Looking for Information for My 14 Mo. Old in Terms of Education.

I don't want to sound harsh, but just relax! She's little. With a sibling on the way soon, she may even regress as the infant gets more attention. And yes, "birth to three" is for delayed kids.

Having said that, read to her. Every day. Talk to her, don't change your vocabulary/talk down to her, let her know now that it's OK to ask what something means if she doesn't understand a word. As she gets older, let her know she's smart but tell her that doesn't mean that she shouldn't seek out challenges--there was a recently released study that says that kids who grow up being told they are smart/knowing they are smart can lead to less success as an adult because things tend to come easily to them and they haven't really learned to deal with challenges. With our son, now 5, we emphasize the importance of working towards goals and persevering at a task without giving up. We provide him with challengining situations and praise him for rising to a challenge.

I would also caution you against pushing her at this age. Learning should be fun! If learning becomes a chore, she will rebel against it. Good luck!

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I had a 14 month old like yours once. She's now 26, successful, happy and my best friend. She was also my first child. I thought that she must be 'gifted' to be so verbal and bright! (Until I read about true genius babies that you can take grocery shopping and they can calculate sales prices for you...) My point is, that many parents, especially first time parents, who have spent so much time and love teaching their babies, find that their child is taking in all that information like the little sponges they are, and they give it back to please you. (and aren't we so happy with them! They know this!) The key is to make a child Love Learning! You may find that by kindergarten,your babe knows every color of the rainbow, but if she can't get along with Joey, you'll have a problem with Mrs. Smith. You may even find that by first grade, your genius has leveled off and is doing great in school, but certainly not skipping grades! (ps..You do not want that for your kid. A 14 year old with 16 year old friends still gets into the car and rides away. You just have to make sure that putting on a seat beat is an automatic response, always.) Here's my bottom line...READ to your kids always. Expose them to all kinds of experiences, all kinds of different people. TALK to them about everything. When they won't volunteer information, talk about yourself, about Your Day! Then they open up like flowers! This works with teens, who are notoriously secretive! Your job is to make your children into good people; honest, loving, and responsible. Have faith that the educators in her life will challenge her. If they don't, you MUST champion your child. My daughter was an independent free thinker, even at two. She dressed herself, always. She liked the stripes with the flowers with the tights with the hat...her nursery school teachers just smiled. Now she looks fantastic as she goes off to work in her new car and with a smile on her face. At a certain point in a child's life, they start to create their own destiny...they work hard for themselves, not for you any more. Your attitude in parenting will bring this change about naturally. Cherish these years when your daughter and your new baby (congratulations!) are tiny to love them and teach them and show them their new world. They will have plenty of time in the educational system, but some of the real magic happens at home. All my kids went to college, it was just an accepted fact that they would. They are also expected to make a living. We have helped them find a path they love, and I must say that my sons are also in fields that they will excel in.
The wisdom of parenting is sometimes in knowing when to act, and when to just sit and snuggle! Your job is love and guidance, but as they say, the greatest of these is love!

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hi J.,

Education is so important. Keep right on doing what you are doing with your daughter. Keep reading to her and teaching her. Schools today have accelerated programs for the brighter child as well as the slower child. I too have a son who is bright and he was doing addition with carrying numbers at the age of 31/2. I also read out loud to him before bed until the age of 10. To keep things fun for him and not make him feel like a little kid I let him read one page then I read the next page. Sometimes if my throat hurt I asked him to read the next page for me. He felt important.
When you read to your daughter you should also read to your baby that is due. Sounds crazy but it is nurturing and calming.
I also have a daughter in which I did the same exact thing.
They both are doing great in school and they are recognized in school.
The library is a wonderful place to visit and they have programs for children as young as 3 yrs of age. My kids loved going. Barnes and Noble also have programs. Check them out.

Good luck and keep on teaching!!
D.

Why not be a do it yourselfer? Look into homeschooling- there are lots of people who homeschool because they don't find the local schools to be stimulating enough for their children.

Hi J.,

You don't mention where you live, so I cannot recommend any place in particular, but at 14 months, if you are home with your baby and she has so much knowledge to build on, why don't you go ahead and do just that. Keep teaching her the alphabet through songs and letter recognition. Keep reinforcing the colors and go on with numbers, etc. This is all basic curriculum for Pre-K so you could get a Pre-K workbook at a school supply or online (or even at the 99 cent store sometimes!) to guide you. Write the alphabet and colors, etc. and post them for her to look at when she'd like, no stress and no force whatsoever. You will this way continue to nurture her ability and thirst for learning. Don't rush her into anything, she WILL thrive and find her place because you are AWARE and have her best interest in mind!
Best to you
D.

P.S. There is a website called www.enchantedlearning.com from which I have printed (you subscribe for $20 a year) many materials for different learning stages. Check it out!

