I don't homeschool, but I'm posting this here because DD's reading ability is way above average and she doesn't really get much of an opportunity to read on her level at school (well, not so far, but she just finished kindergarten, so we'll see if first grade is any different). So I feel as though I am "homeschooling for reading," if that makes sense.
The only thing is, I don't do much teaching at all, I'm just available to help when she reads alone, and a few times a week we'll read together or she'll read to me. I don't do it regularly, so it's not like each day I say "It's reading time." It varies. Sometimes a few days will pass and she hasn't done much reading on her own, but then there are days when we get a new Zoobooks in the mail, for example (love that mag!), and we'll sit and she'll read most of it to me, and that's a challenging read for her.
I'm wondering if I should put daily reading into our routine? For a short while I was having her read her own book in bed (after I read her a story, a ritual I do not plan to give up just because she can read by herself now!), but we do enforce an 8:00 bedtime and there isn't always time. She's quite capable of reading chapter books now, and she enjoys reading, but she doesn't necessarily choose to read daily.
Because she is not being challenged at school (which of course is on hiatus for the summer), I worry that she'll get lazy about reading. I noticed in kindergarten that she got into the habit of not doing her best, because she could "get away with" doing things sort of half-assed, and I don't even know if the teacher was aware that she could do better. The class used these color-coded books that came in about eight levels, the highest of which was purple, and DD was the only child in the purple books and they were way, way too easy for her.
So what should I do? Should I "teach" reading at home, the way I would have when I was a teacher, by encouraging her to read daily and perhaps write about what she read, and then give some little lessons on reading and writing skills here and there, or should I just leave her alone?
The only thing is, I don't do much teaching at all, I'm just available to help when she reads alone, and a few times a week we'll read together or she'll read to me. I don't do it regularly, so it's not like each day I say "It's reading time." It varies. Sometimes a few days will pass and she hasn't done much reading on her own, but then there are days when we get a new Zoobooks in the mail, for example (love that mag!), and we'll sit and she'll read most of it to me, and that's a challenging read for her.
I'm wondering if I should put daily reading into our routine? For a short while I was having her read her own book in bed (after I read her a story, a ritual I do not plan to give up just because she can read by herself now!), but we do enforce an 8:00 bedtime and there isn't always time. She's quite capable of reading chapter books now, and she enjoys reading, but she doesn't necessarily choose to read daily.
Because she is not being challenged at school (which of course is on hiatus for the summer), I worry that she'll get lazy about reading. I noticed in kindergarten that she got into the habit of not doing her best, because she could "get away with" doing things sort of half-assed, and I don't even know if the teacher was aware that she could do better. The class used these color-coded books that came in about eight levels, the highest of which was purple, and DD was the only child in the purple books and they were way, way too easy for her.
So what should I do? Should I "teach" reading at home, the way I would have when I was a teacher, by encouraging her to read daily and perhaps write about what she read, and then give some little lessons on reading and writing skills here and there, or should I just leave her alone?
), and to provide lots of reading material. Ds is 5 and insists on selecting his own library books. I always select some too, and when we get home he usually wants us to read ALL of them! "We" love to read. Sometimes I ask if he wants to read books (I'm still reading to him) and sometimes he'll request it. Definitely follow your daughter's lead! 
