Reading and writing

F has decided that he would like to start reading the Goosebumps books I've had in the close for some odd years. So he sat down 4 days ago and Started reading them, he has finished 3 of them already.. and is reading whenever he gets a chance. He even took a book with him to do the laundry on Thursday. He still reads his time for kids almanac nightly, as well as his popular science book before he goes to sleep but now he's added one book. :)
We also did book 1 of the NYC test that the schools give to all 4Th graders. This one was the one from 2007, out of 30 questions he got 28 right. I knew he could do it, he was so proud when I told him it was a 4Th grade test (he is in the 3rd grade now).
He also did a few questions from book 2 as well as some questions from the 5Th grade test, then he wanted to see the 7Th grade one and he did a few of them which he got right. The only ones he did not know were ones that we have never discussed.
he will finish books 2 and 3 in the next week or so.

J got a letter abt. a week ago from one of her friends from her dance class. The girl goes to school so J is a little disappointed that she can't come and play or do things with us whenever she'd like. But the letter was so sweet, and J decided to write her back, and to write a 'book'. She started sounding out words and putting the first letters of everything she wanted to write in a little notebook daddy made for her. She is getting excited about learning to read and to write especially. She gets all of the first letters of each word right and some of the additional letters now.

Every time I get a little worried that the kids are not progressing enough, even though I know that they are, there is always that little nagging thought in the back of my mind. Then they do smt. like the above, and then some... I am reminded that they will do it on their own time and it will be better because they want to do it and desire comes from them, not me making them do it. It is important to have the resources and the things they need so they can pick up a book and decide to read 3 of them in 2 days. So I will continue to buy all kinds of books and enjoy the growth of minds as it happens.