If you’ve ever heard of the Sprout Network on TV, then you may know what I’m talking about.  Basically the channel is designed to drive parents crazy, watching the same episodes of children’s shows over and over again.  However the kids love it, so I guess letting them watch their favorite show isn’t that bad after all.

Now I DVR Thomas the Tank Engine for Gavin, my two and half year old son, because Thomas is now his obsession, taking the place of the movie, Cars, also known as Beep Beep.  I constantly see commercials for “Your Baby Can Read,” with parents doing flashcards with their children, who can barely talk.  One little girl, who is cute as a button, is reading “Charlotte’s Web” when she’s 2 years old.  A child, who is 9 months old, points to her belly or kicks her feet when the flashcards say “belly” or “kicking.”  A 5 or 6 year old boy is reading a historical account of the Civil War.  Amazing huh?  Now the parents of these brilliant kids say generally the same thing: “I though he/she was just memorizing the order of the flashcards or the DVD until I switched the order around, and found out my child was really reading the words.”  You’re ready to buy this DVD aren’t you?

Now I admit that I want both my boys to be smart.  I also admit that with the combination of my DNA and Keith’s…well, I may be asking too much for the boys to be smarter than me. J  I am just kidding.  My intelligence will completely trump Keith’s, so the boys will be fine.  Seriously though, I do want my boys to excel in school, giving them perhaps opportunities that I missed.  However, I absolutely REFUSE to get this “Your Baby Can Read” malarkey.

Yeah everyone, I said it.  I do not want my two year old reading fiction.  Why?  Because he’s two!!!  At two, I believe he should running around, scraping his knee, chasing bugs to bring back to mommy.  When he starts learning to read on his own at his own pace and he discovers he really likes reading, then and only then will I let him explore his literary likes and dislikes.  Gavin shows interest in books now, and we will read to him.  However, he keeps ripping the books apart.  That’s what little boys do, and as far as I’m concerned that’s what little boys are supposed to do.  They aren’t supposed to be sitting back, watching a DVD teaching them how to read.

I personally LOVE to read, and have read my fair share of books.  However, when forced to read, like a typical child, I refused to read it.  I have to read something I enjoy, and coercing someone to read for school or because the parent wants them to learn how to read before they can walk is absolutely ridiculous!!  So I’m snubbing “Your Baby Can Read.”

There is another commercial that irritates the crap out of me on Sprout.  Has anyone ever heard of “Muzzy?”  Well this little gem of a DVD/learning tool helps your children learn foreign languages.  Now I’m 29 years old and have been learning and speaking English my entire life.  I have yet to master the language, yet “Muzzy” wants to teach my kid to speak Italian, French, Spanish, German, and Chinese.  I took Italian in high school and had no trouble learning the language.  In fact, I have a great time correcting Keith’s, “Mr. Italy,” Italian, and this is 11 years post high school.  According to Muzzy, the trick is to teach them young.  Well, last time I checked, there are a lot of Americans, born and raised here in America, who cannot speak the English language at all.  Them be’s from some place else ap-er-ently.  Now if your native language is Spanish, French, Italian, German, or Chinese, then ok, I might be able to understand.  However, that could go the other way too.  If it’s your native language, why aren’t you teaching your kids yourself?  See my dilemma?

Needless to say, I will not waste my money on either one of these products, not that I have any to waste as it is.  My children will learn to read when they are ready, and perhaps it may be me teaching them how to read or it may be their teachers.  Either way, they will learn on their own.  As for a foreign language, I don’t think so.  I am American, and we speak English here.  Therefore, my children will speak English.  When the time comes that they must learn another language for whatever reason, such as school, then I will do my best to help them.  Until those times though, my toddler and my infant will be stuck watching Thomas the Tank Engine or something along those lines because childhood is meant to be FUN!!!

**Disclaimer: Yes another disclaimer.  I do not think poorly of those people who want to try these aforementioned products.  The blog’s only purpose is to show how I feel about these products.  IF you are interested in these programs go to:

www.early-advantage.com

www.yourbabycanread.com