Why I’m Still Showing Up for Young Readers
For the past two years, I’ve had the joy of serving as a reading tutor through AmeriCorps at Bailey Elementary. I spent my days reading with K–3 students; helping them sound out words, discover new books, and grow in confidence as readers. And honestly, I loved it.
It wasn’t just about the literacy skills, though we worked hard on those, too. It was about creating connection, celebrating small wins, and watching a child go from unsure to steady, from quiet to proud. It was about being a calm, trusted presence in their day.
As my time with AmeriCorps was winding down, I kept thinking:
I’m not ready to stop.
I thought I would be. I thought I’d close that chapter and focus fully on my health and wellness coaching practice. But something in me kept tugging:
“Maybe I don’t have to give it up. Maybe there’s room for both.”
And that’s where this new summer offering came from.
💡 Coaching Is Coaching
In my wellness coaching work, I help adults build better habits, manage stress, and create sustainable change. And what I’ve realized is—whether I’m coaching a 42-year-old to improve sleep or a 7-year-old to read the word “stop,” the foundation is the same:
Meet them where they are
Build on what’s already working
Go one small, doable step at a time
Focus on confidence, not perfection
Whether I’m guiding a client toward healthier routines or helping a child break down a tricky word, it’s still coaching and it’s still connection. And I love both.
🎉 The Joy of Reading Together
Reading with kids has always felt special to me. During COVID, I homeschooled my first and third grader and helped them stay on track with reading. I’ve coached our school’s Battle of the Books teams for four years, and I’ve always been the adult who genuinely loves talking about what kids are reading.
I also believe learning should be fun, not forced. I bring games, movement, and creativity into sessions because when kids are engaged, they learn better. I had students who didn’t want to leave when their session ended. Others stopped by just to peek in and see what game we were playing that day. That joy matters.
But it wasn’t just about fun, it was about trust.
I got to know each child. I listened to what they liked and brought that into our sessions. Dinosaurs? Unicorns? A love of silly words? I used it all. Because when kids feel seen, they show up more fully. They try harder. They start to believe in themselves.
So This Summer, I’m Showing Up Differently—But I’m Still Showing Up
I’ve officially wrapped up my time with AmeriCorps, and I’m stepping more fully into my wellness coaching practice. But I’m bringing reading with me.
This summer, I’m offering a new program under Cardinal Wellness Coaching:
Cardinal Literacy Coaching: Reading with Confidence
It’s a seasonal literacy coaching program for kids entering Kindergarten through 4th grade—and it’s built around the same philosophy that guides everything I do:
Start where you are
Build trust
Focus on strengths
Let growth be joyful
Each session is 1-on-1, 30 minutes, and tailored to your child’s pace and needs. We’ll focus on letter sounds, decoding, fluency, and most of all, confidence.
Because learning to read isn’t just about skills, it’s about discovering that you can do something that once felt hard. And that’s a feeling worth nurturing.
💛
Amy
