I believe children should be encouraged to develop at their own pace - yes read TO them, let them see you reading around them, spend time actually talking to them, lots and about everything, even the old mundane things of life, this is how their language becomes rich and developed. It is FAR more important that a child learns to speak properly well before you can even think of encouraging them to start reading. A child's key time of language development is between 3-5 years, expose them to lots of language leading up to and at these ages. Children do not need structured learning, they need learning through play. Play is a child's work, please allow them that, there will be plenty of work coming in the school years ahead, let childhood reign while they are little!
I don't see any developmentally sound theories behind using flash cards and words with babies, the world around them should be stimulating enough for you to introduce new words into every day.
Most importantly, turn off the telly and go outside and look at the world, it's a wonderful place of learning.
Sorry it that sounds a bit ranty, but I am pretty passionate about this topic!
Having had one child who seriously resisted reading and trying to force her to do it was one of the worst experiences of my life, vs my other child who is picking up words and letters and numbers and rhymes and songs like a little sponge, I'm a big fan of letting them learn at their own pace.
If I had my time again I wouldn't have pushed the reading thing with DD#1, but it was getting close to the end of her first year at school and the teachers kept sending home all these flash cards and exercises so I felt obliged - NEVER AGAIN. I don't think doing the same thing with flash cards at a younger age would have done anything at all with DD#1, I would just have got the same horrible experience a few years earlier.
And the outside world isn't always a place of learning - you need a kid who notices things. I have one of each. #1 notices so little and listens to me even less, so it never ceases to amaze me what she *doesn't* know about simple things, while my other is the exact opposite and can spot, identify by name and then make friends with an amazing variety of bugs and plants. Its the same inside, #2 knows where every utensil, pot and pan in the entire kitchen is kept and what we use them for so it has got to the point I don't need to get anything out myself when I start cooking dinner, and conversely I cannot ask #1 something simple like 'pass me a knife' as she doesn't know where the knives are kept (in a very obvious knife block on the bench), let alone more complex things like what a can opener is so I can't even ask her to get more interesting utensils for me.
Lol nah it's ok Ausgirl! I don't think we would buy them anyway, but was just interested in what others thought about that kind of learning at such a young age.
Rumpled Elf- your DD1 sounds so much like my younger brother (who is now in year 8), he's just always been a bit of a vague kid..if you don't give him specific instructions then he just has no idea..lol. He's not stupid or anything, just a bit airy fairy, head in the clouds!
Just to put another spin on it - I have a friend (of a friend) who used the My Baby can read set on her babies and by 18 months they could recognise words and numbers etc. She didn't force them to do it, just put it on in the background while they played and often she would see them watching what was happening on the TV.
They are very well developed for 2 years old and she puts it down to this.
Each to their own I guess, I don't think I'd do it that way - I love just reading to missy and will continue to do that. She's only 4 months old but is already recognising the stories that we read at bedtime and sometimes gets a bit excited when I show her the pictures. It's so cute!!
I think it's more of a memory game than reading... I want to know what would happen if you showed them a simple word which *isn't* on one of the flash cards....
ive been thinking about it too, but $300 is pretty steep!! i just cant keep DD interested in a book, but she LOVES her flash cards and had memorised them after going thru them twice (20 cards).... maybe i should ask my oldies to buy it for xmas...
I dont' think this sort of thing is appropriate stimulation for developing baby brains. They need to interact with people and learn through experience and doing stuff,
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