When my son Gabe turned eight this summer, he was just beginning to learn how to read.
At six, Gabe was diagnosed with severe ADHD. He’s incredibly sharp with numbers, math comes naturally to him, but reading has been a much different story. He could never quite remember his letters, and blending them into words felt almost impossible.
As a former kindergarten teacher, this was humbling. I had taught so many kids their letters, sounds and sight words. But with my own child, nothing was clicking. Gabe desperately wanted to read. He would get frustrated that he couldn’t, and I would feel the weight of not being able to help him the way I thought I should.
We tried everything. I dug into all the methods I had used in the classroom, researched new strategies, and still no breakthrough.
Then, almost by accident, I came across Reading.com
And for the first time, things started to change.
This isn’t just a “hand them the tablet and let it teach” kind of program. Gabe and I sit together, work through the lessons, and practice the skills as a team. It uses the teaching knowledge I already have, but delivers it in a way that makes sense for him. The lessons are broken down into tiny, doable steps, and the practice turns into games that keep him engaged.
Slowly, Gabe started to recognize letters. Then he began sounding out words. And with every word he can now read on his own, I see something new in him, confidence.
It’s not just about the mechanics of reading anymore. It’s about him realizing, I can do this.
For me as a mom and a teacher, this has been one of the hardest and most rewarding journeys. Teaching my own child has required me to let go of what I thought “should” work and embrace what actually works for him.
And for Gabe, every single word he reads is proof that he is capable, determined, and exactly where he needs to be.
If you’re walking a similar road with your own child and want to check out the program that’s been such a game changer for us, you can find it here: https://reading.com/?via=jordan-bostick