Mommy Talk Show Candid Conversation with a TV Mom
In my opinion, the drive to make your child as “smart” as possible, leads parents to do some silly, unproven things like buy the “Your Baby Can Read” DVD set.
A.J. has been “reading” since he could hold a book himself. Often he’ll walk away from a toy he likes to go sit down in his room and grab a book. Even though he clearly has an interest in reading, I won’t buy “Your Baby Can Read” because I don’t think it works. There’s a huge contradiction between pediatric experts who don’t want children under two to watch TV, while “Your Baby Can Read” promotes the idea of them watching hours of DVDs to learn to read.
The Today Show has been investigating criticism about the so-called early reading system. MSNBC reports:
The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood recently filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission alleging that “Your Baby Can Read” uses deceptive marketing to get parents to buy its DVDs, flashcards and other materials.
Here’s one of the latest reports:
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Disclaimer: There’s a good chance that Google Ads or another ad network will post advertisements to “Your Baby Can Read” based on the search engines finding this topic. Again, I won’t buy this system but you’re welcome to do your own research.
Why do babies need to learn to read anyway? That’s what parents and other caregivers are for! Babies learn way more from the social interactions of being read to, played with, and communicated with than from any artificially created situation presented on DVD. Babies and young children learn through play, interaction, and discovery, all of which require live, hands-on experiences. Take that away from them, and you do more harm than good! I have no personal experience with “Your Baby Can Read,” but my guess is it looks good on the surface for the short-term (like party tricks), but what happens in the long-term?
I agree Joanne. Too much pressure on babies can really backfire.
My daughter never had this and began recognizing words by the time she was three. Knew her site words before she finished pre K and was reading at a first grade level in Kindergarten. The point is keep books and reading a part of your childs life and they will learn.
I agree with you Aimee. That’s why A.J. has books he can reach in almost every room of our house, including the bathrooms. He’ll grab one and sit quietly “reading” to himself.