Hi
I am new to BrillBaby and I was recommended to post a question here at the coffee corner. I am a mother of 5 month old boy/girl twins who were born at 33 weeks, both weighed 3lbs 6oz. I am always adventuring new ways to keep my preemies stimulated so that they wont be developmentally behind. I wanted to know if there are any other mothers of multiples utilizing this program? If so, what is your routine and is it helpful need?
Hi two of a kind
No need to feel overwhelmed - just start by doing a little bit and build up slowly. Your babies are very young and you have plenty of time!
About a month ago, we were having a similar conversation about teaching preemies, which you can read here.
The consensus was that there is no need to wait longer than normal to start teaching just because your babies are preemies. So you can go ahead and start using Little Reader, if you haven’t already.
In terms of a routine, there are no set rules. To get an overview of what’s out there in terms of teaching reading, check out the Reading Flash Card Method and Multisensory Method articles on BrillBaby.
Personally, I find the Glenn Doman way of retiring a card every day a bit high maintenance. I also use Your Baby Can Read DVDs with my DD, and based on that rationale (you play one DVD for 1-2 months), I am showing the same LR lesson - but on shuffle (very important!) - for a month, then starting a new one, but showing the old one(s) from time to time. Each of my LR lessons has around 100 words, but there’s no rule - you can see what works (i.e. how long your twins stay interested). A good length of lesson when starting out is 10 minutes, and you can increase the length as your twins get into it. Short and frequent is best, so aim to show them their lessons 2-3 times per day.
If you’re interested in teaching your babies mathematics - and specifically, quantity recognition - check out the Math Introduction and Flash Card Method articles on BrillBaby. I used to give those flash card lessons to my DD, but she didn’t enjoy them. I am planning to try them again soon though.
If you’re new to the subject of right-brain teaching, there’s an article on that here. I know some of our members are using TweedleWink and really enjoying the program.
You may be interested in the physical section of the website, here. You probably know about the importance of regular tummy time in fostering mobility, and we have information about other aspects of the Glenn Doman program on our website as well.
Besides that, all babies enjoy music and rhythm. Any time spent listening to music or playing music (young babies love to bash on a keyboard or bang on the bongos) is time spent growing your babies’ brains! You can also hold your babies up and get them to “dance” to the music!
I am teaching my DD sign language, and it is a wonderful way to communicate before your baby can talk. If you’re interested, you can read about my experiences on my blog.
I hope that helps, and surely some of our members with multiples and/or preemies will be happy to share their experiences with you.
Good luck!
Maddy