I don't know how anyone could teach a 2 year old to read if they weren't ready. Most 2 year olds don't even know their letters and the letter sounds. One of my DS's taught himself to read at that age, and started reading books to us by 3.5. He was able to learn to read fluently because he would ASK me to help him with certain words or sounds, though, not because I tried to teach him.

His twin brother (also gifted) on the other hand, wouldn't let me teach him how to write letters as a toddler/preschooler. Teaching him to read was never even a consideration, although he was taught letters and sounds. When he decided he wanted to read at age 5, the summer before K, he taught himself. He wouldn't accept any help at all. (If I even DARED to help him sound out a word; that was it for reading - the book was slammed shut.) His K teacher would often talk about how we "made" him such a good reader by working with him so much, which always gave me a good laugh. I tried to tell her that I didn't "teach" him anything, but she never believed me. I know she thought he was "hothoused" until she saw how quickly he progressed through the reading levels.

People want to believe that kids who learn to read very early were drilled by their parents and "hothoused" because it is alarming to them to see a child so far ahead of their own, as it makes them doubt their own child's progress and whether or not they have done enough. I can remember that I never told any of my friends or acquaintances that my DS could read at three because I knew they would think I was "pushing" him. I didn't even tell my sister.

At age four, he went through a stage of reading everything out-loud (signs, papers from school, etc.) so it wasn't something I could hide even if I wanted to do so. By that point, I think most of the people who knew him knew that he was "different" (ie- gifted) so it was more acceptable. He was one of those preschoolers that would elicit "He is so smart" comments every where we went because he spoke very well about complicated topics and had an extensive vocabulary for a preschooler. If his twin brother, who seemed more "typical" at that age, had also been reading, I would have been accused of "pushing/hothousing."

Last edited by momoftwins; 10/30/13 06:12 AM.