Hi, I’m Courtney. I’m a working mom and someone who has spent way too many hours Googling “how to make phonics fun” at 11pm.
I started Eckert Edit because my son’s journey with reading didn’t look like the textbook version. He’s bright, curious, and hilarious, but traditional phonics instruction? Not his thing. Worksheets made him stabby. Flashcards: immediate no. And I felt like I was failing him. I LOVE to read…how could my son not?
So I did what any slightly obsessive parent-slash-researcher does: I went deep. I read the studies, talked to teachers, joined the parent forums, and started buying every educational game I could find. Some were amazing. Some were terrible. A few actually made him want to practice reading, and that changed everything.
This site is where I share what I’ve learned along the way. The games and tools I recommend here are things I’ve actually used with my own kid…not just products I found on a “top 10” list somewhere. I write honest reviews because I know how frustrating it is to spend $25 on a game that collects dust after one use.
A few things to know about me
I’m sarcastic to. a. fault. It’s my love language and I hope you won’t take offense. Sometimes, things are really hard and a good inappropriate joke can bring me out of that funk. There is always hope to be had and you will always find a way. Find the things that give you an emotional break. Being a parent who has to show up in the ways you weren’t expecting to or prepared for…that’s a big deal and you deserve grace. Or offensive jokes. Find your thing.
I firmly believe that kids who struggle with reading aren’t broken. They can still be president. They just need a different door in. If your kid hates phonics, that doesn’t mean they hate learning. It usually means the method isn’t clicking. That’s what this site is about: finding the methods that click.
And while I’m laying it all out there, I need to be super upfront: I care about words, clarity, and getting things right. But I’m not a teacher, a reading specialist, or a speech-language pathologist. I’m a parent sharing what’s worked in our house. When I write about phonics concepts, I’m translating what I’ve learned from the experts, not claiming to be one. I’ll do my best to link to research or trusted sources because I’m a natural skeptic and you should be too.
About the recommendations
I’m not interested in becoming an influencer. I’ve got a full time job that I love, but as I’ve accumulated all this knowledge, much of it the hard way, I wanted to find a way to share it with others so maybe what I’ve learned can save someone else some time. I’m trying to document the things I wish I’d known.
And in exchange for the time, I’ve got some affiliate links where they make sense. There’s never a cost to you, but if you click a link and make a purchase, I earn a small commission. I only recommend products I’ve personally used and genuinely believe in. You can read my full affiliate disclosure here.
Thanks for being here. If you’re a parent in the trenches of phonics homework, just know: you’re doing a great job, and your kid is going to be okay. Or they won’t and you will just funnel that college money into therapy. Maybe drugs. You do you.
— Courtney