When was the last time you have a coffee chat with a friend?

If you're like me, there is always someone or something that needs attention. Making room for a coffee date with a friend feels like one more thing to do.

I've found some of the best conversations I've had with my mom, or family members, are impromptu visits or 'accidental' run-ins while getting groceries.

Or, a quick impromptu call on the way by asking if 'they're home for the next few minutes' for a drop-in visit.

"No, you won't stay." Short and sweet.

I always leave after a simple visit sharing 'life happenings' feeling a little lighter. A renewed 'pep in my step' to tackle the next job on the list once I get home.

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Much like this week's podcast episode, '5 Alphabet Tips for Moms'!​

1. Teach 4 or more letters and sounds using phonemic awareness to verbally blend sounds into a whole word AND to segment (chop apart) whole words said out loud into individual sounds.
2. Teach letter sounds carefully. No accidentally adding the tricky 'schwa' sound at the end!
3. Limit your child's overwhelm. Teach only a handful of letters and sounds at a time.
4. Add graphemes. Spell a word for your child using magnetic letters. Teach your child to apply phonics skills to decode.
5. Say a CVC word out loud for your child, so he/she can segment and match each sound to a letter to encode (spell) the word.

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Modeling phonics skills is the one thing I help moms with most! Watch my personal message to homeschool moms teaching phonics here.​

Drop in and listen to next week's podcast for an extra dose of encouragement. You're in for a special treat as podcast guest, Dinalynn Rosenbush, SLP, joins us to chat about 'The Language of Play'.

In the meantime, check out my ONE HOUR phonics coaching session on Zoom 'Teach Your Child to Read: Simple Phonics Skills for Homeschool Moms'. ⬇️

Yours in phonics,

Melanie

P.S. Hoping you get a chance to do coffee with a friend this week. Aside from the caffeine, you may just find a little more pep in your step! ☕