My husband and I saw the infomercial for this program and are considering it for our 3 month old. Does anyone have any experience with it?
Thanks for all the feedback. We have decided to be old fashioned and read to her and talk to her and remember that she is just a little girl! We will buy flash cards from the teachers store eventually, but won't invest in the program that asks her to sit in front of a TV 9 times per week.
Thanks again - reality checks are very helpful!
I wouldn't listen to the responses that are so negative. There is an open window in a childs brain that absorbs way more than we can even realize. That's why learning a 2nd language in the first 5 years is easier than later in life. I want to try this myself, although my baby is already 26 months. I say try it!!!
Think about it...you are asking about a program for reading for your 3 month old child. I've seen the infomercials...I am a teacher, early childhood teacher, and I think this is silly. Let your child grow up to be a child....
Bottom line...you need to read to him...not plant him in front of the television.
Reading programs for kids that young are so ridiculous. I am a teacher, and would never think to force a child to learn to read...you could start teaching him letters and sounds at 3 or 4 years old. The most important thing is exposing your child to literature at a young age....reading aloud books, signs, making up stories, going to the library and bookstore, all things to make reading enjoyable....that way, even if for some reason he becomes a struggling reader, he will still like books and appreciate them.
Never tried it, but something that has worked well for me is "Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons". I've taught 5 of my kids using this method, and it is the easiest out of everything else I've tried. To stimulate your 3 month olds brain, try reading to him/her, and when your child gets to around 3 or 4, you can try teaching them to read. All the best to you. I hope God is with you.
Are you talking about "Your baby can read"? If yes, it is absolutely worth every cent. I would fast and eat mac & cheese for 2 months if I had to to save up for it.
It is a wonderful system. We have an 18 month old. We got started when he was 14 months. He has said over 180 words already. He actually "reads" 9 words off flash cards. Not flash cards with pictures - flash cards with words.
He asks to watch the DVD's. He goes to the tv and says "baby". He says baby because the DVD's start out wtih a baby.
I would recommend getting the complete package for 199.00. He loves the books that comes with the program, the flash cards and the DVD's.
I second Kelli H's response. You are putting the cart way before the horse. I'm a reading specialist (Master's degree) and elementary teacher (10 years experience) and I would not dream of such a thing for a child younger than 3, and maybe not even for a child under 5, depending on the program and the child. I'm not familiar with the program, but no program replaces real world experience and interactions. Even educational DVDs are nothing compared to interacting with adults, reading / listening to real books, etc.
Someone else said something about a window of opportunity...that's for learning another language orally, not learning to read. ORAL language (vocabulary development, hearing and making rhymes, being able to change certain sounds in a word to make new words, etc.) should be your BIGGEST focus for your child's first 4 or 5 years. If you introduce phonics too early (before your child is developmentally ready), you can actually do more harm than good and end up delaying your child's reading progress. There's a lot of research that backs up that statement. PM me if you want more information.
Hi Kelli and Michael---Just read to your baby, as much as possible. And read yourself. That will set the example for a wonderful lifelong experience.
I really don't think you need a special reading program to raise a good reader. I love to tell this story when we talk about reading habits. Our two boys slept together in the same room, Thomas was a little more than 4 years old when Ian was born. Thomas would read to Ian all of the time before they would go to sleep. So Ian was reading WELL before he even started kindegarten.
Follow the cues your baby gives you. When I would wear shirts or sweatshirts with words on them, my kids would always seem to point to the letters. We would always then tell them what those letters were. It kind of turned into a game as they would point to one letter then the next and we would say them and sound them out repeatedly. There are so many opportunities for 'reading' that don't require books. Just be open and look for them in every day life. You'll be amazed at how quickly your baby learns his alphabet and then how to read.
Have fun. That's what is most important right now. Merry Christmas! D.
I know nothing about this program other than watching the video on their website. It looks wonderful! Who wouldn't want their kid to be that smart?
I did want to mention that from my background in Early Childhood Eduaction, there is some debate about children learning to read through "sight words" (memorizing a group of letters and giving that group of letters a name)and learning to read "phonetically" (by sounding the word out).
I was taught that learning to read sight words can have some gaps in it's program in that when they are older and are reading what happens when they come across a word that they have not been shown prior to that time. They will not know how to sound it out.
As far as I know the inner city school teach reading by sight words and now that these kids are out getting jobs they are discovering some problems with reading. Only because you can never study every word they will ever encounter.
So, you might be able to so that now and later teach your child to read phonetically too. Although once they have been taught one way it is difficult to switch gears and teach a new way.
All that to say good for you for asking and I would do a little more research on it. Call some schools and talk to some teachers.
It is an absolute JOY to see your child learn something new and succeed! I am not sure of anything worth more to a mom than that!
Blessings to you as you watch your child learn!
I have not tried it but I would suggest just letting your child go at their own pace - all kids learn at different rates - my twins spoke and read early as I read to them every day for at least an hour. I think that probably helps more than putting them in front of a learning DVD. Use every opportunity to show them language - shopping, at the mall, on cereal cartons at breakfast etc and they will soon pick it up..
I like it, we got it as a gift and my son LOVES the DVD's. He says some words from it, and the flashcards are great but I honestly don't use it as much as I initially thought I would. All kids develop at their own rate, and sometimes I feel like I am pushing him too much before he is ready. Plus he learns most of his words from home and daycare. I am not sure how expensive it is, can't say for certain I would buy it myself. Can you buy one DVD to try or do you need to buy the whole set? I guess it would depend on that.
