Reading and Effort

My 5 year old daughter has been trying to get better at reading. I don’t remember reading in kindergarten when I was her age, but apparently expectations at the school she goes to are very different. Most of the kids were reading already and their class practiced reading every day. I was trying to help her learn to read a more difficult book a few weeks ago so she can feel more confident at school.

Although the book was more complicated, I knew my daughter could do it. I was trying to get her to just sound out the letters in each word and by the second page, she just gave up. Sometimes she gets in her own head and when she thinks something is hard, it’s too hard for her to continue trying. We’ve had multiple talks in the past about how effort and trying your best are the only things that matter. If we didn’t try our best, we need to have a good attitude and keep going.

She stonewalled me. She did not want to continue even though I was covering up all the other words and also helping to try and sound the words out if she was pausing and struggling. Maybe it was too early in the day or she didn’t get enough sleep. Whatever it was, the reading session wasn’t going to happen. I apologized to her for pushing her to read a more complex book and my wife suggested that she take over the reading lessons for the next few days.

Sure enough, my daughter really accelerated her progress and even read the more complex book I was trying to get her to read. I credit my wife for being a very patient and capable teacher. She is so much better at figuring out how to teach them certain concepts at this young age and I think it’s also because when times get tough, my kids want their Mommy. I’m ok with that and second place to a super star isn’t too bad. Il glad we changed things up as well since when things don’t work, we try to shake it up. As long as my kids are happy and learning, that’s all I could ask for.