"Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together."
Psalm 34:3

“No Mom,” my oldest said with raised brows. “I can’t read.”

“Yes, you can,” I told him, matching the brows.

“No, I can’t!”

I pushed aside the paper he was working on, realizing where the disconnect was.

“Last year,” I looked at him, “you didn’t know what those words said. But you knew the sounds, and you’ve learned how to put the sounds together.”

He looked at me.

“Putting the sounds together is reading, buddy.”

“Wait, it is?”

“Yes!”

“So I can read every book now?”

“Sure! You just put the sounds together to make the words.”

The lightbulb went on, and he sat down satisfied.

Well, we have spent years learning letters and sounds. It has been a slow process, and we have been fighting an “I can’t do it” attitude for quite a long time. But I guess I missed an obvious part of the lesson I was supposed to teach. I’m not sure how it wasn’t communicated that stringing sounds together makes words…but somehow, it wasn’t. Or at least, it wasn’t understood! Mental note for all future students: make sure they see the connection between sounds and making words.

My little buddy will start reading books on his own soon enough, and what joy he will have when he does. Someday, he will not be telling himself he can’t. He’ll be enjoying the fact that he can.

And today, I am laughing at myself and how I miss things sometimes! I’m sure it won’t be the last time, either. Isn’t this how parenting is, learning as we go? Praise God He works all things for the good of those who love Him! And I am so grateful that one way or another, my kids will learn what they need to learn. Whether I point out the obvious or not. :)