Bella didn't learn to read until she was in kindergarten. I specifically didn't teach her to read until she went to kindergarten. I knew she was capable, had the ability prior to entering kindergarten but I didn't think she needed to learn this particular skill until she got there. Now, if you know me well, you're probably confused. I am a good reader. A very good reader. A very fast reader.
It is because of this that I didn't teach this child to read. I wanted her to learn at her own time, not my time, with her peers, at the schedule and pace of her kindergarten teacher. I would help her along but I didn't feel that she needed to go into kindergarten knowing how to read in order to achieve greatness. In order to be the smartest kid in her class. I knew she was smart and she it just wasn't something I was going to push her at. I "read up" very early on. I knew how to read before I entered kindergarten. In first grade, I surpassed the "blue birds" to my own group and had to color during reading time until other students caught up with me. In second grade, third and fourth grade, I had to go to the grade completely above me for reading. It was challenging yes, uncomfortable too.
While I was confident in Bella's abilities and skill, I wanted her more importantly to also not be bored early on. To not go to kindergarten feeling like she already knew something she was supposed to learn there. I wanted her to want to learn to read. She did and picked it up very quickly. Today, she is a very good reader. A very, very good reader. There are some days she takes five tests in a day. I think it is too many but who am I too say too much is too much. Why should I discourage her for being too smart? For loving to read? Which brings me to the pink dot.. Bella has gotten so good that she has now surpassed the first grade reading level. The last time she was tested, she tests at the end of third grade. Two grades ahead of where she is. It is amazing. I am so proud but I don't make a big deal out of it. I don't want her to get a big head after all. All this really means to her is she can read up to a certain level - it's color coded by a certain dot in the library and she has free reign to choose her books. She reads silently each night for 20 minutes and I spot test her occasionally. She scores 100% and I mostly leave her alone. Each morning she tells me the title of the book, I sign the reading log and so on. She's reading at a third grade level and can read anything between 1st - 3rd, so no problems.
The past two weeks Bella has been pretty emotional. Not her usual happy go lucky self. I'm a little concerned, I talk to her and get nothing from her. I ask my friend Tracey, our acting children's minister, to talk to her.. Bella loves Tracey and they go out to lunch and to a bridal shower, a fun day for them.
Tracey asks me if I know about the book Bella read for AR? The one about the soldier who died? The one who lost his legs in the war? My heart is beating so hard I can feel it in my ears and I think I'm going to throw up. What book? An AR book about a soldier? That my child has checked out from the library? THAT I HAVEN'T READ!?! We limit everything war related in our house. Especially now with Jason facing his fifth deployment. Bella and I have a very, very long discussion. About the book. It's a pink dot, well within her reading range, she checked the book out at the library and read it. It's about a dad and a little boy that go to the Wall to look for their Veteran. On the way there, they meet another veteran who is in a wheelchair because he lost his legs in the war.
And all of this is in a pink dot? A pink dot? Suitable for 7 year old? Ugh, I think I'm going to vomit. Or scream. Maybe pass out. I'm not sure which. I ask Bella why she hasn't talked to me about the book. Why she didn't ask me or tell me that she read it if she was this upset. "Well, mama, the lady in the book says that these things are happening over there. And you keep saying that my Daddy will be safe. That he will go and he will come back. But what if he goes and loses his legs over there. Or what if someone shoots him. I think that the lady that wrote the book just knows more than you. And I didn't say anything to you because I didn't want to worry you."
Some things you just shouldn't learn from a book..especially anything regarding war.
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