I am so glad to have found this forum filled with so many wonderful parents. I have enjoyed reading here every time I get the chance. There’s still so much for me to learn from all of you.
When I was pregnant I had no idea how much you can teach a baby. My father-in-law bought my dd the YBCR. I waited till she was 6 months to start her on it. The first week we watched it I went over the cards with her and then read the book that goes with the first DVD. I had the book open in front of her and asked “where is the word elephant?” I was still waiting to see if she would point to it in the book when I was surprised to realize that she was not distracted or disinterested when she was fiddling with toys and things on the couch. She handed me a card we had just finished with, that I had lying beside me; and it said “elephant”!
I am a proud first time mom of a lovely 9 month old. Now that I see how much she is constantly learning I yearn to teach her everything that will give her an advantage in life for her to be happy and successful. And of course healthy.
I feel bad about how much time she spends looking at screens… it seems everyone in the house is in front of a computer or TV. It is especially bad in the cold months. As the weather gets warmer (and she is a little older) we can spend more time outdoors with our horses or at the swimming pool. I may even feel comfortable enough to take her to the library for story time and to kindermusic when flu season is over. For now I just try to play music for her, read to her a little each day and let her fiddle with her grandmother’s electric piano.
I know that a lot of the educational things I can do for her in the Doman method do not take a lot of time, but I still find it hard to set a routine to fit it all into. When I am thinking of teaching her I am usually looking working to find things to show her… or figuring out how to make things to show her. It seems like I do not get many projects completed. I just spend more time on the computer. I think I am procrastinating because I feel anxious about how others in the family will evaluate her learning, and my choices.
That said, I look forward to when I can buy LM and LR. I think it will make it simple to implement the strategies without second guessing what I am doing. Also, making all the cards I have thought up on my own is too daunting of a task. I look forward to learning how to make bits of intelligence, etc. that I can share with all of you for the LR system.
Welcome Elloise to this wonderful world of early learning. You know what…I can totally relate to you when you said “When I am thinking of teaching her I am usually looking working to find things to show her… or figuring out how to make things to show her. It seems like I do not get many projects completed. I just spend more time on the computer. I think I am procrastinating because I feel anxious about how others in the family will evaluate her learning, and my choices”. I finally decided to sit down and decide on what to do each day. I also decided not to look at new products anymore or until I finish what I am doing with her now. Its definitely v hard to fit in everything and also actively researching on what next to do with her. I spend a lot of time in front of the computer trying to research on what all I can teach my little one…and yeah sometimes I think that my baby will better of if I spend that screen time with my baby by doing things that we already researched abt.
I think the same thing about my own situation. It is in spending time enjoying the programs, and the other tools we have, that the intellectual foundation and fond memories of childhood are formed. But, since the more I look into early education the more I am amazed… the more I want to spend time exploring what is out there. The resources in these forums really astound me.
I agree with you, Elloise. The more I learn about early education the more I spend time looking around. Its amazing what is available and consider yourself lucky that you learned about it when you did. I knew nothing about early education really until just recently, and with my last child to boot!
I sit back and watch my 4yr old do such amazing things and then think about all the wasted time I had with my other three. Doing these things now would have made my other three children’s lives so much easier in the realm of education. They are smart in their own right but they struggle with things that they need not had to struggle with had I knew that I could have taught them early on.
Little Reader is great. You just click and print. There is so much available to you on this program that I think my printer will get a very good workout. LOL.
Remember though in the meantime. Just enjoy your little girl too. Don’t stress to much. If all you can do right now is reading with her , then just do that. Because before you know it your little girl will be all grown up. I see the ages of my girls and I think to myself… "Where did the time go? "
My oldest was a baby not so long ago and here she is 13 years old now! Have fun with teaching but remember to love and cuddle and just enjoy the moment along with it too 
Thank you for your wise words.
I want to prevent my little one from having difficulties in school later, but it is important to remember that even with preventable difficulties they can lead great lives.
You are right. Kids grow up so fast. You are lucky to have four of them! I hope to have a couple more myself, in the coming years.