Another question about reading at an early age...

[BlueberryPancake]

I never thought I would be dealing with this, because I really didn't want to hothouse DS1 (although my MIL was very keen and gave me a 'how to get your child to read by the age of three' book before he was born!! it's now in the bin!) but DS is showing a keen interest in reading and he's only 2.5 .

He can now read simple words like Spot, Goal, and his name and mummy and daddy and recognises many letters/sounds. He spelled his first word (in the bath, with sticky letters) tonight and it was the word 'pond' which I don't think is in any of his books so it came naturally to him. I asked him what he was doing and he said is is writting the word Pond, you know where the ducks live.

I just don't know how to handle it. Should I support him and have a more direct approach or just let him be and he will get it and develop at his own pace? What in your opinion are the benefits of reading early and how does it impact their early years at school?

Thanks

[GooseyLoosey]

Encourage him but don't get him to do anymore than he regards as fun. Learning should be a fun and marvellous experience at his age and definately not structured.

Personally I actively held back on teaching my children to read and write before school as I could do both and spent the first few years of school very bored. However, I think times have changed now and schools can support children who start out knowing more than others and I imagine it would be good for his self confidence to be able to do something that others were just learning.

[Piffle]

carry on like you are now and let him lead you
he sounds like a very smart cookie indeed!

[RosaLuxembourg]

Read to him lots and lots and the rest will come naturally if, as it sounds like, he is one of the lucky ones who picks up reading by osmosis. My experience of being an early reader was similar to GooseyLoosey's but two of my children have been early readers and the school has been very responsive to their needs so you shouldn't have to worry there.

[saintpeta]

Do what you're doing it sounds like youre on top of things
Additionally if your child watches any tv always have the subtitles on

[edam]

I don't think spot or goal are simple words - spot starts with two consonants and goal has a tricky vowel combination. So you clearly have a very bright little boy!

Agree with Goosey, follow his lead but don't turn it into work.

[Doobydoo]

Agree with edam and goosey

[tigermeow]

As others have said, just be led by him. Your DS will dictate how fast or slow he wants to learn.
It sounds like he has a fantastic memory for sight words (words he has just learnt to recognise). My DD wanted me to read with my finger pointing to the words, if I didn't, she'd so it for me!

The downside of having an early reader... DD was 2y7ms when she came up to me in Tescos holding a greetings card (she was looking for cat cards) and announced "look mummy, a new breed of cat.....a sex kitten".