The Beginning of Something Bigger Than Reading

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What if a child doesn’t enjoy reading?

Let that sit for a moment.

Not every adult enjoys watching cricket.

Not everyone loves cooking, running, or solving puzzles.

So why do we treat reading as something children must love—something that, if they don’t, signals a problem?

What if we took the pressure off?

What if reading weren’t a test,

a checklist,

or a nightly struggle—but an invitation?

Because reading is not just about books.

It’s about understanding words, decoding meaning, and making sense of the world.

It’s about curiosity.

Discovery.

Connection.

It’s about journeys—some on the page,

and many far beyond it.

And here’s the truth: Children don’t become readers because they are told to read.

They become readers because they are immersed in a world where reading matters.

A Moment I Can’t Ignore

Recently, behind a small market stall, I heard the same question again and again:

‘How do I make reading fun?’

But it never really sounded like a question about fun.

It sounded like exhaustion.

Like quiet frustration wrapped in hopeful words.

Like parents doing their very best—and wondering why it feels so hard.

They spoke about battles.

About tears.

About the weight reading had somehow taken on at home.

And I remember thinking, very clearly:

This is not what reading was ever meant to be.

Somewhere along the way, we’ve turned something full of curiosity and discovery

into something heavy.

And that’s not just sad—

it’s unfair to everyone.

As a teacher who has worked across the UK, Kuwait, and Australia, I’ve seen many sides of learning—but this was different.

You Are Not the Teacher. That’s Your Superpower

Parents often feel the pressure to ‘teach’ reading at home.

To practise sight words.

To go through phonics lists.

To make sure their child is ‘keeping up.’

But here’s a quiet shift in thinking:

You are not the teacher.

You are something far more important.

You are the story sharer,

the memory maker,

the guide on the journey.

Read to your child. Tell them stories—

• real ones,

• family ones,

• made-up ones.

Laugh over words.

Wonder about meanings.

Pause and ask, 'What do you think that means?'

Because long before a child reads independently,

they learn what reading feels like.

And that feeling matters more than any worksheet.

Let’s Rethink the Way We Talk About Reading

We’ve all heard the phrase ‘fostering a love of reading.’

But reading is more than something to love or not love.

Reading is a code.

A fascinating, clever, completely learnable code.

Twenty-six letters.

That’s it.

Just twenty-six letters—rearranged in thousands of ways

to create every story, every fact,

every idea ever written down.

Imagine showing a child a shelf full of books and saying,

‘These all come from the same 26 letters.’

Suddenly, reading isn’t overwhelming.

It’s a puzzle.

A system.

Something to unlock.

Rip Up the Lists (Yes, Really)

Sight word lists.

Endless repetition.

Memorising words in isolation.

They have their place,

but they are not the whole story.

Reading isn’t about remembering words.

It’s about understanding how words work.

Phonics matters—but not as a drill.

It matters as a tool.

A way in.

A key.

When children begin to see patterns, sounds, connections—they’re not just reading.

They’re figuring something out.

And that moment?

That click?

That’s where confidence begins.

Start With What Matters

If a child resists reading, it doesn’t mean they’ve failed.

It means we need a different way in.

Try this instead:

• Take the pressure off

• Read aloud—without expectation

• Play with words and sounds

• Follow their curiosity

• Let reading be messy, playful, and imperfect

• Model reading in your everyday life

Let them see you read a recipe, a message, a sign.

Let them catch you wondering.

Children don’t just learn from being taught.

They learn by watching, listening, and joining in.

This Is Just the Beginning

This space—this blog—is for parents, educators,

and anyone walking alongside a child as they learn to read.

Here, we’ll explore:

• Simple ways to build confidence

• Games and activities that actually work

• The “why” behind phonics and early reading

• How to support children without pressure

• How to turn reading into something meaningful—not mechanical

• 
  

Because the goal isn’t just to raise readers.

It’s to raise thinkers, questioners, and disco

verers.

And sometimes, the first step…

…is simply saying:

‘It’s okay if you don’t love reading. Let’s find a way that works for you.’