When should I start teaching DD stuff?

[LuckySalem]

DD is 5 months old and I know probably too early but.....

When do I start teaching her things.. I mean like if I want something I say "ta" when she gives it to me, is this too young to be doing this?
Also if she starts crying, I look away until she stops then pick her up and deal with whatever's wrong - although at the moment, this only works when she's tired and wants bed.

I'm just really aware that I don't want her to grow up into an unruly child (I know terrible 2's etc)

Lucky - I know it's early (at 5 months!) but are you aware of the educational concept of learning styles?

The idea as I understand it is that some of us learn through hearing; some through doing; some through touching; some through looking...etc etc

So to read to some children is just what they need but lots of kids need to touch/see/smell what they are learning/experiencing.

So chewing a book is fine! Prob best to source cloth or plastic books though .

you don't need to 'teach' your dd anything, just make sure she has every oportunity to learn stuff. Babies start learning from day one, well from before that even, and growing up in a secure loving stimulating environment is the best possible thing to allow them to learn to their full potential.

For god's sake though, don't look away when she's crying, pick her up and comfort her!

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No No No. There's nothing worse than hearing a parent saying "Say TAAAAAA". Sets my teeth on edge.

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me too

cringeworthy

talk to her normally. Use normal words, not 'baby' words.

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Research suggests that it's far better to used shortened word forms with babies ... so Ta is perfectly correct.

It doesn't inhibit them from learning the proper words. On the contrary, it assists them.

But five months is a bit early to be worrying about this, tbh. Just mind your own manners, and she'll soon learn hers.

but Ta isn't a shortened form of thank you is it?

I say 'pah' to that research.

Well, we all do what we want to do, ultimately.

Ta.

I want to learn that baby signing, the one like on 'mmet the parents' you know that focker Ben Stiller guy. The man (is it Al Pacino) does baby signing with the toddler. Apparently you can do it from 10 months, it's their way of communicating with you exactly their needs.
It looks very intersting.

SureStart run a course I think , I know places that do them locally to most areas.

I make sure that I read and talk to my dd in at least 4 languages every day. She is 5 months old and is very receptive.

I keep an eye on the FT to check the markets and gear my choice of language to the best performing.

I am planning for her to be a Hedge Fund manager.

Oh, God, no!!!!

As soon as they start talking, they communicate their needs VERY WELL INDEED ... every nano-second, of every second, of every minute, of every hour, of every bloody day.

Baby-signing? No thanks

I also love going to my mummy and baby group to compare progress and discuss centiles, weaning and nappies.

It is my favourite way of spending time

lol hf.

And yes to proper words (What's wrong with 'thanks' or 'anks' even?). But NO to vagina

Seriously, get her some board books so that you don't need to worry about pages being torn, paper cuts, etc. If you wait until she is old enough to treat paper books gently, it will mean denying her the opportunity to hold/play with/examine/interact with her books for quite some time. No reason to deny her that just because the format of her books is not suited to her age group.

DS (10 months) grabs, chews, plays with and stares at his board books, and really loves them as objects, which I think is no bad thing; he also likes it when we actually read them! I'm sure that it is all part of letting him develop an affection for books in general.

"ta" all

am looking on ebay for some baby safe books now.

Thanks again.

Ahh that broke my heart hearing that you look away from her when shes crying. Its not your fault though that someones given you conflicting information and I dont meant in a patronising way at all. Its hard enough sometimes this parenting business without bad advice.
I'd say pick her up when she cries, at 5 months she definately needs something and is not just crying for attention.
Re doing things with her everyone else has already given good advice and said just look at books with her, even just lying down on the floor with her and talking to her or singing will give her some of the stimulation she needs.
Ive just bought some black and white books for ds (13wks old) and have already started showing him them he babbles away at the faces in them so obviously likes them.

The 'crying for attention' thing makes me feel a bit sad. I've heard so many people say 'Oh, s/he's just doing it for attention' and I always think 'Well, if you can't expect a bit of attention now when you're totally helpless and insanely cute, when can you expect it?'

Also, attention is all they need, at least that's what it seems like to me after only one baby. If you're paying attention, they're happy, you're happy, what's not to like?!

Had a quick glance through the thread - about the sign language, I don't know any proper sign language but all it is is a gesture representing a word. I just made them up or copied off other people I saw doing it, like waving hello, pat where her nappy is when you're going to change it, mime lifting a cup to your lips for drink/hand to mouth for food etc. She'll soon learn if you say the word and do your sign and you'll have your very own sign language. Although don't expect her to do the sign, she'll do it in her own time but it helps her understand what you mean.

I also agree with Thank You not ta - why would you spend a couple of years teaching her to say ta, then say it's not ta it's thank you?! I have always said thank you and dd started off saying ta, progressed to tan and is now saying tank (19m)!

I asked the same question to my HV when ds was about that age. She said 'just be with him'. Best bit of advice I had.

get her a wanky basket- you may have to search the archives

LOL at wanky basket (I have searched).