Reading is the Foundation of Learning!

I can remember my oldest son struggling with reading when he was in first grade. I can remembering purchasing all kinds of materials and gadgets in hopes that something would help my little boy grasp reading. There were many days that we both cried, I was lost and needed help. One day a teacher suggested I have his eyes checked. My son needed glasses and his eye sight was pretty bad, which explained his reading problem.

Reading is the foundation of learning and if your child is struggling with reading then he/she needs help. I can go through the statistics and tell you how vital it is for students entering formal education be able to read. If you have a struggling reader you must advocate for your child and step in to help. Even if you are not the best reader yourself.

Here are just a few signs to look for when evaluating if your child has reading difficulties:

• Manipulating sounds in words
• Rhyming words
• Recognizing words with the same sound
• Letter to sound recognition
• Can't remember words even after repeated opportunities
• Guesses at words rather than sounding them out
• Repeated ear infections
• Speech delays
• Poor eye sight
• Late talkers

If your child is struggling in any of these areas then I suggest seeking help with their teacher and counselor. Sometimes getting a private tutor can help. But something should be done to help get them on track. There are many strategies available, but if the problem is ignored then they will always have problems academically.

I know that it can be difficult when you see your child attempting to read, especially when they get frustrated. However, ignoring the problem will not make it go away. As parents we have a responsibility to get them the help they need. My oldest son struggled for a few years because of his reading problems but once we finally recognized the problem he was able to get on track. He is now a college graduate and doing well.

Don't leave your kids to fend for themselves, help them become better readers!