How to Raise a Child Who Loves to Read | Maya Smart

Fan Mail: Tell Wendy how you're saying yes to yourself!New in 2026: Space to Dream Retreats Around the World What if your next chapter could begin in a beautiful city, with a few quiet hours just for you?Space to Dream is a half-day, in-person workshop experience designed to help you step out of the noise and into a moment of intentional pause—one that invites clarity, softness, and possibility. Hosted in inspiring destinations around the world, this experience is for women ready to say yes to what’s next.📍City dates & registration now open.Welcome to the Say YES to Yourself! Podcast—the show for midlife women, empty nesters, and anyone navigating life after divorce, burnout, or big transitions. If you're ready to shed cultural expectations, reconnect with your true self, and put your joy first—you’re in the right place.In this episode, Wendy is joined by Maya Smart, author of Reading for Our Lives, to explore what it means to raise confident readers. Maya offers grounded, compassionate insight on how literacy begins earlier than we think and how connection, presence, and storytelling shape who our children's future with language.They explore:Why talking to babies and toddlers—long before they speak—lays the foundation for literacyHow everyday moments like naming, pointing, and narrating build essential brain connectionsThe difference between recognizing letters and truly understanding languageIf you’re navigating parenting, teaching, or simply loving a child through the early years, this conversation offers an encouraging look at literacy that remind us presence matters more than perfection. Connect with Maya:Instagram @mayasmartyPinterestMayaSmart.comGet her book, Reading for Our Lives.Referenced in this Episode:Natalie WexlerJulie Bogart________________________________________________________________________________________Connect with Wendy:LinkedinInstagram: @wendy.harropFacebook: Phineas Wright HouseWebsite: Phineas Wright House PWH Farm StaysPWH Curated Experience and TravelInterested in being a guest on the show? Send your pitch to [email protected] Production By Shannon Warner of Resonant Collective Want to start your own podcast? Let's chat!If this episode resonated, follow Say YES to Yourself! and leave a  5-star review. It helps more women in midlife discover the tools, stories, and community that make saying YES not only possible, but powerful.