Letters to the Editor: Teaching reading at a young age benefits child and parent alike

To the editor: Are you kidding me (“Parents, chill: Why you don’t need to teach your 3-year-old to read,” June 24)? My son, though admittedly precocious, was exposed to phonics, diphthongs, numbers and whole words before he was 1 year old. Those diphthong flip books kept him occupied for hours. He was reciting the alphabet backwards by the time he was a year and a half old and was able to read road signs as well.

I talked and sang to him throughout my pregnancy and I truly believe that was a good head start. I turned everything into a learning experience and he was able to enjoy more of his life and communicate his needs far better than his peers.

Heck, he was besting me at backgammon at 3 years old! So why wait to start reading? That’s a waste of three years when a child’s life can — and should be — more fulfilling, and your own life can be easier and filled with more wonder than you can imagine.

Sheila Winston, West Hills