Let Babies be Babies (Reading when Ready)

I have been seeing infomercials lately for programs that teach babies to read. Teach your baby to read… What is the hurry? Why do we need babies to read?

Although I understand the entrepreneurship of those creating new products and marketing them to a target audience, I do not understand parents who are pushing their children to excel too soon.

Our brains are a wonderful piece of machinery. Babies are born doing what they need to do (breathe, suck, cry), and as they mature cognitively, they are able to do more things. Brain development has its natural rhythm and pace with neural pathways being formed and connections being made and strengthened as babies grow. Babies interact with their environment which enhances brain development. They learn through their senses and motion. So, as they begin to touch, grasp, taste, reach, and crawl, their brains naturally expand to accommodate their growing world. When adults try to supersede this natural development by introducing reading, flash cards or even potty training too early, then the natural development is disrupted. An area of the brain that needed to naturally develop is overshadowed by another area of the brain which is being forced into premature development by activities inappropriate for the baby’s age.

There is no need to do this or panic that a baby will not “be smart enough.” The best activity for healthy brain development is play. Until the age of 7, play will provide the brain with the majority of stimulation needed for healthy growth.

Children will naturally want to have the same book read to them repeatedly; hang upside down or spin; build block towers and knock them down; and ask the same question over and over. These activities are building and strengthening neural pathways that are needed for academic achievement later in life.

The best part of play for babies and toddlers is parents. The interactions that parents have with their children when they get down on the floor and play provides the best stimulation and brain enhancement available today—and it’s FREE! Trust in your child’s natural development. When they are ready, they will pick up a book and “play read.” This will evolve into learning words, and then eagerly reading on their own. Learning should be fun, and children are naturally curious. Allow them to grow and develop in a way in which their bodies are wired, and know that they are getting all they need.

Michelle Farias lives in San Antonio, Texas and is a mother of two and happily married for 9 years. She is a former therapist, and now works as a life coach.