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You are here: Home / Blog / The Secret To Your Child Being A Great Reader

The Secret To Your Child Being A Great Reader

May 11, 2020 2 Comments

Reading is one of the first things your child learns as part of a formal education. Some children take to it with very little effort. For others, it becomes a constant struggle complete with frustrating meltdowns. But how can you help your child become a great reader in the most stress-free way possible?

Find out how you can transform your child from Reluctant Reader to Great Reader in the most stress-free way possible. Even you will enjoy it!
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It’s not a secret

Let me start off by apologising. It’s actually not a secret. You already know how to turn your child into a great reader. But something I like to call ‘Milestone Pressure’ has convinced you that you need a super-secret formula to help your kids read.

You don’t.

‘Milestone Pressure’ is the stress we feel to get our kids to do something by a certain time. It starts as soon as they’re born…

  • Can he hold his head up yet?
  • She’s a little small according to this graph…
  • Is he crawling?
  • Can she sleep through the night?
  • He should be able to count to 5 by now…
  • Can she read these sight words?

You get the picture. It’s STRESSFUL. So, let’s throw all that pressure away and remind you of that special secret you’ve forgotten:

If your child enjoys reading, they will grow up to be a great reader.

Shocked? Didn’t think so. You already knew this.

I can hear you screaming at the screen – But how do I get my child to enjoy reading??

Don’t worry. I got you.

Throw the rulebook away

That’s right. All the sight words, the flash cards, the regimented scripts guiding your child through phonic sounds – all of it!

Nothing sucks the fun out of something more than a bunch of rules. Let me tell you, if your child loves to read, they will naturally want to improve. You don’t need to force it on them.

Some kids enjoy all the reading resources, and that’s great! But let THEM ask YOU to help them.

I stopped pushing my daughter through the Read Write Inc programme (which she claimed was ‘super boring’ and threw herself on the floor everytime I got her stuff out) and we did our own thing. Turns out she LOVED the Kit and Sam characters from the Twinkl Phonics programme.

Now, she brings her reading folder to me and asks, “Can we do more reading and writing?”

It’s the magic words every parent wants to hear!

So, throw everything you currently push your child to do in a box. Keep out ONLY the things they enjoy and do something reading-related AND enjoyable every day.

I give it one week before your child starts enjoying reading again.

Find out how you can transform your child from Reluctant Reader to Great Reader in the most stress-free way possible. Even you will enjoy it!

Process vs results

The key to helping your child become a great reader is to focus on the fun you have learning. Don’t think about the results. When we constantly chase results, they won’t come. Get it out of your head that if your child doesn’t blend words in the next few weeks, then she’ll never read. She will read. She’ll get there if you don’t push it. “The watched pot never boils” and all that.

Focus on the process of learning to read. Make it fun, enjoyable, and memorable.

Get started

Now, you know best what is fun for your child, but here are some ideas to get you started!

  • Turn reading time into a tea party! Get out snacks, drinks, even a little picnic and have all your reading materials on the floor. Pick up whichever resource your child wants to use at the time.
  • Speaking of picnics, take your reading outside! Go to the park (once the Covid Craziness calms down, of course) or just sit in your garden and enjoy the breeze while you read.
  • If your child is just learning their letters and sounds, playdough mats are great for active little learners.
  • Have a DEAR day! Don’t know what I’m talking about? Check out this amazing post by Reading Reimagined.
  • Let your child lead. Let them pick up whichever resource they want to use at that moment – it’s all learning, and your child will be more inclined to join in when they feel like they’ve chosen it.
  • Sticking with your child’s choices, if they say they want to try reading a book, but you think it’s too hard for them, DON’T TELL THEM THAT. Let your child have a go at reading anything they desire. Never say no. Offer help if they need it, encourage them when they find it hard, but let them try.
  • Find activities associated with the book you’re reading. Whether that’s colouring pages, maths problems with the characters, or even coming up with your own.
  • Have a reading challenge! Check out the Our Daily Wonders Reading Challenge for Reluctant Readers.

