Teach Your Baby to Read

So you have seen the commercials and morning shows that feature 2 year old children reading. You've started to get worried that your child may be left behind if you don't invest in the
Your Baby Can Read System. Oh yes, I used the word invest because it is a hefty sum. You buy a bunch of learning dvd's (forgetting that too much television rots the brain). You run around like a chicken with its head cut off and forget that you read well and never had any of the new early childhood development kits. Did you know that by 3rd or 4th grade, most children are on the same level? No matter what, where, or when they started, their comprehension of math and reading is on target with children of the same age. However I know that there are still parents who are convinced that their child is advanced and in line to be recognized as the next genius. If you are truly interested in teaching your child to read, start with the basics and build upon them. Here is a routine that I have done with my daughter since she was around 5 months:

Items Needed: A pack of alphabet flash cards, books

1. With a clear and steadily paced voice, sing the alphabet while showing each card with the uppercase letters.

2. Say the alphabet while showing each card with the lower case letter.

3. Once your have repeated this for several weeks, help your child practice saying each letter. (This step will only work if your child is able to babble or talk.)

4. After several more weeks have passed, say the alphabet letter. Then iterate the consonant letter sound. For example say "B" and then say "buh." Keep making the consonant sound until your child does it. Then give them praise by clapping or smiling.

5. Most importantly READ to your child. Books with one sentence per page can be very helpful in learning individual words.

This is only the beginning, but it will help your child understand the basics of learning to read.
Be careful about how you teach your child to read. There has been evidence that "sight" or "whole word reading" can be detrimental. I will blog about the differences in an upcoming post. Remember, In the long run it doesn't matter whether your child reads at 2 or 7. What matters is that they become a literate adult that understands how to master their language by comprehending and conveying meaning to other people.

Copycat Parents

Have you had to deal with a copycat parent? You know the the one I'm talking about. She buys every new toy that you buy your child, she starts adjusting her child's learning activities to yours, she even starts to copy your home life. What to do? Although you may struggle with the decision to be around this person, it is much better to end your relationship. Please note that I did not say distance yourself, I said END THE RELATIONSHIP. If you continue to associate with the person, you will subject yourself to unhealthy emotional stress, exhibit competitive behavior, and second guess the development of your child. Every parent experiences a little of this, but when you are around someone on the extreme end of the spectrum, you must let the person go. You may feel guilty about separating your child from their friend and you may feel as if you are not trying hard enough. However, allow a few weeks to pass, and a spirit of peace will enter your heart to let you know you did the right thing. Please leave a comment if you have ever experienced this situation.

Baby Crying All the Time

     I should have know it was too good to be true.  For so many months we had a pleasant daughter and now that her one year birthday is approaching, she has become a cry baby.  Whenever she cannot have what she wants, she cries.  If we don't feed her fast enough she cries.  If I am looking in another direction she cries.  My husband asked me if she is like this all day.   Although I wanted to say "Yes Knucklehead,"  I kindly replied "Yes and it's wearing me thin.  Please ask your Mom to come and help out."  

     At this moment she is in her swing and enjoying some down time.  Each day I play a music or book CD so that she can swing quietly and spend time with herself.  She really enjoys it and so do I.  All the books say that this is part of separation anxiety, but I'm pretty sure it's her new way of communication.  Although I know that she is a baby and feels that crying is going to get her the best response, I need some help in teaching her other ways of communication before I go batty.  I'm thinking of teaching her some simple sign language.  Any suggestions?

From Bottle To Sippy Cup

Last week, I put away my daughter's bottle and she is now happy with a sippy cup. She was already drinking from a regular cup, but that can be VERY messy for an 11 month old if Mommy isn't holding the cup. I started introducing the sippy cup a few weeks ago but when she was sleepy she would still want her bottle. One night last week, she was so tired that she didn't realize she was drinking from her cup and not the bottle. That was my cue to put away nipple once and for all. The 2 days following this, she tried to hold out for her bottle and throw her sippy cup on the floor, but she finally realized it wasn't coming back. I didn't realize how fussy she would be, because at 7 months she would take her cup with no problem. However it has occurred to me that as the memory improves, an item can easily be remembered as an object of comfort. I have paid a range of prices for the cups that she has now, but she drinks from them all with no problem. The next time I have a child, I will try to wean him or her from the bottle at 6 months since they still have a relatively short memory then. LOL.

4 Baby Pegs (teeth)

My little 11 month old girl has 4 little pegs now. The diarrhea wasn't so bad when the last 2 came in. There was only a day of runny poop and a slight fever. She is biting every thing in site ESPECIALLY paper. I never knew paper tasted so good.