What is the best thing about being a mom for you? Is it the ones where you teach your child something new and be thrilled when they catch on, the ones where you learn something from them – something new or something you had forgotten now that you were grown up, or well, just one of those many endless mommy moments (no matter the age of your child)?

For me

a decade ago (when I first wrote this!), it was the

• cute wave and the loudly whispered ‘I love you’ my daughter sent out to me from across the room midway through her swimming lesson as I watched her
• delighted smile my son sent my way when I dropped in at his class during art docent classes
• eagerness they showed in cleaning their room when they are out to impress and help me.

today, it is the

• time my 14-yo (she is definitely turning out to be a wonderful cook and baker) and I spend in the kitchen together – whether it is for a regular meal during the week, or some special festive treat
• discussions my almost 18-yo son and I have about a book one of us (or sometimes both) is reading; or the movies just the two of us enjoy watching together
• eagerness they show in … (well, not that last one always, though I have to admit my older does manage to keep his room clean)

It is a special privilege only I have, being their mom. And I love putting those smiles on their faces, whether it is by making special treats, going on family trips, and of course, teaching them what they want to learn when and how they want to learn it (of course, this last part has changed a lot now that they are both teens – but I persist in teaching them anyways!!)

The Book Review

Today’s featured book is one I used in those early years of teaching them – to read. The #nonficnov prompt of education reminded me of this long forgotten post (well, draft), and I decided to revive it as I know it was a very valuable resource for me, and will certainly help others too..

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Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons

Book Info

Description

Twenty minutes a day is all you need, and within 100 teaching days your child will be reading on a solid second-grade reading level. It’s a sensible, easy-to-follow, and enjoyable way to help your child gain the essential skills of reading. Everything you need is here — no paste, no scissors, no flash cards, no complicated directions — just you and your child learning together. One hundred lessons, fully illustrated and color-coded for clarity, give your child the basic and more advanced skills needed to become a good reader.

Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons will bring you and your child closer together, while giving your child the reading skills needed now, for a better chance at tomorrow.

My Thoughts

When my son was four and wanted to start reading the Harry Potter series (mom was reading these magical books at that time), I told him he had to learn reading first and he took to it like a duck to water. The book Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons was perfect and helped me teach him reading. It is organized very well and teaches reading by the DISTAR method. You will see “th”, “sh” and “ch” appear in the book before ‘b’,’z’. Midway through the book, in just a few weeks, he was already reading level 1 books by himself.   

Of course, with my daughter it was different. She could not sit through all the exercises of each lesson in the book and we were on lesson 15 at the end of the first session (which lasted about 15 minutes and which is the recommended time for one lesson). She was perfectly happy being read to and she had three people willing and able to do so.

So I had to work on a different technique with her. While I wondered how and what to do, she said she wanted to write letters to her friends and family; mind you, she had not yet learned to read!! That was my signal to start teaching her (by helping her learn to write a letter to her best friend at school or to mommy); and it did work. Of course, way differently and a little off tangent (way off tangent actually), but the end result – she was reading, and that is what mattered after all..

Additional Notes

The book has a parents guide at the start to help teach and use the book, along with additional resources and guides that will enhance and make the whole teaching process easy!

In Summary

A teaching resource that totally works!! And one I can vouch for – personally – twice over!!

Get It Here

 Book Depository ||  IndieBound || Bookshop

And Now, the End of This Post

Dear reader, have you used this book? Or any other similar books to help your child learn reading? Your recommendations and comments are always welcome. Do let me know..