I read something yesterday evening that really irked me and I wanted to set the record straight for our family. One of the websites I frequent had a post about using flashcards with toddlers (ages 18-24 months). It suggested that parents who use flashcards regularly with these toddlers were forcing their kids to grow up too fast - and that it was parent led education.
I beg to differ - at least in our situation. We didn't start using flash cards until he showed an interest in them, which was around 17 months. It all started with our Leap Frog Activity Center - where he loved to push the letter buttons (W & O were the favorite - guess he liked to spell wow). This fascination began around the time he was 9 months. Then after the New Year he moved to a wooden puzzle with the alphabet... and the numbers (he's already mastered the shapes/colors puzzle).
Flashcards came about first at daycare - as a way to calm him down without having to turn on the TV. Drew's kind of a TV/Movie nut. The flashcards were on hand for Ms. Stephanie's 3-year old son who is in preschool. Turns out Drew loved them - and to be honest until Easter we didn't even own any flashcards. Now he asks for them, just as he did this morning.
Does that picture of him today look like a tortured child? We don't force him to do any of it - well unless we're trying to show him off to someone. But what parent doesn't show off their child's skills?
So for the record, while there are some parents who do force their kids to do things they probably aren't ready for - I assure you we're not them. Drew is the one who brings it on. To be honest, I expect him to get bored with it, and find something else that interests him.
No comments:
Post a Comment