Phonics

As I have mentioned, Lil Sippy Cup and I have embarked on a new daily activity: "Daddy School".

Sippy Cup has proven to be an eager and enthusiastic student and has progressed successfully through the pages of his workbooks.

In order to reinforce the lessons he learns while at "Daddy School", we incorporate educational games into our daily routines.  For example, while walking to the playground, I may ask him to point out all the objects he can find that start with the letter "S" or to count how many red cars he can see.

I was waiting to see how long it would take him before he would use his newly acquired knowledge to make me look like a fool.  It didn't take him long at all.

Sippy Cup: "Dad, the word 'Bunny Rabbit' has the letters 'R', 'T' and 'E' in it!"

Me: "Well, you got two out of three right.  The words 'Bunny Rabbit" have an 'R' and a 'T' but no 'E'. 

Good job though."

Sippy Cup: "Yes it does.  It says BUNN-EEEE."

Me: "Well, you're right, it sounds like the letter 'E' but it's actually the letter 'Y'.  It just sounds like 'E'."

Sippy Cup: "That's crazy.  It says BUNN-EEEE.  Don't you hear it?  BUNN-EEEEEEEEEEE?"

Me (grabbing a piece of paper and spelling the word out):

"No.  Look, this is how you write it. B-U-N-N-Y."

Sippy Cup: "Really?  So the toy with a string and a ball?  Is that a EE-OH EE-OH?  Noooooo!  It's a Yo-Yo.  Yuh.  Yuh.  That's the letter 'Y' sound."

Me: "Right.  I know it's confusing.  But when 'Y' is at the end of some words, it sounds like 'E'.  Do you understand?"

Sippy Cup (grabbing the paper and writing a capital E): "This is 'E'.  This is what it looks like. 

Do you understand?"

Me (sighing): "Yes.  I know.  But it ends in a 'Y'.  Just trust me. 

It sounds like 'E' but it ends in 'Y'.  Got it?"

Sippy Cup (nodding his head): "EEE-ES."

Me: "Really?  You're really going to do that?"

Sippy Cup (smiling): "EEE-EP."