A prescription for her restlessness and boredom.
A key to becoming a knower of all knowledge.
A magical device to transform the gibberish that surrounds her into useful language.
A ticket to travel anywhere in the world and meet anyone who’s ever lived in reality or recorded imagination.
Pure joy.
I feel quite certain that learning to read is the most incredible thing that’s ever happened to Laylee and I can’t believe I’m lucky enough to be a part of it.
I still remember the first time my parents learned I could read. We had gone to the library and gotten several books ( i was a voracious reader, even before I could actually read) one of them on butterflies. I asked my mother to read it to me, but she was busy making dinner and I said OK I’ll read it myself. and i proceeded to read it to her. She was shocked (I was young) but it all made sense to her.
I also remember my first chapter book. My dad took me to get a book at books on the square, a store that was a little pricey for us at the time, and I picked out little house in the big woods. When i finished reading it he wrote a note in the front telling me how proud he was of me finishing the 200+ page book and relating the story in the cover. I still have that book. There is nothing, NOTHING, that takes you away like reading. Congrats Laylee!
Such lovely thoughts! My 5-year-old is learning to read and I’m so excited for her. I spent many an afternoon curled up with a book when I was little.
What an exciting new venture for Laylee. Yea!
Oh! Magic Tree House will probably always be close at hand for her and her bad reading self!
(Try to keep The Great Good Thing in mind for when she’s older. THAT is a great imagination story for kids!)
Enjoy the ride, Laylee AND Mom!
This is why I LOVED teaching kindergarten and 1st grade the most.
There is a moment when each child just “gets it”. The look on their faces during those moments were priceless to me.
When a child becomes “a reader” the world is a magical and boundless place. I am so happy for Laylee and for you. Some mothering moments will fill our hearts forever.
(Remember when I found out that you could read?)
Yay for Laylee! I remember how exciting it was to to have a whole new world open up to me through reading. Being the fifth of five kids, though, my parents’ excitement at hearing Dick and Jane’s adventures had pretty well been exhausted. I didn’t let the dampen my enthusiasim, though, and joined the summer reading programs at our local library. And read to a much more appreciative audience–myself.
Oh, that’s funny–your filter removed the name of Jane’s brother!
I know how wonderful it felt to be there when all of my kids read their first words and now I have trained them into voracious little bookworms just like me…how do I know, they keep books in the bathroom.
Wonderful point in the learning process, and it opens a whole set of doors now!
It is magical, isn’t it? Hearing them sound out the letters and suddenly realize it makes a word!
The next best thing is that of—reading to the siblings. WOOHOO. Freedom, sweet freedom.
I agree! Hearing my daughter read is like music. I can’t wait to get the next kid going!
Oh, Hip Hip Hooray! That IS good news! WoW. Fun. JOY is a good word too!
Reading is the best thing ever- welcome to a wonderful new world, Laylee!!!
Augghhh! I just posted about this and hopefully that same joy is in our not to distant future!
Ooh, a new reader! Now her world will multiply. Reading is what gave my childhood color, what saved me when I needed saving. Hurrah! I hope you are not opposed to memes, Kathryn, dear. Damomma tagged me for my first ever, and now I am tagging you.
http://grovergirl.typepad.com/berlinorbust/2008/01/im-official-or.html
It’s soooo much fun when you watch the reading light click on!!! I could sit all day and listen to my grandkids read!
How wonderful and exciting! Now she can do absolutely anything!!!!!!!!!!!! I was/am a reading teacher, and teaching a child how to read is the closest thing to a miracle that I will ever perform (other than my three children!)!
It’s an amazing thing to witness. Yeah for Laylee!
I’m sure that it will be endlessly helpful to her that you are a writer and a reader, so she knows how valuable a skill it can be. And I’m sure she sees books everywhere around your house.
Teaching my kids to read has maybe been the greatest experience of my life. I have an almost three year old who is just starting to learn letters. I love it! And I love having an 8 and 10 year old who read several hours a day. I wish I had time to do as much reading as they do.
I have been having a crisis… My youngest son can read, but says he DOESN’T LIKE TO! He likes to be read to, though, so I changed up our bedtime/homework routine, and now read to HIM ONLY, whatever he wants, while his brothers are elsewhere. I hope this “turns on the light” for him… I think that before, what I was reading at bedtime was too old for him? He likes the Enid Blyton “faraway tree” stories, which make his brothers roll their eyes! I am so happy for Laylee, her universe is so much bigger now!
How exciting! Congratulations, Laylee!
Congrats to all the Darings. I think reading is a family affair. I learned to read so young that I can’t remember how I learned or what it was like to not be able to read. I worry that this will leave me lacking when it comes time to help my kids. For now I have to remember to model more than reading on a screen!