Your child may resist being read to or joining with you in the activities in this booklet. If so, keep trying the activities, but keep them playful.
Remember that children vary a great deal in the ways that they learn. Don’t be concerned if your child doesn’t enjoy a certain activity that her friend of the same age loves. It is important, though, to keep an eye on how your child is progressing. (See the box, “Watching Your Child Progress.”)
When a child is having a language or reading problem, the reason might be simple to understand and deal with or it might be complicated and require expert help. Often, children may just need more time to develop their language skills. On the other hand, some children might have trouble seeing, hearing, or speaking. Others may have a learning disability. If you think your child may have some kind of physical or learning problem, it is important to get expert help quickly.
If your child is in school and you think that she should have stronger language skills, ask for a private meeting with her teacher. (You may feel more comfortable taking a friend, relative, or someone else in your community with you.) In most cases, the teacher or perhaps the principal will be able to help you to understand how your child is doing and what you might do to help her.
Parenting viewpoints from parents in the trenches, because parenting doesn’t come with a manual. In addition to