Ask Heather:
These are some great questions I’ve been asked about teaching children to read!
What are some easy ways to sneak vegetables into my kids foods?
Some Easy Ways to Sneak in vegetables are: 1. A breakfast shake with fruit, yogurt, milk, and CARROTS (use a jar of Carrot baby food to make it easier) 2. Instead of buying applesause find apple/carrot mixes or other fruit vegatables mixes in the babyfood isle. 3. 1/2... read more
Help! I am getting a babysitter for the first time 😕
Babysitter 101 Getting a new babysitter is scary experience. I know that I always have a knot in my stomach the first night when we leave our kids with a new babysitter. My Criteria for a Babysitter: Affordable If she is younger than 18, it’s nice if she lives... read more
What type of reward systems do you have in place for your children?
I have 2 boys. Each boy has a chart with his name on it. The chart is divided in half. One half is Star Stickers/Behavior and the other half is Reading Rewards. Star Stickers: If they have a smooth morning (get ready for school quickly, eat their breakfast, and put on... read more
Is it possible to share preschool lunch ideas? I am stuck.
Sure. Here are some of my preschool or school lunch ideas: I always pack a fruit or veggie+protein+main dish Fruit: like strawberries/blackberries/sliced grapes or even apple sauce Veggie: Carrots/salad/cucumbers/broccoli/corn Ideas for Protein: nuggets/Fish... read more
My son has ADHD. He does not sit in one place for long. I want to teach him to read. Any ideas?
One of my sons also has ADHD (hyperactivity and attention combined). I know how hard it is to get him to sit still. With this son it takes extra patience and more reminders than my other son. From my experiences with my son some things I learned are: 1. Keep my... read more
I have a child that is very active, how can I get them to pay attention?
1. Find the right time for your child to Read/Learn. I Read in the evening but not right before bed. I read to my son after dinner time, after shower time, but about an hour before his bedtime. 2. Make a Reading/Learning Routine. Our Reading Routine is: dinner,... read more
I am homeschooling my daughter and I just came across this program. I have been reading to her since birth, every day, and she LOVES to be read to, but gets frustrated easily while learning to read. She will not even look at the word to sound it out, and tunes me out. She doesn\’t do this with any other aspect of homeschooling, just the reading. How can we overcome this?
Hi, My advice for you would be to come up with a Reading Reward system for you and your child. For example, if your child is putting in full effort he/she will get 3 points, medium effort 2 points, having a hard time concentrating 1 point per page. Each point can be... read more
What do the words “Fluency” and “Comprehension” mean?
Fluency is the speed and accuracy of your child’s reading. It means how fast your child can read without making mistakes with the text. Comprehension is how much your child understands what he/she is reading. read more
Should I read to my baby?
I do think it is important to read to babies. Reading demonstrates language, vocabulary, and expression. You can read familiar songs, nursery rhymes, short stories, or beggining word books. You can read books with sensory pictures as well. read more
My toddler does not sit still and does not listen to stories. I don’t think he enjoys reading. Should I bother reading to him?
Yes, I recommend to read to your child no matter what. Hearing language, expression, and fluency is valuable even if your child is not sitting and watching you. You can also try to read to your toddler during meal times while he/she is eating and already sitting. You... read more
Help! My daughter does not enjoy learning the Alphabet and can’t seem to remember the letters. Any ideas?
Learning the Alphabet Try breaking the Alppabet into parts. Do 4-5 Letters at a time during a lesson. Then incorporate other fun ways to reinforce Letter Learning. Fun Ideas: 1. Alphabet videos online videos on www.FirstStepReading.com 2. Bath crayons and write the... read more