Share the fun!

Let’s help each other out! Drop your ideas in the comments. How do you make learning to read super fun for your child?

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Comments

  1. Anisah says

    May 29, 2020 at 9:16 pm

    I loved this. It’s brilliant. To have a pile of books, cards, magazines or whatever reading material you have in the middle and have snack time around all that is just brilliant.

    Reply
    • OurDailyWonders says

      May 29, 2020 at 9:27 pm

      Thank you! My kids LOVE IT when we combine snack time and reading time 😀

      Reply

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Home Education: For Beginners
More content for #intactimmunesystem . 🍋 Freshl More content for #intactimmunesystem
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Whilst we do some major tweaking to Layla’s lear Whilst we do some major tweaking to Layla’s learning over the next few weeks, we’re making use of @khanacademykids and I’m so impressed. The quality is great, the activities engaging, and Layla is FINALLY having fun doing something related to learning.
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So, my kids have been learning virtually since their school closed in March because of The Virus That Shall Not Be Named.

Over this time, we’ve had our easy days and our extremely difficult days. We’ve learnt some things that make #VirtualLearning easier and things that make it a lot harder.

Here’s my first tip:

PROPS ARE YOUR FRIEND!

Does your child have a particular toy that comforts them?

Here Layla is holding her toy kitten close as she follows along with her music lesson.

It gave her hands something to do when she joined in the lesson helping her to focus and concentrate more. 

When it was time to put it aside and work, she had something to comfort her. She has found online learning pretty stressful, and having her kitten close by cheered her up and kept a smile on her face.

QOTD: Are you distance learning or virtual learning with a school?

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Now, whilst we all fight for organisation, it’s a process. And it won’t be perfect all of the time.

The photo above shows my desk AFTER I spent half an hour cleaning it. Swipe to see how it’s looked all week!

But when my desk is tidy, I feel calmer. I feel organised even if the rest of my house looks like a tornado hit!

All I have to do is tidy my desk and I feel less overwhelmed. But if I don’t get round to tidying it, that’s ok.

Motherhood is a constant battle against clutter. No matter how many Marie Kondo clean-outs we attempt! So we have to find that eye of the storm. That small area we can organise in a small amount of time but will help us feel mentally calm and ready to face the rest of the mess!

How is the Clutter War going in your house? Share your war stories in the comments!

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Education isn’t something that happens to you. Education should be an active pursuit.

But for children to become active learners, they have to ENJOY learning.

And for that to happen, children must have positive learning experiences. When we put pressure on children, they become resistant. When we overwhelm children, they become resistant. 

When children resist learning, it becomes a negative learning experience.

This is my biggest fight at the moment. #VirtualLearning has become a negative learning experience for 1 out of 3 of my children. She is very young, and the virtual setup just isn’t appropriate. 

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I’ve decided to start reading aloud again with the children. We have become engulfed by #VirtualLearning these days and we’re EXHAUSTED.

It’s draining the children and myself.

Some tea, biscuits, paints and a read aloud is just what we need!

Have you guys read Little Women? It’s actually one I’ve never read before so I’m looking forward to it 🥰

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Even now, he looks at it with pride and declares: “I took that photo.”

Being the home educator that I am, I immediately wanted to nurture this skill and encourage him to explore his interest.

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Maybe he will pick up a camera again and play. And when he does, I’ll do my best to play it cool 😂

QOTD: What skills do your children take an interest in? Do you get involved and encourage them or just back away and let them explore?

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Which planner(s) do you like to use? 😘

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Should children be left to spell phonetically and learn the correct spelling later on, or should they be given the correct spelling from the very beginning?

Would love to hear your thoughts! Let me know in the comments. How do you tackle spelling?

