Your baby can read.

[hrh_disney_queen]

Really, why would anyone care if their 8 month old baby could read or not?

I love the comment by the mom on TV about her 2(ish) year old. "He's incredibly well rounded." How ridiculous! The only well rounded aspect a baby needs is his fat belly!

 

[mouseforcemom]

I think this recent upswing of "Make your child smart before 5" is getting a bit out of hand. Let's cram as much crap into their heads as possible then treat them like little adults. Let them be kids people, so you can't wax nostalgic in a few years of "Todays kids are just growing up so fast, remember how innocent we all were." Hmmm... wonder why.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I think this recent upswing of "Make your child smart before 5" is getting a bit out of hand. Let's cram as much crap into their heads as possible then treat them like little adults. Let them be kids people, so you can't wax nostalgic in a few years of "Todays kids are just growing up so fast, remember how innocent we all were." Hmmm... wonder why.

This...

 

[Art 1]

Ahh, young mothers.

 

[locolala]

I think letting kids be kids is a great idea, but you also do have to start preparing them for the future. I'm not saying they need to be reading chapter books by kindergarten (I was but I love reading and always have) but they need to have a good base. There are tons of educational and fun toys that they can play with

 

[LaraK]

Well MY baby could design new buildings and create operas in the WOMB.

Seriously? Who cares! I will never forget my daughter's kindergarten orientation. Some mom stood up and said the the Principal "my daughter can already read novels, how does your school plan on challenging her". His response was classic "there is an enormous difference between reading and comprehending and the only skill a kindergartener needs when they begin school is the ability to hold a pencil...other than that they're pretty much starting on a even playing field for comprehension." Now I know that some kids are further along than others, but within two years, it all evened out. BTW, the kid "who could read novels" is now struggling...not that the mom will admit that.

 

[Piecey]

Ahh, young mothers.

Heeeey. I'm 22 and happy to say that Lucas can NOT read. laughing

 

[mouseforcemom]

I think letting kids be kids is a great idea, but you also do have to start preparing them for the future. I'm not saying they need to be reading chapter books by kindergarten (I was but I love reading and always have) but they need to have a good base. There are tons of educational and fun toys that they can play with

Most assuredly, I used to sell Discovery Toys. But, I wouldn't guarantee that this product or that product will in fact make them "Smarter" or more advanced. It is however helping them along with fine motor and gross motor development. They don't however improve what's there.

I guess what I am saying with regards to these "Your Baby Can Read" things is that even a monkey when given a repetitious cycle of symbols and words can eventually learn to pick out matches. Like Larak said above though it doesn't mean they comprehend it.

 

[Mermaid02]

I always say back to the tv..... "My baby can kick your baby's butt" BTW- I don't have a baby....

 

[locolala]

Most assuredly, I used to sell Discovery Toys. But, I wouldn't guarantee that this product or that product will in fact make them "Smarter" or more advanced. It is however helping them along with fine motor and gross motor development. They don't however improve what's there.

I guess what I am saying with regards to these "Your Baby Can Read" things is that even a monkey when given a repetitious cycle of symbols and words can eventually learn to pick out matches. Like Larak said above though it doesn't mean they comprehend it.

Completely agree with you . The best education you can provide your young baby is interaction, that's the best stimulation for a kid's brain. The monkeys learn that "hey, I do THIS and I get food!!" it's not that they learn "ok, this symbol looks the same as this symbol, therefore they match are are closely linked because blah blah blah". You get what I'm saying, lol.

 

[mouseforcemom]

Completely agree with you . The best education you can provide your young baby is interaction, that's the best stimulation for a kid's brain. The monkeys learn that "hey, I do THIS and I get food!!" it's not that they learn "ok, this symbol looks the same as this symbol, therefore they match are are closely linked because blah blah blah". You get what I'm saying, lol.

I get it, lol!

 

[Erin1700]

I think it is crazy too but let me tell you that my DS who just turned 3 this week can read all of the words from the commercial. He started watching the commercial months ago and he would say the words, so now if you write 'elephant' or 'clap' etc on a piece of paper, he can read it. We just giggle and think it is funny. (hmmmm maybe I should see if he can get into kindergarten on monday? haha)

 

[PollyannaMom]

I don't like it either. I used to sell Usborne Books, and when we started carrying it, I always kind of burried it in the bottom of my stuff and never mentioned it unless asked. I just don't think babies (or moms) need that kind of pressure.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I think the whole idea is ridiculous. Who cares if the kid can read, it's comprehension that matters anyway. An illiterate genius mind is still a genius mind, and the ability to read does not create a genius mind, God and nature do.

