How Did You Teach Your Child to Read?

The best way to teach a child to read is to give them a love of books, and the best way to do that is to read to them A LOT. In the early elementary years I would read to my children for an hour or two every day. Don't worry if they don't sit still, they can play with Legos and still listen. We have hardwood floors and my boys would often be on scooters or roller blades when I read. Later my son would be on the treadmill (my child who NEEDED to move) while I read to him. And of course there' are audio books that we listened to in the car.

We did use Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons and it did work, but I think giving a child the desire to read is more important than a structured program.

Now, I had one child who taught herself to read at 3. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. She is the youngest of four children and was surrounded by books. She spent her time from when she could talk asking what every word said, and someone always answered her. But by 10 she was just as good a reader as any other 10 year old. I don't think she gained an advantage in learning to read early.

If I homeschooled another child I wouldn't actively teach him to read, but let him learn by himself, at least in the early days. I think there's too much emphasis on children reading early and they all get there in the end. But what is important is to sew that seed of interest, and that lasts a lifetime.