#homeeducation #homeschoolfamily #littlelearners #learnandplay #teachermum #playbasedlearning #unschooling #learningathome #homeeducator #earlylearning #homeeducationuk #homeed #childledlearning #iteachtoo #homeschoollookslikethis #enchantededucation #homeschoolinspiration #thisishomeschool #homeschooluk #muslimhomeschool #islamichomeschool #muslimhomeschoolers #whathomeschoolinglookslike #homeschooladvice #happyhomeschoolmama #happyhomeschool
Reading Time: Were They Real? By Scoular Anderson Reading Time: Were They Real? By Scoular Anderson

We had fun with this one! My kids have heard of most of the characters in this book and had a lot of fun figuring out who was actually real and who was just a story.

They also decided they wanted to learn more about the people who were real such as Cleopatra and Blackbeard.

#ChildLed learning for the win!

What did you guys read today? Let me know in the comments!

#homeeducation #homeschoolfamily #littlelearners #learnandplay #teachermum #playbasedlearning #unschooling #learningathome #homeeducator #earlylearning #homeeducationuk #homeed #childledlearning #iteachtoo #homeschoollookslikethis #enchantededucation #homeschoolinspiration #thisishomeschool #homeschooluk #muslimhomeschool #islamichomeschool #muslimhomeschoolers #whathomeschoolinglookslike #homeschooladvice #happyhomeschoolmama #happyhomeschool
“Mummy, please can you sit and play with me?” “Mummy, please can you sit and play with me?”

How long before she doesn’t ask me that anymore?

Layla has been through a tough time, so when she asked me to play with her instead of doing her schoolwork for #DistanceLearning, I said: YES!

So we missed her deadline. And I don’t care. Things have been pretty stressful and overwhelming lately, so these moments just playing Polly Pocket with my daughter we’re truly priceless.

We laughed, we played, we built things, we told stories, we told jokes. And not a worksheet in sight.

Because, before I know. She won’t ask me to play anymore.

#themagicofchildhood #parenting #childhoodunplugged #conciousparenting #parenting101 #motherhood #parentinghacks #fatherhood #parentinglife #parentingwin #motherhoodunplugged #lifeasamamma #familylife #familylifestyle #familyhood #raisingtinyhumans #lifewithlittles #kidswillbekids #familygoals
When do you find time to read? As a homeschooler, When do you find time to read? As a homeschooler, we read A LOT. But we don’t necessarily read for US. 

Here I am squeezing in a page or two whilst my youngest practiced her writing and copywork.

At first, I felt guilty. I should be completely focused on her, right? Helping her fix mistakes and offer encouragement.

But then I realised how beneficial it is for her to see me enjoying reading so much that I squeeze it in whenever I can.

It was beneficial for her to have some space to figure out her writing by herself without me hovering around her.

Because, yes, I have been doing that lately. Without realising it, I’d micro-managed Layla during her learning to such an extent she is constantly glancing at me for reassurance.

Taking a step back and simply opening my book did both of us a world of good!

Tell me I’m not the only one who struggles with this! Drop your tips below: how do you know when to step back and when to step in?

#homeeducation #homeschoolfamily #littlelearners #learnandplay #teachermum #playbasedlearning #unschooling #learningathome #homeeducator #earlylearning #homeeducationuk #homeed #childledlearning #iteachtoo #homeschoollookslikethis #enchantededucation #homeschoolinspiration #thisishomeschool #homeschooluk #muslimhomeschool #islamichomeschool #muslimhomeschoolers #whathomeschoolinglookslike #homeschooladvice #happyhomeschoolmama #happyhomeschool
We planted 3 watermelon seeds at exactly the same We planted 3 watermelon seeds at exactly the same time, with exactly the same soil in each and watered them each with equal amounts of water. We then placed them all in the same spot in our garden.

1 sprouted first. Followed by a second 2 whole days later. We’re still waiting for the third.

Can you see a metaphor here?

Children can receive the same lessons, from the same teacher, in the same environment. But they process, absorb and apply and completely different times. And that’s NORMAL.

