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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

My Baby Can Read

70 replies

Monadami · 08/09/2010 23:14

I was flicking through Sky and came across an infomercial for the "My Baby Can Read" learning system by a Dr Titzer. It looked pretty impressive with babies as young as 10 months old being able to recognise words and 2 year old children able to read books.

Has anyone tried this system and if so what did you think? I'm in two minds wether to purchase it, partly because I like my 14 month old behaving like a typical young toddler, but on the other hand, would like to help him develop his learning skills.

Thanks

OP posts:

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Aitch · 08/09/2010 23:15

what is your baby going to do when he gets to school and has to sit there bored out of his tits while everyone else in the class learns to read. teach him how to hop.

Herecomesthesciencebint · 08/09/2010 23:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Roobie · 08/09/2010 23:16

Why bother? He'll learn to read when he's at school - where's the advantage in accelerating things?

Lionstar · 08/09/2010 23:18

Poor babies - makes you wonder if they ever get to be just that - babies

Most 10 year olds can read, you'd be hard pressed to tell those who "learnt" at 2 from those who learnt at 5.

WhyFrank · 08/09/2010 23:19

Spend the money on something fun instead. My DS is nearly six and bright but only starting to learn to read now. (School starts later where we live.) He's found plenty else to keep him busy all these years

NickOfTime · 08/09/2010 23:19

i wouldn't buy it. read books to him for fun, if he's going to pick it up before school, he will. (two of mine taught themselves to read early by osmosis lol)

it sounds like a nice way to relieve you of your cash, though.

Firawla · 08/09/2010 23:19

no its a waste of money, i have got it but i think it was quite a silly purchase. wouldnt recommend that you bother. and btw neither of my babies can read still! lol, but not really used it (well ds2 never cos i got it for ds1) he watched a few times but the video is not thatttt gripping? and then i thought it may not be the best way to teach reading anyway, is it not better for them 2 learn the alphabet etc, not just all these sight words? may get it out and use it when he is actually learning to read...
if you want him to learn i think you're better off playing with him some alphabet puzzles or alphabet books or something interactive with letters that you can do together and he might enjoy.
or if you want a dvd i just got this mister men alphabet hunt, its nicer than your baby can read. better cos it has the phonics letters, and more entertaining colourful etc, also a lot lot cheaper and better value! so would recommend that and some educational toys. i saw a vtech bus the other day with letters on, that looks good.
also the titzer dvds are all in american accents and uses words like diaper, which can get annoying if you are from the uk

nelliesmum · 08/09/2010 23:20

Why do you want your baby to read? The very title of the thing gives me the willies. Are you imagining yourself announcing it a antenatal group or Tumbletots or something. This isn't about the baby its about you, if you're this bored you need to get a part time job and put your Baby into some kind of childcare where he/she can enjoy being a BABY.

Orangerie · 08/09/2010 23:21

DS was identifying properly all the letters at 2 and reading at 3, and was the most advanced child in reading in Reception and Year 1. Now in Year 2.. all the children are exactly at the same level as him.

I would rather concentrate on things he can enjoy and share with other children his age. I think this is the time to learn about being social, taking risks and not taking them, about being loved, etc etc. Reading??? later please.

Orangerie · 08/09/2010 23:22

BTW we didn't put any pressure on DS to read, he just started because he was fascinated with an alphabet set of magnets that was permanently stuck in our fridge.

Orangerie · 08/09/2010 23:23

or on the fridge surface.

midnightexpress · 08/09/2010 23:33

Why on earth do you want him to be able to read books at 2? So he can sit on his own in a corner and read?

And what Aitch said. Hopping a much more useful life skill at 2 than reading.

colditz · 08/09/2010 23:36

I read early because I used to badger my mother in the middle of the night for stories. So at 3 years old, I could read my own stories.

A child who can already read should have to sit and be bored at school, he/she should be allowed to choose an appropriate book (I was allowed to choose from the juniors) and allowed to read it.

I only got a B and a C for my Englishes so the spurt didn't take me anywhere fast.

Algebra18MinusPiEquals16 · 08/09/2010 23:41

PMSL. please don't buy this crap.

he is a BABY for crying out loud!