PS-I'm not saying education isn't important, of course it is important. But there is a time and place for it. Infancy and the preschool years are about social growth.

 

[torinsmom]

As a pre-K/K teacher, exposure is definitely a good thing, although I don't think you need to be using a special video or flashcards for it. I would stress the importance of reading to babies and young children daily and encouraging them to ask questions as they get older. I would also suggest limiting tv. By the time most children are 3, they can easily begin associating a symbol with a sound and it can be done in ways that is fun. I do see a big difference in the confidence level, as well as reading and writing skills of children who are introduced to reading early on vs. waiting until kindergarten. Just a few minutes a day can really help children learn to read and recognize numbers before kindergarten. JMHO

Oh, and I do have kindergartners who are reading chapter books AND comprehending them. All three of the ones I have started reading with me last year when they were 4.

Marsha

 

[kpm76]

I think the whole idea is ridiculous. Who cares if the kid can read, it's comprehension that matters anyway. An illiterate genius mind is still a genius mind, and the ability to read does not create a genius mind, God and nature do.

PS-I'm not saying education isn't important, of course it is important. But there is a time and place for it. Infancy and the preschool years are about social growth.

Exactly! If you're bright, you're bright and if you're not, well, that's just the way it goes. You can't "make" your kid smart. My DH watched a lot of cartoons as a kid and spent a good deal of time with his great-grandmother watching The Price is Right etc. His grandmother was a school psychologist and while she was studying for her degree, she tested DH and his IQ was genius level. I don't say this to brag but to illustrate that his parents were not having him read A Tale of Two Cities when he was 3 yrs old. He's just bright.....obviously, it's important to create an environment that fosters learning in fun and age-appropriate ways. This is what we are doing with our 2 year old. We read to her a lot and she loves it. We play Memory because she enjoys it. She's a kid....I want her to enjoy the freedom of being a toddler....there will be plenty of time for structured learning.....for now, we are exploring at her level and it's been great

 

[minkydog]

Ridiculous. If these parents would put more time into meaningful activities with their children, like counting trucks, playing with Legos, cooking, crafts, cutting with scissors and nature walks their kids would be both well-rounded and less stressed.

I started homeschooling when my oldest was in 3rd grade and still not reading. I had but one goal for the year: learn to read. We read, we hiked, we played, we read, we wrote, we read, we baked, we read, and by Christmas John was reading. By the next year he was reading chapters books and begging for Shakespeare(weirdo.) I always encouraged him to read for fun and he is one of the most well-read adults I know.

I did the same thing with his sister. She had a hard time learning her letters--even in 1st grade there were 3-4 she wasn't sure of. Once again the old goal came out: learn to read. Same method. Eleni learned to read and she loves to read novels. She isn't as broadly read as her brother(he loved all teh classics, she loved Harry Potter) but Literature is her best subject.

Learning to read is very individual. I think pushing pre-K kids to read is a huge mistake; it puts unnecessary pressure on very young children, for what? So they can be the smartest, fastest reader in their 1st grader class? I hate to tell you, but by the time they all reach middle school you can't tell the ones who read at 3 from the ones who read at 8.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

Heeeey. I'm 22 and happy to say that Lucas can NOT read. laughing

But he's not 8 months old yet..geez Mom, give the kid another week to be a kid!

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

I've also read that once the babies that can read at infancy reach a certain age, they level out with the ones that were taught at preschool level. So I guess if moms want to start early with their bragging rights then they can do the trained monkey act of infants (that can barely sit up) reading. I see this totally as an ego trip for the parent. JMO.

I could "read" at age 2 also. My mom had read the same book to me so many times, that I had it memorized! And God forbid someone skip a page in one of my books, I knew better. And now I am a very slow reader.

 

[marcyinPA]

I love when they say when their baby was three, they could read at a 2nd grade level. I'm thinking..yeah, but can they COMPREHEND it?.... Reading words is rather meaningless unless you can understand what you are reading.