For over 20 years, I’ve spent my days in classrooms, early childhood programs, and one-on-one with struggling readers. I’ve worked as a literacy coach, teacher, and reading intervention specialist.But long before all of that… I was a mom trying to teach my own kids to read — and realizing just how confusing and overwhelming it could be.I tried the workbooks, the phonics apps, the sight word drills. And I watched my kids (and later, hundreds of students) feel frustrated, discouraged, and defeated.The truth was: Most reading instruction was skipping over the most important step.Everything changed when I discovered how essential phonological and phonemic awareness skills are. These simple, sound-based activities are the real foundation of reading — and yet, most programs overlook them.Once I shifted my approach, I watched my students thrive. Their confidence grew. Reading finally clicked.