Mini Marvel

I forgot about my weekly program post where I was SUPPOSED to be posting a video of a "mini-marvel" every week. Here is a wonderful post that includes a video of an older child using the Your Baby Can Read flashcards. As you can see, the flashcards themselves are very high quality with real photographs and are perfect for getting the child to actually focus and look at the word first before they get to see the pictures.

Your Baby Can Read -- A Glowing Review from a Top Parenting Blogger

Bellyitch has a review of the Your Baby Can Read Program. She has two children, 18 months and 4 years and they are picking up sight words from the Your Baby Can Read DVDs and flashcards.

Another Post Celebrating the Small Things!

Not to get all braggy, but the sweetums was watching Your Baby Can Read Volume 1 DVD yesterday, and he has learned something new.

The song "If You're Happy" goes:
If you're happy and you know it clap your hands (clap! clap!)

TJ has learned to not clap until the clapping happens in the song. I noticed this yesterday. Tonight, he clapped only twice, to the rhythm and timing of the song. This must have been his source of frustration previously with this particular song. I wrote in a previous post how we had returned to the Starter DVD because he would have a full tantrum whenever this song was played on the DVD before. He thoroughly enjoys it now. I have the makings of a little perfectionist!

Implementing Strategy

So, Dr. Titzer's blog gives many more practical insights into the use of the system. Yes, he probably wrote this somewhere in the Parent Guide, but I guess I am in need of a refresher.

"It is helpful to repeat a subset of the words more frequently than the other words. In the DVDs we repeat the words “clap,” “wave,” “mouth,” and “nose” more than we repeat other words. Please repeat these four words more than other words when your child has just started our program. Use our books, sliding word cards, and our other word cards. Also, show the child these words in other contexts on paper, whiteboards, signs, etc

Eventually your child will remember how the words look in addition to understanding what the words mean. The first word is probably the most difficult word to learn, so repeat a few words many times in the initial months."

So, as I've said in previous posts, I have tried a few flashcard games with TJ. They were mostly random words that I thought he liked, I would show him 2 or more cards and ask him to bring me the card that said a particular word. This apparently may not be the best way to do this. I am going to take the 4 words he's suggested here and review them several times a day with TJ. He knows each of these words, the meaning, and can point to the body parts, clap, and wave. I say several times, but I should probably set the number of times, so I will say once in the morning and once at night. Let's give this routine a week or two, and see if as Dr. Titzer says TJ begins to recognize these 4 words on sight. If he does, I promise my blog readers I will make a video!

The Real Coupon Code

I found a coupon code that works for the Your Baby Can Read system. If you are interested in buying items other than the deluxe kit with the trial, you can go to www.yourbabycan.com and put in coupon code AFF-08 and receive a 10% discount. We of course have the deluxe kit, it is by far the best deal, but I could imagine needing some replacement items if I have a second child. I will probably, after a while, be trying out some of the Spanish language DVDs as well. I am still on the fence about whether to introduce Latin or Spanish. Spanish is so practical, when we take TJ to the park there are lots of other little ones speaking Spanish. Latin is so important to understand the roots of other languages. I still have plenty of time, I want to start with a 2nd language after we get our phonics program off the ground.

A Milestone? Or Breakthrough? Maybe?

We went out of town this weekend for a good old-fashioned family reunion. We weren't going far, but decided to stay in a hotel for 2 nights, and we did not worry about TJ seeing the videos. When we returned home, I did play the Starter video for him before bedtime. What happened next had me grinning from ear to ear. TJ attempted to repeat nearly every word in the starter video, including gorilla and elephant. He was so enthusiastic, I think he honestly needed that 2 day break! I think it gave him a chance to clear his mind, concentrate on other things, and I really think he is preparing for the so-called "word explosion" that happens when young babies like him begin to learn several new words every day.