Your daughter scrolls through your phone and sees a video of a four-year-old reading chapter books. Your son hears you talking to another parent whose kindergartener is “already on level K.” A family friend posts their child’s straight-A report card on Facebook. Suddenly, your perfectly progressing reader feels like a failure. Social media has fundamentally […]
You sit down for reading practice with your child. They start sounding out a word. Before they finish, you tell them what it says. They hesitate on a sentence, and you immediately jump in to help. They look confused, and you explain before they even ask. You’re trying to prevent frustration, save time, and keep […]
Your child won’t sit still for five minutes of reading practice, but they’ll spend an hour lining up toy trucks and making engine noises. They can’t remember sight words, but they know the difference between a dump truck, a cement mixer, and an excavator. They resist every book you offer, except that one about trains […]
Your first grader announces that Emma is on “level M” while she’s still on “level G.” Your kindergartener refuses to practice letter sounds because his older sister was already reading chapter books at his age. The teacher posts a reading chart, and your son has the fewest stars. Welcome to one of the most painful […]
You hand your child a beautiful picture book, and they push it away. You offer a chapter book that matches their reading level perfectly, and they say, “No thanks.” But mention an ebook on the tablet or a story on their device? Suddenly, they’re interested. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Millions of parents […]
Your child, who usually resists reading practice, suddenly can’t put down a book. The secret? Dinosaurs. Those magnificent prehistoric creatures have a special power to turn reluctant readers into eager learners. But here’s what most parents don’t realize: not all dinosaur books are created equal when it comes to building actual reading skills. The magic […]
Your five-year-old insists they can’t read yet. Then you catch them “reading” their Spider-Man action figure packaging for the third time, narrating an entire adventure complete with sound effects. Your second grader claims books are boring, but they’ve memorized every detail about the Avengers from movie posters and cereal boxes. This could be a super […]
Your preschooler belts out “Let It Go” perfectly, but insists they can’t read their name. Your kindergartener knows every character in Encanto but freezes when faced with a simple sentence. Sound familiar? Here’s a secret weapon hiding in plain sight: the characters your child already adores can become their reading teachers. Disney books aren’t just […]
Movie and TV tie-in books aren’t inferior reading materials or shortcuts that undermine literacy development. They’re legitimate tools that parents can use strategically to build reading skills. The key isn’t whether to use them. It’s how to use them well. Why Screen Characters Belong in Reading Development Beginning readers face an enormous cognitive challenge. They […]
Your child, who refuses to sit still during storytime, suddenly becomes captivated when they hear that their favorite actor is reading a book online. Or your reluctant reader perks up at the mention that a YouTube star they follow has a reading channel. This is the power of celebrity and influencer reading initiatives. They use […]