DirtyMartini · 08/09/2010 23:42

I read at 3 and was pushed ahead at primary school because of it, and was constantly miserable because I was not doing the same stuff as everyone else, and some other kids thought I was full of myself about being clever and needed taking down a peg, etc etc. Nightmare.

It was all handled rather badly by well-meaning 70s adults, would be different now I'm sure, but really, why mess with the status quo? It won't make your baby happier to be able to read. You reading to him and cuddling him, now there's an idea that will make everyone happy :)

Algebra18MinusPiEquals16 · 08/09/2010 23:46

anyway it's not really reading, it's recognising words really.

to use an example I've used before - you could get a child to learn to recite the 50 states of the US, but what's the point if they don't know what a state (or even a country) actually is?!

y'know, cons like this confuse me... I honestly don't know whether to laugh at the insane hilarity and PFBness of it all, or to actually be really angry at the companies flogging this crap and exploiting parental anxiety!

Original poster

Monadami · 09/09/2010 00:51

Many thanks, I think you are all right and to be honest, I like my baby being a baby.

OP posts:

Algebra18MinusPiEquals16 · 09/09/2010 01:17

good :) they grow up too fast as it is, what's the rush!

why not spend some of the money you've saved (by not buying this product) on some lovely touchy-feely/noisy board books to enjoy together?

floweryblue · 09/09/2010 01:30

My mum started to teach me words young, I spoke young, then we moved to France (18 months old) so she stopped teaching me English so as not to confuse me with two languages. She was amazed when I could read English at the same time as I could read French, not sure what age but far younger than all the other bilinguals. Don't underestimate your babies' abilities to soak up all that is available to them.

Aitch · 09/09/2010 01:38

good decision, OP. keep us posted on the hopping.

SkiHorseWonAWean · 09/09/2010 07:26

I am shocked that so many think that reading "will be learned at school". Don't parents take responsibility for teaching their own children anything anymore? :(

How much time do you suppose an overstretched teacher has?

DirtyMartini · 09/09/2010 07:50

Surely people just mean it will be learned when the child is of school age, SkiHorse? That is how I'd see it anyway. I look forward to helping the dc learn at home in way that complements their schooling, but I don't plan to try and do it extra-early.

SkiHorseWonAWean · 09/09/2010 07:54

Well I think 10 months is bonkers, but I just find it strange that people wouldn't teach their own children to read - especially given the demographic of mn.

Maybe I'm just out of touch, my boyfriend's mother of 20 years ago was a reception teacher - she thought it was odd back then that people hadn't bothered to do it.

I just always thought that it was a "basic life skill" which would be taught by the parents before school, like going to the toilet/swimming/eating.

ChristianaTheSeventh · 09/09/2010 08:00

I was taught to read at home by flashcards
I went to school being able to read far too quickly, if that makes sense. And not really understand what I was reading (Jane Eyre at 5, anyone?!). To this day I have some trouble being able to slow down and appreciate the words on a page.
I was put up a year so was about 18months younger than average
I was bullied
I found it very hard to make friends
I couldn't tell anyone (least of all my pushy mother)
I have self confidence issues to this day, always looking for approval, always trying to say that I wasn't that clever, everyone caught up with me by the time I was around 10 anyway
Don't do it!

My DD has just started school and she is soaking things up like a sponge. Don't pressurise your kid. PLEASE. Take it from me. The bullying has seriously scarred me. I'm not saying your child will be bullied but WHY make things different for him when everyone else will catch up anyway.

gorionine · 09/09/2010 08:03

I would (and have) buy books for my babies that I read to them to show them that books are fun/interesting. I would not dream to try and teach a child to read at 10 month!

But, if I was seing at arround 3 they are trying for themselves I probably would not stop them and even help them but TBH it has never happened to any of my dcs.

SkiHorse, when I was little my Mum taught me to read before school and so did most mums at the time, you are right but we did start school at 6 (Switzerland) nowadays, if you want to do that before they start school, at 4, you have to start teaching them far too early when really , all they schould be doing is play and observe what is arround them.

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