Domestic Bliss Report

Motherhood is hard work. If we don't stick together, we'll all fall apart.

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Yes, this is bragging.

If you're going to get queasy reading about my beautiful, brilliant little boy, skip this. You've been warned.

He's reading. Seriously. And he's four, not five 'til next year. Episode 1: Last Saturday, he went with me grocery shopping. I was waiting to turn left and I hear from the back seat, quite deliberately, "No turn on red."
I snapped around. "Where do you see that?"
"On that sign. Over there." He pointed. And he was right.
Episode 2:
Yesterday morning, he was looking intently at the box of cereal in front of him. "Fruity," he said slowly.
"What are the letters, son?" I inquired, holding my breath.
"F, R, U, I, tuh, T, Y," he replied. It was the box of Fruity Cheerios he'd selected at the store.
Episode 3:
This morning, I was getting my morning cup of cheer and he was standing nearby. "Cocoa Pebbles," he said in a getting-familiar tone. Again, I asked the letters. Again, he told me correctly. [note: Daddy brought those home when he got milk yesterday.]

I think we'll be getting his library card as soon as he can clearly write his name, and Santa will be bringing a backpack for him to carry those books. If he can wait another six weeks or so!

While that's really cool, it's his math that is blowing it all away. He's three-quarters done with the MCP Kindergarten math book and loving it. We've started addition, which I think is Chapter 9. He'll do five or more pages a day (yesterday he finished eight). We've already ordered the first grade book, and he's tickled at the prospect of being in the same book as his big sister. She's okay with it since she's quite a bit further, as in 200 pages ahead of him.
Him? I see that flying the space shuttle idea as a reasonable aspiration.

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6 Comments:

At 5:50 PM, Blogger Kristina said...

Yay! So, I guess he's a "natural" phonics reader. That's so great. Good for you, one less thing to worry about!

 
At 6:48 PM, Blogger momwithbrownies said...

Please tell me that The Letter Factory DVD had a part in this. I am so in love with that DVD. It helped teach all of my kids to read so far.

Of course, "helped" being the operative word. There is NO substitute for mom's love, teaching and guidance. :-)

 
At 8:23 PM, Blogger Heather said...

Yes, Shelly, it helped. Rachel too is telling me sounds from it.

I'll admit I was reluctant because *I* wanted to teach my kids to read! Then I realized a few things.
1. I'm the one operating the DVD player and choosing what's in it.
2. Why reinvent the wheel? If I feel that way about this DVD, am I going to write my own phonics book too?

So, thank you. :)

 
At 7:03 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Any recommendations on some beginning reading books? My son has been doing the same "Teach Your Child to Read..." yellow book that you mentioned using, but we're almost through it and I don't know what to start him on next. Thanks.

 
At 11:44 AM, Blogger Heather said...

Sarah--If you're almost done with 100 Easy Lessons, I think that puts your son at about a second-grade level.
I like those Step Into Reading books, myself. They're only about $4, so you can get several in his interest. He'll probably read them over and over.
Pickles the Fire Cat is another I had, and now we have. Tonka has some available through Scholastic--If I Could Drive a (insert vehicle here).

If he's ready for chapters, you might try The Magic Tree House books. We got the first 28 (no joke) through a bookorder at Madeleine's preschool.

Does that help?

 
At 6:26 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yes, that helps. Thanks.

 

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