BY: RHODA OPOKU FRIMPONG

As parents, we all want our children to develop a love for reading — to get lost in a good story, explore new worlds, and build the critical thinking skills that come with it. But what happens when that excitement fades? When reading turns into a frustrating chore, and your child starts dreading the very thing that’s supposed to open doors for them?

This was exactly what happened to Miranda Stovall’s daughter.

Miranda’s daughter was being taught to read by focusing exclusively on sight words — recognizing and memorizing common words instead of learning how to decode them. While this method can be helpful initially, it quickly became clear that something was missing.

“She was reading the same book for over two weeks,” Miranda recalls. “At first, I thought it was helping her build confidence, but then I realized she wasn’t actually reading. She was just memorizing the words.”

The problem? When Miranda’s daughter was given a different book — one with new words — she couldn’t apply what she had learned. The skills weren’t transferring, and her frustration grew. Reading became a chore, and worse, she started to hate it.

Determined to help her daughter develop real reading skills, Miranda decided to try Hooked on Phonics, a program designed to teach phonics-based reading. It was a game-changer.

“It introduced her to phonics in a way that clicked,” Miranda says. “She wasn’t just memorizing anymore. She was learning how to sound out words and actually read them.”

With this new approach, her daughter’s confidence soared. Slowly but surely, reading became less of a struggle and more of an adventure.

But Miranda didn’t stop there. She made an even bigger decision, switching her daughter to a school that focuses on the Science of Reading.

The Science of Reading is a research-based approach that emphasizes phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency. Unlike the memorization-heavy approach her daughter had been exposed to before, this method equips students with the foundational skills they need to become proficient, lifelong readers.

The results? Night and day.

“Now, she not only reads, but she loves it,” Miranda beams. “She’s the kind of kid who asks to go to the bookstore and uses her own money from getting good grades to buy books at Sam’s Club.

Miranda’s story highlights an important lesson: If your child is struggling with reading, it may not be about effort or ability. It may be about the approach.

Memorizing words can only take a child so far. If they aren’t taught how to decode and apply that knowledge to new situations, they can get stuck in a cycle of frustration. And for many children, that frustration can lead to a lifelong dislike of reading.

If you’re noticing similar challenges in your child’s reading journey, it may be worth exploring programs that emphasize phonics and structured literacy. Whether it’s through supplemental tools like Hooked on Phonics or advocating for a Science of Reading approach at your child’s school, these methods can make a lasting difference.

Reading doesn’t have to be a battle. With the right tools and approach, it can be a joyful and rewarding experience — one that opens doors and sparks curiosity for years to come.

And who knows? You might just end up with a child who’s as excited about buying books as they are about earning rewards for good grades. 

Because every child deserves the chance to fall in love with reading.