reading on her own, by herself.

Readers love books... that's 99% of the battle. :) What is she doing with the books? Are you sure she's not reading silently?

[danielle]

Kids can learn by leaps, not in a straight line. I tried from 3 years old to teach dd to read and she NEVER would. In fact, it is a significant "hallmark" of giftedness to read early, but she was totally uninterested. I've since concluded that there was no reason, as mom was always available and could read faster. Faster was the key--in first grade I began reading her Harry Potter. She got frustrated with the speed and my availability, grabbed the book and off she went--finishing the 4 that were then available in quick order. That's how I discovered she could read (we weren't homeschooling then). I was flabbergasted--and she has no memory of how she learned.

 

Point being--when there's something they desparately want to read, I believe they will, whenever that occurs. We have stacks everywhere, and over the years it's really surprised me what she's chosen to pick up. Reading isn't the only way kids get important information, but a dc who loves information will eventually come 'round to reading. It's a way to get more, faster

Danielle

[EKS]

I would guess that reading *interesting* things is not easy. There could be a lot of reasons for this. I just know what happened with my younger boy. He needed to be able to easily read at about the 3rd grade level for it to be interesting.

 

My 6yo read his first word when he was 2. He then progressed steadily until he was 3 where he leveled off at early 2nd grade level... for something like 18 months! We discovered he needed vision therapy and he just completed a year of it. During that year he went from a 2nd to a 5th grade reading level and also (and more importantly, IMO) went from not reading for pleasure to reading for pleasure for 1-2 hours daily.

 

So if she seems like she should be reading better or more but something is holding her back, it just might be the case.

[Academy of Jedi Arts]

First off, when you say your daughter is looking at books but not "really reading" - you really don't know how much she may be picking up from it. This is the way my daughter taught herself to read. I thought she was just capable of children's books at the time, but when she finally opened up and showed what she could do, we were amazed.

 

My dd just turned 7. She could read anything in the house at 5, but has never been a voracious reader. She likes to read, but she likes doing all kinds of other things too. Most of her for pleasure reading occurs at bedtime, and this is the way it's been since she was a toddler.

 

Remember too that for little kids, reading is more than just books- learning to read instructions, road signs, product packages, operating the computer, all the things we adults take for granted is exciting for these brand new readers. The lessons your dd is getting in Rocket Phonics is helping her with all kinds of reading. Considering the fact she is flying through the lessons, you aren't pushing. I wouldn't be afraid to go as far and fast as she wants.

[AnneC]

3 months ago my 5yo tested at a grade 3 reading level but she wouldn't read either. Then something in her head went "click" and now she is reading at a grade 6/7 level. She wasn't interested in reading chapter books or anything like that and now she is devouring them. She has progressed a lot more slowly than her younger brother even though she learned to read at a much younger age. IMO, as long as there are no physical reasons for her not to read, she will read when she wants if she has the skills. It's the old saying, "you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink."

 

FWIW my son can read anything at 4 but he doesn't want to, and he still reads aloud while his sister reads silently. Another difference is my dd understands what she reads while my son doesn't necessarily understand what he reads.

 

My other 4yo doesn't have many reading skills at all but he will often surprise me by reading a word that I wouldn't think he can read.

[nitascool]

My 6yo at age 5 was reading at a 3rd grade level. While he could read any "word" I put in front of him he didn't like reading and often told us that he didn't know how to read. He was still using his finger and a book mark also.

 

At the end of June we found out that he has Dev. Delays and will need Vision Therapy to get any farther then he is now. The Optometrist suggested working on lists of words only (not chapter books) until he begins treatment.

 

I don't know if that's what's going on with your dd or not but if she doesn't begin reading for pleasure in a year or two it might be worth the $70 evaluation.

[Jen in PA]

My dd is the same age, and we went through a phase recently where she seemed very bored by the material she was able to read independently and very frustrated by the material she wanted to read. I was able to request books at (or just beyond) her reading level across a range of subjects from various local libraries and have them all sent to the branch we usually use. One thing that really motivated her was having nonfiction at her level. I also think that your dd might be getting quite a bit out of reading silently. She may not get every word, but she's learning valuable skills in having to use context clues, which will really aid her down the road.

[Harmony]

I would make sure you have a bunch of books that are really easy for your child.

 

My dd was reading at that age and she doesn't enjoy struggling through a book on her own. Although she could read most chapter books she chooses not to. Reading below her "level" is developing fluency and helping her enjoy reading on her own. That is the most important thing to me. She loves books and always has some with her. Little sister who asks to be read to is also a great sneaky way of getting her to practice.

 

Let her just enjoy looking at the books and before you know it, she will be reading them to herself. I save the books that challenge her for formal reading time but make sure they are interesting to her and buddy read much of the time.

 

 

I do agree with this. My girl, age 5, read 3 Harry Potter books before she turned 5. She can read SOTW 3 perfectly well. Nowadays she is reading a lot of Berenstein Bear book series and other easy to read books.

I let her enjoy them. At the same time, I spontaneously sit down with her and tell her that I would love to read a new book to her....when I see her getting interested in it, then I smoothly ask her to take turns with me in reading. (this method has been always working)...and that usually leads her to finish the book on her own.

 

Another thing I also do is to show that I try to get answers from the books whenever she asks me about all kinds of questions by stating "Oh..that is an excellent question..I wonder if we can find the answer from the book. Let's go to the library and look for the book"

This method has been always working too.

 

As long as your girl has inquisitive mind, she will get back to books when she needs to.

 

Harmony

[StephanieZ]

whether you push too much or not . . . only you and your dd can know! FWIW, I don't think it's unusual for a 5 yo not to choose to read on their own very much. . . my dc have all read well by 5yo but they're all active children. It seems more around 6-7 that they choose to read for long periods of time on their own initiative. At 5, they are more interested in doing and in interacting with people. Reading by yourself can be lonely for a little person! I think the key to maintaining joy in reading is to continue to read aloud to her a lot, interesting stuff. If you keep modeling that, she'll enjoy reading on her own eventually. Meanwhile, just be sure she reads a little to you each day and that you read a lot to her!

 

Also, be sure the reading materials you choose for her to read are enjoyable for her. I like to let the kids pick out their own reading materials on as many days as possible. Keep well supplied in appropriate leveled readers and give her as much freedom to choose as possible.

 

(I agree about limiting TV/video/computers!)