Here We Go!

Over a year after she had initially said she wanted to learn to read that spark of interest turned into a glowing lightbulb. The clue came with my youngest when she’d gently put her finger on my lips when I wanted to help her sound out a word as I had done in the past. SHE wanted to sound it out without help. After this happened several times, I told her I would no longer help her with a sound or a word unless she asked for help. Off she went on the challenge of reading a host of words and as she ran into something new, she’d attempt the word and immediately look up to me to see my reaction. My smile and words of encouragement kept her reading more and more as her excitement grew with each new word.

The glowing lightbulb then turned into a bonfire. Not only does she love reading words, but she also loves writing words. She fills notebook pages with random words she can read or types them on the old typewriter or scratches them onto our big chalkboard. Words fill all the corners of her life as she sounds out whatever she sees or asks one of us if you spell a certain word a certain way as she figures out the rhyme and reason of our English language. Of course, sometimes the greatest challenge for the rest of us is explaining all those words that don’t have a rhyme or reason as to why they are spelled or sounded out certain ways.

The bonfire took the next leap into a wildfire of adventure as library visits now mean sitting on the floor, pulling a book off the shelf, and reading. One book after another fills her hands. The words have became more than just words as sentences are flowing and comprehension is developing beyond looking at the pictures.

As we’ve reached this milestone I could float through the house with a song on my lips for days! It is soooo wonderful! All nine of my children are readers and with this gift they can learn about anything and everything for the rest of the their lives. In fact, I almost feel like I could retire now as my main mission has been accomplished.

But wait a minute. My balloon is about to burst and bring me back to earth as there’s one thing I’ve never quite figured out through the years when it comes to reading and my kids. Although they’ve all been exposed to a variety of literary forms through the years, they all tend to gravitate to their own favorite style or type of reading. Could be mysteries. Could be sci-fi. Could be biographies. Could be classics. Could be non-fiction or fiction. Could be a particular author. Could be a number of things, but it seems that once they find their favorite, it’s hard to get them to read anything else when they get older which sets up a battle when they have required reading to do or need to choose from a particular category for a book report. Having a well rounded reader can be the heart of the matter when looking at their overall education, so what are some of your tips for encouraging children to stretch their reading borders?

Married in 1980 and still living in the same house in a woodsy rural setting, Tammy’s homeschooling journey began in the fall of 1987 when her oldest turned six years old. As rather new believers professing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, homeschooling was a way to live out the principles found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9. Through all the challenges of life Tammy has stayed the course growing to a family with nine children who presently range from preschool age to college graduates married with children. Her role has transitioned from learning everything she could about homeschooling to becoming an encourager to others coming along the way. Please visit Tammy at Garden Glimpses.