Hi J.. How exciting to enjoy a child with such a rich, expanding mind. You do have choices, and they needn't be attached to any formal approaches to education. In fact, I'm not at all sure that that would be most helpful for your child since educational pedagogy can go all across the board. Rather, immerse her in language, culture, and the experience of the natural world. You have all you need to do that, immediately. To start, surround her with good children's literature. Keep your library card in vigorous use. Expose her to *good* children's, classical, and world music and art. When she's older, make sure she is exposed to live performances of the arts--all kinds, until you discover what she likes most. Until then, make sure she experiences the outside: nature is messy, instructive, and expansive. Let her soak it in for her whole childhood, quite apart from diagrams and charts and books. There is teaching, and there is living. Diversity of experience will nourish her inside and out. Have fun!

I'm a mom of 5, ages 7,5,4,2, and 6 months. When my oldest was about 3 or 4 I was given a packet called Brighter Vision. It comes with a work book, storybook, stickers and a couple crafts. They run about $17.98 a month first shipment is free. That's with Shipping and handling included. They have different age ranges starting from ages 1- about 8. Each kit is based on their age. It really helped with excelling my daughter in Kindergarten. I think the website is www.brightervision.com It's a great tool in getting to spend extra time devoloping your childs learning skills. I'm not sure if this is something you're wanting to do but look into it. Since each package is different it's something fun to look forward to each month without breaking the bank and you can cancel at anytime. Good luck with everything :)

Children are little sponges they pick up everything. My best advice is looking for smart toys...leap frog had some really great ones...and there are lots other available, I wouldn't be pushy just make everything fun...pointing things at at the stoe and on signs...I was so surprized when just by playing with blocks my 16month old was able to tell me all the letters in the taco bell sign...I thought wow even out of context he's getting it...just make sure that as she gets older you don't fall into the "you're so smart trap" things came so easily to my oldest and everyone tells him how smart he is, he's come to believe that smart means he doesn't need to try. My husband and I reward effort not outcome and it really seems to work. I don't think classes are always the answer there are so many ways to teach without the child even know they are learning, go to the zoo, use money not credit when you shop....it's endless. Have fun and goodluck!

Sounds like your little one IS really bright! You must be so proud! I know we comment all the time how bright our dd is (2.5) yet I know there are smarter kids out there!

I graduated in Child Development and do a lot of research as a hobby now (sahm). I, too, was an underachiever in high school (never pushed to my potential) but did quite well in college; so I completely understand!

I just wanted to comment that many experts believe that at this age, children learn best through play. My suggestion is to make sure you have a variety of educational toys (it sounds like you do) and do research on what is normal for her age... look at what is normal for the next step up and beyond... see if she is doing all those things... and just work on them during her normal days. I look for "teachable" moments with my daughter... and through that she has learned all her colors (has known them for quite awhile). For example, she has a toy and I'll talk about it's colors, etc. "You have the green frog... what does a frog say?" Now, I'm trying to work more on letters... so we talk more about them as we're reading and also I get books that are alphabet specific. She also has the alphabet leapfrog magnet toy. Now I might say, "that's a frog... Frog starts with the letter "F"." I'm not sure if that's the best way to teach her... but it can't hurt!

I'm sure you are doing a ton for her already! READ READ READ! I think until she is 3 or so, the BEST thing for her is to learn through play. they learn physics/chemistry through playing with water (different size cups) and other "manipulatives" like sand/rice... you could set up her high chair or something where she can watch you cook and talk about what you are doing. she can learn so much by you just talking to her and showing her what she's doing.

Get involved in programs at the library... library lapsit. Social skills are very important, too... and help your child learn a ton.. so get her around other kids. It will also help you see where she stands with other children.

MUSIC... drums, rhythm toys... singing, dancing, nursery rhymes with motions... these all teach children more about how to communicate and more about the spoken language.

I've also read some great ideas for having theme days or weeks at home. For example, if you're working on colors... have a "green" day... where you show her alot of things that are green... put green food coloring in some food... look at green books, dress in green, etc. Or working on letters... talk about all the things that start with the letter "J"... eat foods that start with "J", etc. This could be done with whatever you want to teach your dd.

if these things don't satisfy you... see if there is a local Child Development specialist (is there a university nearby?) and contact them to see what ideas they may have. If not a possibility, I'm sure you can find a number of resources online.

Just don't push her too hard, especially at this age! Learning is soooo fun for them, now... you don't want to squelch that! Don't let the OPPOSITE of what happened with you and I happen to her.

HTH and let us know what you decide to do!

darci

SORRY SO LONG!!!!

