The boy is a typical little boy. In some ways this is great as I get to relive the parts of my childhood I remember fondly- the Lego, the comics, the superheroes and so on- but in other ways it’s a bit frustrating. Like with the reading. He wants to read, we’ve promised/bribed him with offers of rewards when he can as well but like a lot of things, he wants to be brilliant at it right away and the frustration of having to take it slowly often gets to him.
He can understand complex stories, and often invents very complicated role plays when he’s dressed up as a superhero. He understands, for example, the concept of a double cross, whilst not really knowing the phrase.
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| Thank you Oxford Reading Tree |
So when it comes to learning to read, a book that has a bright illustration of a a snow man and the words, “This is a snowman. See the brightly dressed snowman.” is the right level in terms of language recognition for him, but frustratingly simple for him in terms of story and comprehension.
Last night however the boy read his first book to us all on his own! He recognised some of the words and sounded out the others. Haltingly, and over about ten minutes, he read the whole book to us! I can’t say how proud I am of him. It’s a milestone in his development and I’m excited to think where it will lead. Soon enough he’ll be reading the DK Super Hero Readers wifey picked up for him at a charity shop a while ago. It’s going to open a whole new world to him.
I don’t care that some of his classmates have been reading for a while and are well in front of him because all kids develop at their own rate and in his little life, this is a big big thing. he’s not 5 until next week but to be able to read a book to us at such a young age is brilliant. I’m bursting with pride!