Most parents who try teaching their kids to read at home hit the same walls. Here are the 3 biggest mistakes I see — and the simple fixes.

Mistake #1: Teaching letter names before letter sounds

Your child knows "A, B, C" from the song. Great. But when it's time to read, they need sounds, not names. The letter B isn't "bee" — it's /b/. Start with sounds from day one.

Mistake #2: Jumping to whole words too fast

Flashcards with "CAT" and "DOG" feel productive, but if your child can't blend /c/ + /a/ + /t/, they're just memorizing shapes. Blending is the real skill. Slow down and let them build words sound by sound.

Mistake #3: Sessions that are too long

A 3-year-old's attention span is about 10-15 minutes. If you're pushing 30+ minute reading lessons, you're creating frustration, not readers. Short daily routines beat long weekend sessions every single time.

The fix? Start with sounds, practice blending daily, and keep it under 15 minutes. That's the entire ReadReady method — simple phonics routines that actually work for ages 3-5. No teaching degree required.