Bluffing

Teaching Aubrey to read was a breeze.  That is why I say every parent should not have just one child, because child #2, 3, and 4 can build character in the mother.  : )  Teaching reading ranks about as high as teaching a child to potty train, on my list of non favorite things to do as a Mom.  I have found myself sitting there biting my tongue in complete frustration at the child who is trying to guess or bluff his way through reading.  Needless to say, we always manage to push through and nothing is more victorious then seeing a boy curled up reading a book all to himself, for the sheer pleasure.  However, we still have not arrived there with boy number 3 and 4.  Still many hours, days and weeks of couch (reading) time loom ahead. 

Today, was a classic day.  A day I must never forget.  It must go down in the book of remembrance for homeschooling.  Mr. Eager to hear all of the Box Car children series is busy working his way through these books.  I must say, we have seen marked improvement since book #1.  Now on book #3.  His main flaw is loving to guess, rather then the grueling process of sounding out.  This morning he was caught red handed, guessing away, when he substituted an Indonesian word instead of English for a word that he thought the book should ‘read’.  Ha!  This experienced home school Mom would not be tricked!!!!  Giggle! 

Moral of the story:  When trying to bluff your way through reading, do not (I repeat Do Not) guess in a different language then what the book is written in.  May the Lord grant you and I patience in the area’s that we need patience.  And the gift of humor to laugh when we’ve been bluffed really good!