It’s good to be reminded of encouraging and helpful ideas. So this week we’re bringing you a reprise of one of our most popular articles. We hope you enjoy this best-of post.

Teaching your child to read can seem like a daunting task. I remember the fear and trepidation I felt with my first child. I was so afraid I was going to do it wrong and ruin her. I could just imagine the whole sad scenario: I would make one mistake in teaching her how to read and it would mean all the difference. She would never read. She could never go to college or get a good job. She would end up a bitter old woman who hated her mother because I messed up teaching her how to read! (Isn’t it amazing how our minds go down those dark paths so quickly?!)

The truth of the matter is, if you surround your child with good conversation and a literature-rich environment, she’s most likely going to do most of the heavy lifting herself. In fact, you will have a hard time preventing her from learning how to read—when she is ready.

And that’s the key.

So much of the process of teaching your child to read is based on readiness: When is my child ready to take the next step?

So let’s talk about some of those signposts, some cues you can watch for to see when your child is probably ready to move on in the process.