I have had a few good friends ask me to write about a commercial that claims to teach babies to read. When I watch this commercial, it makes me feel like I am watching a circus act. Honestly what is the damn hurry?
Instead of turning kids into a circus act, little kids should be learning how to love reading. In my home we make sure our kids read before bed, sometimes we read side by side, and sometimes they are alone. I am in mother/daughter book clubs with both girls, we go to bookstores and libraries, and somehow without the magic of an expensive program, both kids love to read. I mean really like getting cozy with a good book, and getting lost in the story and characters.
I'll never forget a first grade parent teacher conference for my then 1st grader. The teacher asked me what kind of teacher would I like my daughter to have the following year - one that emphasized more math, more art etc. I said "I don't know, I just want my kids to be nice people in the world." I thought she would fall off the chair. I am sure she was not used to that answer. But it's the truth. I want a teacher that, along with the academics, will help them continue to do the right thing, and make good choices. You can be the smartest person on the planet, but if you don't know how to live by the golden rule, all those brains won't get you very far.
The bigger issue I see is why do parents feel the need to push kids to do be the first to do everything. At my youngest daughter's back to school haircut, there was a SEVEN YEAR OLD getting hot pink streaks put into her angelic blond hair. This weekend I saw a TEN YEAR OLD boy with a huge "diamond" stud earring. There are parents driving hours away from their neighborhood to go to "the best" dance school/music teacher/pitching coach. Must we push them to excel at everything?
Instead of Baby Can Read, how about "Everyone is on their own time schedule for reading, writing, toilet training, staying home alone, driving, and let's honor what works for each kid instead of pushing them to be the first" - but I guess that would make a very long title for a book or video.
What do you think?
Photo by - betsssssy
