Last night Ani and I watched some youtube videos on Phonics and Sign Language. Here is one we especially enjoyed: ABC Phonics with Signing as well as 2.5 Year Old Reading.
The two videos really convicted me to get back into the grove of spending quality learning time with my own little one. Recently my hubby, listened to a news clip on the radio stating how detrimental watching TV/movies can be for young people. Studies are now showing that if babies watchTV before the age of two the chance of ADD is frighteningly heightened. The truth is, is that more and more children are put in front of the TV on a daily basis. Many parents claim that they are watching “something educational” but who cares how educational it is, the TV blasts quick colorful images making the child less pleased something like”boring” reading. I noticed an striking difficulty in teaching Ani in a quiet sit down manner after she began watching more TV. However, when I have diligently spent time showing her how to fold laundry or the notes on a piano, she has caught on very quickly.
Anyways, back to my point, children are so capable (as seen in the above videos) if their parents are willing to take the time to plant seeds in their lives. Why do we think that learning to read should be done when a child is 6? Why do Americans suffer to learn proper English when children of other nations speak two and even three fluent languages? I believe that children can be taught far more if we as parents poured time and energy into teaching them.
So, now that I’ve been “nipped in the bud,” I really want to start teaching Ani how to sign, how to read, how to read music, how to dance, how to paint, how to swim, how to tie her shoes, how to play Frisbee etc.
So glad to hear you’re doing sign. Isaac and I attend a free class each week and he gets really excited when we sign to him. We got to take Christine a few times when she was here, too. It’s such a great way to introduce language, music, and motor skills all at the same time.