J.,
I don't know of anybody who will take a gifted child so young, but there are several things you can do do help her until she is old enough to go to a formal pre-school. First, find learning games suitable for her or even a little (not too much, or she will get frustrated) advanced. Let her play with them. Do not try to push her, just let her explore. Start making a game of counting, alphabet, colors, shapes, letter sounds, and anything else you think is appropriate. If you can find learning videos such as Leapfrog alphabet, Sesame Street's Learning About Numbers, and Learning about Letters, she can watch and will pick up on the numbers, letters, and letter sounds. She might not yet respond to regualar methods of learning, but if you make a game or song out of it, she will be all over it.
Good Luck, and feel free to contact me with any questions, and I would be happy to help.
C. T

You do sound like one of "those" moms. Of course you're proud of your child, and it sounds like she's doing well. Your child sounds healthy and normal. So many people (including me with my first) think their child is unusually advanced, and some certainly are, but when you start hearing that from practically every new mom, you realize that children generally are bright and capable of learning WAY more than people think they can. Another thing new moms tend to not be aware of is just how much variety there is in terms of development speed and sequence. Luckily, we all have different strengths and abilities, and babies and tots are no different. I think it may be a mistake to worry about programs, etc. for nurturing her apparent talents - she's extremely young.
My advice is to keep doing what you're doing, talk to her lots, read to her lots, play with her lots, and keep the TV off if you have one.
I was placed in a gifted program at school, which led me to believe that having high IQ and test scores meant I was smart, so I didn't have to work as hard, which was detrimental, because then I didn't. Current wisdom on the subject is to avoid praising your kids as "smart" because then they will experience frustration when they fail (and fail they must inevitably), because they don't think failure is part of being "smart". Instead, you should praise them for their efforts, for working hard, etc. Don't give your baby a neurosis by telling her she's "accelerated" - any more than you would tell her she's "slow" if she were, which you of course wouldn't. Maybe your child is unusually intelligent, maybe she's got a fabulous memory, and will win the Nobel Prize! Time will tell, but right now, attention and love from you is the best education she can receive. You're building the foundation from which all else will follow. It's the most important thing of all.

I would google gift and talented kids in the area you live... They should give you some directions.
Good luck

Hi J.,

Your daughter sounds like a delightful one year old! I think that kids are just so smart nowdays and many so verbal that we do like to think that they're advanced, but at her age, I don't believe that she could possibly be evaluated.

I would say to continue exposing her to things that she enjoys. Read to her and give her plenty of books that she can look at on her own, as well as plenty of imaginative toys: musical instruments, puppets, etc.

I would say not to push her. First remember, she is just a baby, months away from being 1 1/2. Even if her intelligence is advanced, her maturity level is still one year, two months. Also keep in mind that as a parent and an educator in the public school system, I can tell you that the parents who have taught their kids to read and do addition/subtraction before kindergarten are not doing their kids a favor. Where I live and teach, our whole kindergarten curriculum is focused around literacy and teaching kids to be beginning readers. When a child knows the curriculum already, boredom sets in and our school system doesn't have an alternative program for these children.

I know that some posters suggested "educational" videos, etc. but keep in mind that the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend ANY television before the age of two - their learning should come from hands on experiences.

Good luck with your wonderful little girl and the new babe on the way

M.

It sounds like your daughter is advanced. When will she turn 2? And how is she with separation from you? You could try to find a Montessorri program for 2 year olds (if she'll turn 2 by Dec. 1). This way she'll progress at her own pace and learn from those children that are older than she is. Again she seems a little young for school, but if you think she'll do fine with separation and you want her to flourish academically, then this may be an option for you.

We all want to save our children from the injustices felt about our upbringing and there is nothing wrong with that per se. I do this myself and I conatantly have to remind myself they are not me. From my experience and observation I think a parent should be with their child where they are at. Meaning if she is into learning the alphabet awesome sing it do games do puzzles read read read. I recommend that you don't make her do schoolie things in the name of education if she is not interested. Feed her passions, enjoy her love her and play with her the rest will come. All my children went to a small local nursery school a few hours a week and they loved it. All children develop on their own time table and when you have an early verbal child is it easy to get excited that they are over the top brilliant.I would also be cautious of the message you send your daughter about being so bright. Perhaps this is what happened to you in that everyone told you you were so smart and you felt you had to live up to something. It is a lot of pressure on a child to be what someone else sees them as. My 2cents :)!
Anne Marie

Since she is so young I would recommend that you work with her. Push her a little. Ask her to do things & teach her things that are beyond her 'developmental maturity'. Get her on the computer if you haven't already. I recommend the Reader Rabbit software.

My son was very bright as a toddler and so I pushed him. So did my daycare provider. He was doing addition, subtraction & multiplication at 4! Next year when he's in the first grade, I expect he'll have a little jump on things...

Depending on where you live, there are great private and public classes for children between the age of 6 months and 24 months. We live in Manhattan and have taken our 16 month old to three different classes: Move Baby Move (not very education, very focused on motor skills and following instructions), Music Together, and Little Maestros. While these are music oriented, there are certainly other types of instruction out there and usually offered by the same companies. You should also look into the YMCA - much cheaper classes and of great quality.

Montessori schools are amazing. My son started at 18 months. Most don't accept kids that young but perhaps there is one in your area. I'm in Toronto, Ontario.

well for her age she does seem accelerated

I would suggest you enroll her into a class,
Bristol has a childrens museum ,

Also very handy, are the baby einstein video's
there is one for words, numbers, art, music,everything

and there are baby einstein flashcards,

and Hooked on Phonics had for 99 dollars a learn to read
for toddlers

I HIGHLY suggest that, as this is what i plan to purchase for my children

Hope this helps

M