Should you teach your baby to read?

I was listening to NPR (National Public Radio) today and herd an interesting discussion on early childhood development. It started out talking about the famous Baby Einstein DVDs and books, and if they really did make kids smarter. The conversation then went on to talk about teaching children to read. The "expert' guest was stating that children can't possibly learn to distinguish written language until at least age 6 or 7. WHAT! He also said that even if they could discern written words at a young age, they wouldn't have any comprehension until they enter school age.

Well I'm glad they had Janet Doman on to set the record straight. I think that babies are very smart. They only need the opportunity to grow and develop. I was given How to teach your baby to read by a friend and have put a lot of the method into practice with Janelle. To me it make so much sense. We start talking to our children right at birth, but wait until they're 5 to give them the same information through a different pathway. I can remember knowing how to read and write when I started Kindergarden, and my mom didn't do anything special other than read to me. I think the earlier you teach a child to read or math or encyclopedic knowledge, or whatever you lay a foundation in the brain to receive and process information. It's not so important that your child can read by 1, but that their brain has been wired to receive info though many different pathways. Glenn Doman says that "function determines structure", in other words the what you give the brain to do will determine how the brain grows, and the brain will grow more rapidly in the first 6 years of life than any other time.

Its our responsibility to present Janelle to God to be used by Him for whatever He wants. I'm trying to lay a good foundation for him to work with. I need my brain to do EVERYTHING. That means God needs my brain to use me to serve my family, win the lost, pray, read, preach, EVERYTHING.



We are teaching Janelle to read using the Little Reader program. I'll post some videos of her soon.

Here are some videos of babies reading:)

Enjoy!

New Project

I started making Janelle a new hat. I found the pattern at crochetpatterncentral.com. Its a great site with lots of free patterns. I've posted the directions below. Here is a picture of what the hat will look like. I used an F hook (couldn't find my G), and ch 30 instead of 22.

I'll post pictures when mine is done.

Use Size G hook 1/2 oz of sport weight yarn

(To make the treble crochet (tr) do the following: YO twice, insert hook in next sc. YO and pull up a loop (4 loops on hook), (YO and draw through 2 loops on hook) 3 times. PUSH the tr to the right side on hat.)

Hat is made from one side to the other (not from the cuff up) It should end up with a 10.5" diameter before being stitched up the side.

Ch 18 (22 newborn) (This forms the height of the hat )

Row 1 (Right side): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Ch 1 and turn.

Row 2: Sc in first sc, (tr in next sc, sc in next st) across. Ch 1 and turn.

Row 3: Sc in each stitch across row.

Repeat rows 2 and 3 for 32 (36) rows. End off leaving 12" tail of yarn Finishing: Gather top by weaving in and out of the sts. Pull top tightly. Fold hat in half and whip st side seam. Brim: Add yarn at bottom of hat and sc in each st around to form brim. Sc around for 3 rows. End off and weave in all yarn ends.

You can make this hat larger or smaller by using a longer or shorter chain to start, and making more or fewer rows.

POM POM Wrap yarn around fingers till it looks 'fat enough'. Then remove it wrap 2 strands of yarn in the middle, tie tightly in a double knot. Now snip thru the loops, it's usually is a bit ragged at this point, so hold it over the garbage and snip till it is fluffy and even :-) To make it even more fluffy, separate the individual strands in the yarn.

Happy Anniversary

Yesterday I celebrated my 4 year anniversary. I can't believe it's only been 4 years. It seems like a life time since I fell in love with my sweetheart. We have shared so many wonderful memories. We have a beautiful baby girl and we just recently bought our first house. We have grown so much these past years. Especially me. I was so immature when I got married. But Rhondale has been so patient with me. He is a wonderful man, and I admire him so much for his faithfulness to me and to God. I look forward to soooooo many more years of marriage, and I pray that God would continue to make me a help meet for him.

I'm Back

After a long hiatus from Blogville, I'm back.