When Will My Child Read?

 Who doesn’t want their child to experience the feeling of curling up with a favorite book, or being able to write a note, read instructions or a story to a younger sibling? These are things we all want for our children. But how do we make sure they are staying on track with learning how to read?

From speaking their first sentence, your child is on their way to reading. Language development starts at a very young age when children learn their native tongue and have an exponentially expanding vocabulary. Then they soon notice that these words, particularly their name, are made up of characters that eventually we discover have their own sounds. Children, for the most part, make all of these discoveries on their own.

Often, we find children move with relative ease into writing their name, their family names and lists of favorite things. Often sounded out phonetically and not always spelled correctly, they will spend a great deal of time in this phase. The leap to reading from a book can happen quickly or take more time.

Moving from writing their own words to reading what someone else has written is a giant leap. They must first sound out, then put the words together into a sentence and finally, understand and absorb what the author is trying to say.

So what can you do at home to support language development and inspire a love of reading?

Follow the child. In most instances a child will want to write well before they are ready to read. This is them making a connection to the written word as a method of communication. Provide a lot of plain paper, writing pencils, sidewalk chalk, markers, etc. and let them make their lists, practice letters or just scribble.

Start the introduction of letters in a phonetic way. Refer to an “a” with its short sound as in the words “cat,” “mat,” etc. children will spend a lot of time practicing these sounds and writing the letter form. Get some physical letters to practice with so that you can begin to put sounds together to make words.

Label your environment. Make slips of paper that can provide children the opportunity to put a word with an item. Children will do this activity over and over and will begin to notice the initial sound of items around the house.

Most importantly, be patient. Do not push book reading until the child has requested practice in this area. Keep reading to them and make it fun. 

It is very important to always read to your child as long as they are interested. Even if they are 10! The time we share with our children while experiencing all that the literary world has to offer is truly priceless. Enjoy this very special time.

Why We Choose Montessori

 What made us choose Montessori? Edamame. Seriously.

Edamame was my daughter’s favorite snack when she was one year old. Isla happily gobbled up edamame when we were sitting on the kitchen floor together, opening up the pods, and popping them in our mouths. However, on the occasions that I opened the pods for her and had a little bowl of beans ready to eat, she usually didn’t touch them. As someone who studied human behavior, I’m endlessly curious about why people do the things they do. I realized that Isla enjoyed the process of opening the edamame herself, as she took pride in prying the beans out. She worked hard for her snack and enjoyed it more because of that. Without knowing it at the time, this was the beginning of my realization that Montessori was a great fit for our family.
By the time Isla was preschool age, we had our home set up with low shelves minimally stocked with wood blocks, open-ended toys, and art supplies. At three, Isla was an active participant in our household; helping to empty the dishwasher and organizing her shelf with her cup and plate, washing windows, chopping vegetables, picking out her clothes, etc. These actions were by no means chores - we simply invited Isla to partake in what we were doing and she usually decided to join.
Creativity and confidence have blossomed in our daughters (we have three now!) as they accomplish small things inside and outside our home. They know we trust in their abilities and, therefore, trust themselves.
At Center Grove Montessori, our daughters are provided with space to explore who they are as unique individuals. The ever-so-competent guides have created an aesthetically beautiful environment where independence is encouraged, creativity is fostered, respect is mutual, and children thrive.

About the Contributor: Lindsay holds a M.A. in Forensic Psychology and worked in the world of jury research before marrying her Army husband, Daniel. They have three daughters: Isla (6) and Sophie (4) who attend CGM, and Edie (almost 2) who hopes to attend CGM before the Army moves their family elsewhere. Lindsay enjoys plants, traveling, hiking, basket weaving, and bringing creative ideas to life.

What a "YES Day" Means to Us

Hours away from our first flight in two years, Joshua spiked a high fever. The plan was to go to Disney, a trip we had already rescheduled, but now needed to be rescheduled again.

Usually reserved for birthdays and surprise occasions, this unexpected turn of events deserved to have some fun. Joshua’s sick day became a YES Day (You pick Everything for your Special celebration). Sparks of joy hung out with disappointment as Joshua planned out the day’s itinerary and menu. He firmly declared it a pajama and a no-limit screen day. Breakfast was served in bed, a’ la carte with a side of “Nature Cat” on PBS. Our car lunch included a Frosty appetizer, paired with a favorite sandwich from Subway, and enjoyed during a spectacular water display at the local car wash. The afternoon itinerary comprised of playing favorite board games, building with magnetic tiles, and soaking in a hot bubble bath. After a late afternoon nap, this unforgettable day was capped off with a movie rental on big screen and lots of snuggle time.

Likely to be the flu, (PCR test negative for Covid) Joshua is learning how to manage feelings of disappointment and the importance of taking time to let the body heal.

Still running, taking deep breaths, and eating a boatload of chocolate.

About the Contributor: Brittany lives in Bargersville with her Husband, 2 children, and 1 bonus daughter. She values Montessori philosophy and for that reason, her children have been enrolled at CGM for ages 3-6 as well as incorporates the philosophy in her home. She has combined the philosophy along with Positive Parenting techniques to work with her children through various developmental stages.  She was a licensed, mental health provider prior to having children and maintains those credentials while currently dedicating more time to her role as Mom.