It's high holidays, which means family around our house. And our family is a little strange. Ok. In this particular case, it's thatDH's family is a bit strangethat's my issue.
Of the last two generations of DH's family, about 2/3rds of the kids read at 2. My DS is three and doesn't read yet. more precicely, he *can* but doesn't. In a way that makes me suspect he has some of my family's legacy as well (my dad and I both needed remediation in grade 2to learn) as his fathers's. It's a lil wierd, eh?
. Anyway. The family is very dismayed he isn't reading yet, and there's pressure. He got given a phonics thing, and was using it backwards... Using the letters to help him figure out what the pics were of. This frustrated people, because somehow they weren't cluing in that if he can do that, they probably don't need to worry that he dones't know letter sounds... Because he does. Anyway. Arg. Grumble. Frump.
They refuse to answer his questions until he learns to read. Seriously. They aren't doing it consciously, they just won't hear the darned questions because they assume a kid needs to be able to read to ask questions like that. It's just layers of assumptions.
Anyway, I'm concerned about his frustration with this, and also with the message he's getting which is that he isn't good enough for them. They assume he can't understand what they're saying because he doesn't read! I'm having trouble finding anyone other than myself willing to talk to the kid, really talk, and the best people to do it are really NOT getting it. If I could get them connecting, we'd probably spend more time with them, this is turning into a bad spiral.
I feel like I have no resources, because my family isn't available, and my friends with kids do the same, and my friends without kids aren't into kids.
I dont't know if I just want the family to connect with DS, or if I just want him to have some other confidante, or what. I probably want both. I guess that's it.
Uh... Any suggestions? I know this will all be ok in the end. For one thi g, DS will probably read within a year or two, and for another, one of the gifts he got suggests at least one person is starting to get it (though he was clearly trying to please me,rather than DS). I just want to help, speed things up a little. Prevent the negative message for sinking in befoethings do improve... That kinda thing. Actually, I kinda want him to not pressure himself to read.
This is so dumb. I'm frustrated because my kid is too smart, and not smart enough. I feel like we're just aliens or something. Nobody understands us!!!! Oh, the angst! I thought I already finished my troubled teens? Wasupwidat?
(also, I need to fix my computer, this typing on an iPad thing sucks)
