Learning to read is a challenge for many children it can be from a lack of desire or a learning disability. Many parents, like myself, are left feeling overwhelmed and worried. We often feel that we can’t help our children succeed because of lack of personal education, resources and money. I’m sure that the majority of parents want to help their children succeed in every way possible but the resources available to us are simply out of reach due to the expense. I’ve been that overwhelmed parent plenty of times, staying up at night wondering where I’ve gone wrong and why I’m having a hard time teaching my children to read and why they are having a hard time learning to read. During this time period I reached out and got the beginning of the help we needed.
As a homeschooled mom of two young children, there are many obstacles we’ve faced one of them being lack of reading skills. My daughter, currently 8 years old, wants to learn to read, she absolutely loves books and her desire is there. It has been a challenge for her to learn to read, she is incredibly strong willed and a perfectionist making it hard to learn something that doesn’t come natural to her. She also shows signs of dyslexia which is a tremendous concern to me. We have not been able to get her evaluated due to the cost. We can’t afford to spend thousands of dollars on an evaluation and materials. That is a reality that overwhelms me but it is the reality of plenty of people.
Throughout the years I have purchased several educational materials on reading at a cost we could afford with no great results. The majority of the most promising reading programs are expensive making it hard for a one income family to afford.
As I mentioned above, I got the beginning help we needed, a promising one. I got the Dog on the Log Books collection by Pamela Brookes and we’ve been using it and have really enjoyed it. The activities are very easy to do and are very fun, two of the qualities my children and most children enjoy. I’m very impressed with the quality of the collection and the easy instructions. It seems that Brookes has made it her personal mission to provide great quality products at a very affordable price for parents and educators. I must confess that I was hesitant to use it at first because I felt like I’ve failed with all the previous materials but as I read the first book it made me feel a bit at ease. I read the introduction and the instructions both which were very user friendly. I was able to understand it very easily. I tried the first activity and my daughters really enjoyed it. They were able to grasp the concept very easily and they had a blast. I like that there is no extra materials needed and no advanced preparation making it easy for those of us that are busy and on a budget. Brookes also provides additional free resources on her website making teaching more fun. Her additional free resources, which are very generous, are very easy to print and use. The printable games are fun and easy to follow. My daughters love games making it an extra treat for them. We currently finished book one and I’m excited for the results thus far. My daughters understand the concept of rhyming and syllables. They are now able to sound out more words. They love doing the activities together. They are also eager to learn without them realizing they are learning. Making reading a fun event as opposed to an agonizing chore, which has been the case before. Now they are ready to do the activities without any protest. They often hand me the books to start the lesson of the day. That gives me peace of mind and makes me incredibly proud of my daughters and myself. I feel that we are on the road to success, reading success.
Dog on a Log Books collection is a perfect addition to any public library. It would allow parents, like myself, to have access to quality materials for their children for free. I’m a public library lover and would appreciate this collection being available to parents all around the United States and further. It would make a world of difference because of the simplicity, affordability and effectiveness. Also, children will love the charming stories, pictures and activities. I feel the same way towards schools having this available for their students.
I admire, respect and appreciate everything Brookes is doing and working for. I truly feel that she wants to provide the best possible educational materials for all children. It is evident in all her hard work that she enjoys doing it. She has a mission to provide all parents and educators with the feeling I’ve experienced while using her collection with my daughters. She wants parents/educators and their children/students to succeed and love the journey of reading.
