Can I have a totally non-stealthy boast?

[VinegarDrinker]

To save my RL/FB friends from it?

I posted a little while back about DS being fascinated by the alphabet, reading etc. He is just a little sponge and learnt the phobic alphabet off his own back by constantly pestering us to tell him what letters said.

Anyway today, I decided to see if he would "get" blending, so following advice from my previous thread I Googled some "cvc" words and wrote them on his little whiteboard to see if he could attempt to sound them out. Well, he worked out over 30+ words, sounding out and blending them himself! The best bit was how chuffed he was with himself "Mummy I'm reading those words!"

Btw I have no illusions about this "meaning" anything in the longer term in terms of his intelligence or anything, just a bit at how much there is going on in that little head.

(He is just coming up for 2y4m btw)

[HeadFairy]

is the phobic alphabet any different to the phonic alphabet? :o

[HeadFairy]

well done to your ds btw :)

[VinegarDrinker]

Lol he clearly gets his reading and writing skills from his Dad!

[HeadFairy]

:o

He's obviously got a natural affinity with reading.

[Smartieaddict]

Wow, boast away. he sounds like a really clever little boy!

[VinegarDrinker]

Thanks :)

HeadFairy that is totally right. He learns things naturally because they fascinate him, it's fab to see and I hope he doesn't lose it, but otoh I would be just as proud if his fascination was mud pie building

[Onemole]

Well done to your DS!

I think it was a good idea to post here rather than on facebook though because people can be a bit funny about this sort of thing. I'm assuming DS is your first?

I speak as the mother of Dd1, 5.4 who is struggling to do what your toddler son can do easily, Dd2, 3.3 who was reading hundreds of words before 2 and now just reads anything and everything (can also multiply, add up, share out equally, all round brain-box you get the idea) and DS, 13 months who likes to eat books. I didn't teach Dd2 phonics, she figured it out for herself having learned to read at a basic level through word recognition.

A couple of people I know (with same age children) have been ok with the fact that Dd1 is struggling but when they've found out by accident that Dd2 is doing so well they have been a bit funny about it. I have been accused of hot-housing!

[VinegarDrinker]

Onemole thanks very much for your reply. I rarely mention anything about what DS can do to my RL friends as I've found it almost impossible to do without sounding like showing off, especially as our NCT group is all boys, some with very little language yet (obviously well within normal).

Nevertheless sometimes it's obvious (eg he was reading bus numbers by 18 months and delighted in shouting when out and about "that's a 123 bus, goes to X") and friends do ask what we've 'done' and how they can 'teach' their kids whatever.

I've had the hothousing comments too. Honestly does anyone really think you can teach a toddler to be interested in something they aren't?! DS can't jump with two feet yet - I can't teach him to do that any more than I could 'teach' his little buddies to sound out phonics!

[Onemole]

Yes, you're best not to say anything in real life as some people see it as a slight on their children. It's sad but true! Dd2's NCT group was 11 boys and her so I used to use 'oh but girls are usually a wee bit quicker at talking etc'

I agree sometimes it is obvious. Dd2 loved to shout out car colours when we were walking down the street at 11 months old and then registration plates six months later. Needless to say, we got some odd looks and a few comments about hot-housing then but the worst one happened recently.

A family recently moved not far from us and they have two Dds about the same ages as ours. Their Dd1 is top of the class, effortlessly brilliant at everything she does and six book bands higher than most of the class.
The mum was chatting away while kids were on a play date and was droning on about how bright her Dd1 is and how the school 'just aren't challenging her' when she knows fine well my Dd1 is struggling.

Anyway, she had this school hand book with her and my Dd2 picked it up, flicked it open and asked 'what's differentiation Mummy?' Oh how I wish I had made a video of her face! She sputtered something about not believing in hot-housing her 3 year old, made her excuses and left. I haven't heard from her again!

Oh and Dd2 couldn't jump with two feet until she was nearly 3.

[crazeelaydee]

Well done to your Ds! . I love to hear a good boast, it's very rare I get to do it!

Must admit though in RL it did used get on the old lady lumps when my SIL harped on about DN being absolutely amazing at writing/spelling/reading at 3, until my brother swapped roles with SIL and I saw a poem with spelling mistakes on the kitchen wall.....awful I know (love my DN to bits and she is really bright) but it did give me a great sense of satisfaction.