It can be frustrating as a parent, especially if we’re receiving external pressures for our children not to “fall behind” (HATE that phrase!).

But remove that pressure from yourself and from your children.

Your little seedlings will sprout when they’re ready and not a moment before.

How do you handle external pressures? Whether you’re a homeschooler or a school parent. We all feel the pressure! How do you deal with it?

#homeeducation #homeschoolfamily #littlelearners #learnandplay #teachermum #playbasedlearning #unschooling #learningathome #homeeducator #earlylearning #homeeducationuk #homeed #childledlearning #iteachtoo #homeschoollookslikethis #enchantededucation #homeschoolinspiration #thisishomeschool #homeschooluk #muslimhomeschool #islamichomeschool #muslimhomeschoolers #whathomeschoolinglookslike #homeschooladvice #happyhomeschoolmama #happyhomeschool
What mission will you set yourself this week? . Af What mission will you set yourself this week?
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After a conversation with a couple of beautiful souls, we set each other “missions” for the week. My mission was to not let home education eclipse my personal goals and passions. So, I was told to try working on my novel whilst my kids did their live lessons. I didn’t hover, I didn’t micromanage, I didn’t analyse or try to improve anything. I sat back and worked on my novel whilst they were occupied!
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I was shocked how unnatural it felt to be focusing on something personal. I have my separate business I’ve been working on, and because I love my work so much, I thought that was enough.
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It wasn’t.
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I felt a spark reignite as I opened my notes and got to work on my book.
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Forever grateful to the beautiful souls who helped me with this realisation!
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#mamaselfcare #selfcare #selflove #selfcarehacks #hobbies #myhobbies #goodattitude #trustyourself #mummytimeout #treat #burnout #mamablogger #mummybloggers #homeeducationlookslikethis
I have 3 wonderful children, all praise be to God. I have 3 wonderful children, all praise be to God. But often I get caught up in looking after “the children”, educating “the children” and spending time with “the children”.
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It’s easy to forget that they are 3 separate, individual people with their own wants, needs and interests.
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So, lately I’ve started playing games one-on-one with each of my children.
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Layla and I play UNO, Umar and I play Monopoly Deal, and Khalid and I play Sequence.
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It’s become a wonderful time to bond, relax and have fun with each child on an individual level.
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What games do you like playing with your kids? Drop your suggestions below!
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#themagicofchildhood #parenting #childhoodunplugged #conciousparenting #parenting101 #motherhood #parentinghacks #fatherhood #parentinglife #parentingwin #motherhoodunplugged #lifeasamamma #familylife #familylifestyle #familyhood #raisingtinyhumans #lifewithlittles #kidswillbekids #familygoals
There is something I say a lot on my blog: I am mo There is something I say a lot on my blog: I am more than a homeschooler.
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Sometimes, home education can become so consuming that we find parts of ourselves slipping away.
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I felt that this week.
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I’m also a writer. I am a writer who craves getting lost in a world of my own making, bringing characters to life on the page in front of me.
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My sanity comes from pouring out my soul into a journal so I can finally breathe. 
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Earlier this week, I realised I’d neglected my inner writer as I had, yet again, allowed home education to engulf my every waking moment. 
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So, I picked up my journal again. And now, I’m breathing 😊💕
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Who are you when you’re not a mother or homeschooler? What hobbies or interests do you have outside your children? 
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#homeeducation #homeschoolfamily #littlelearners #learnandplay #teachermum #playbasedlearning #unschooling #learningathome #homeeducator #earlylearning #homeeducationuk #homeed #childledlearning #iteachtoo #homeschoollookslikethis #enchantededucation #homeschoolinspiration #thisishomeschool #homeschooluk #muslimhomeschool #islamichomeschool #muslimhomeschoolers #whathomeschoolinglookslike #homeschooladvice #happyhomeschoolmama #happyhomeschool
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