I picked up some tips on this as well from my ‘Teaching Reading K-8’ class in college, for which I earned credits toward my credential. But the difference between teaching a random first grader how to read and teaching your own child to read is that somehow in the latter situation, you find a way to transmit your own passion for stories, poetry, imagination, and learning. I don’t know how it happens, but you just do. Maybe because the books you choose for your own child are so personal, so somehow a part of yourself, that it’s impossible for them not to find that in you. Kids are weird like that. And I’m not saying that the random first grader won’t see this in you as well, but … I guess your own child knows you on the inside better, and can call you on your bullsh*t for themselves better; so if you’re not into it, you can’t fake it with your own kid. I hope that makes sense.

My son is autistic and just graduated from preschool last friday. He is four years old and already he can read pages and pages of his books at a time, even with his limited vocabulary. I can’t tell you how amazing it was the first time I realized he could recognize printed words. The trick is to build on what they know. If they know the word “help”, you can teach them “helping”. If they know “can”, soon they will get “candle”. Build and build some more. They can do it. Believe in them.