Your Baby Can Read

Kerri - posted on 04/15/2010

I have it and I love it. I don't use it exactly to the schedule, but we do use it consistently throughout the week. I have a 1, 2, 3, & 4 yr old and I have seen the benefits from all of them. We also use Signing Time so the older 3 are all fluent in sign language too. I don't see why we wouldn't want to give our children all the best opportunities we can for them to be the best they can in their lives. So when I'm cooking or they need their 1/2 hr break from each other - whenever they would end up in front of the tv for short periods of time, we rotate between these videos so they're actually learning something instead of going brain-dead on cartoons.The videos are only 1/2 hr long - I think it's worth it. My kids aren't reading 500 words by 18 months, but they're all understanding words and sounding out words in the books they read and they are loving reading. My 3 and 4 yr olds know the difference between words and how to sound them all out.
Bottom line - I love it. I want my kids to have every opportunity to excel that they can. And a 1/2 hr of a good, wholesome learning show is not going to take away from the time they get to play outside and with me.

Sarah - posted on 04/15/2010

I have a 3month old and I got the YBCR he loves it, he doesn't have a good attention span of course he's still young but he stares at it and laughs when they read the words. But that's it so far

Danielle - posted on 04/14/2010

I'd recommend getting the brainy baby dvd's before I'd drop money on a program like that simply because those dvd's are $5. My son is 4 and my daughter is 2. What I have done for them is made slide show presentations on my computer. I started with the letter recognition, then number recognition, then phonics. We're working on animals, words, and tense right now. I feel that has helped them more than any book I've ever read to them. They aren't captivated by a turning page like they are by a glittering screen and something new popping up. I did use sounds to keep their interests, so it's done completely in my voice just modified via garageband. If you have the means I'd recommend doing something like that before putting money into that program. Just like what the other moms have said. All kids need a foundation, they have to know the starting point and what it means. If they don't that program will just mess them up when they go to school and are taught in a completely different structure. Hope this helps, good luck :)

Anele - posted on 04/14/2010

they DO learn how to sound it out. It is a visual and auditory learning based program. Do the research people. It does not only have the kids memorize words. that will happen at first with some words, but they eventually learn to recognize the sounds of the letters and can read words that are NOT in the dvd.

Kelli - posted on 04/14/2010

I agree with Jennifer. Teaches them memorization only. With the alphabet that is fine, because let's faced it, you DO have to memorize the alphabet. No other way to learn it really. But with reading they should learn to sound it out. I heard the Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons is great. Let me know.

Anele - posted on 04/14/2010

Well, I have a friend who has been doing those dvds with her daughter since she was 3 months old. She is now 1 1/2 yrs old and is already making sentences like "I wanna get down" .... The program DOES teach phonetics .... we write down a word for her that is NOT on her video... a word like flying and she says it. It is not a memorization only technique! I dont think it is good for parents to be super strict w/ their children trying to make them some Super Child.... not letting them play and be children.... but I also dont think there is anything wrong w/ educating your child at an early age. Also, just because you show these dvds does NOT mean that the parent therefore does nothing else w/ their child. You show the dvds but you also read to your child and play with your child. We started these dvds w/ our son just a few months ago. he is 19months. He loves these dvds, but he also loves our reading time! We'll go through 10 books in one sitting if I let him lol I think that it is wrong to judge people who want to teach their children at an early age. I know many children who learned to read at a very early age and they are very well adjusted, straight A students, athlectic, well rounded kids. Teaching your child can only help them, not harm them.

Jenna - posted on 04/14/2010

We purchased a set of word/picture association books and I have been reading to my son those. He is to the point now that if you say the word he is starting to pick out the picture that goes with word or color I ask for. I think you can be more succesful with teaching you children to read by not using flashcards, but by actually reading to your child. Auditory learning is so effective and by doing it with your child you are creating a bond. My son is 15 months old.



(I have not used the "Your Baby Can Read" system; I do not claim to know better than anyone else, this was just what we do at home; and I don't criticize anyone who chooses what they do.) lol just a disclaimer

Stefie - posted on 04/14/2010

I agree with you ladies. I think it is dangerous to teach a child to read using memorization and no phonics.
My 19 month old has started recognizing words especially ones in several books. I don't really want her to read already, so when she starts to recognize words I tell her "good job" then we talk about the sounds in the word and sound it out.
In my opinion even if your 2 year old can read, you are not helping them in the long run. I worry constantly because my toddler may be gifted. I know that if she is gifted she will experience more stress than her peers, also depression and even teen suicide has high rates in gifted children.

Amy - posted on 04/14/2010

i have a friend who use to brag because her child was so great at "reading" because of the dvds but then her child went to school and mixed up a bunch of words and didnt understand how they were teaching them to read. she wouldnt catch on to the words because they were otbeing repeated over and over by the video. she is so upset with herself for making herdaughter go thru this. because they not only paid the full like 200 dollars for nothing but also all the kids make fun of he child because she mixes up simple words that the video taught her to memorizd. i was considering buying it fr my daugter but have decided that I dont want my daugher like this or ahead of her peers. i was ahead of most of my classs in history and math. it was so boring for me and i want her to have fun learning at school. they are only children once so why take that away from them by starting schooling early.

Schmoopy - posted on 04/14/2010

Teaching children to read *early* is a modern idea that came about to address underprivileged kids who were falling through the cracks. In truth, a switch turns on inside most children's heads around the age of 7 - they suddenly become READY to read. Regimented attempts at teaching reading before then usually fail, may instill a dislike of reading (feeling like it's a chore rather than a joy), and sometimes even ends up causing learning challenges in the long run.



I don't mean to attack your choice at all. I just think society makes us feel as moms like we're failures if our children aren't reading by the age of two! But the truth is, they're not meant to. So give yourself permission to sit back and let things happen. When your little one is ready, it'll happen. Just answer questions about the alphabet and reading as your child asks them. And read, read, read to your child!



If you wait for the right time, your child will experience quick success that will boost his/her self-confidence and make him/her crave reading even more!

Britt - posted on 04/14/2010

I got it for my daughter and she really enjoys it she's not reading yet but after a few months of the words and pictures when she sees a dog or cat she says dog or cat... so I think its up to you. she is 11 months old and has a large vocabulary in my opinion haha but we like it even if she's just putting the word with the picture instead of reading it!

Good luck.

Lynnette - posted on 04/13/2010

Not only that... if it really does WORK, how awkward would it be for your child to be ahead of all his/her peers? They would be bored in class and then that may even cause social issues. That's just my opinion... But at least you get to try it for free. :) Let us know how it goes!

My son is 2 and has Brown Bear, Brown Bear memorized just because I read it about 10 times a day and only because he sees the picture on the next page and knows the animals so I believe 'Your Baby Can Read' will work but do you really want your baby to WORK? They should be stacking blocks and singing songs and feeling dirt and stuff right now. That's just me.

Vanessa - posted on 04/13/2010

I agree with Jennifer. It only teaches your child to memorize the first and last letters of the word. So if they memorized them 'cat' and their book says 'cut'. They'll read 'cut' as 'cat'.



The Great Debaters on Circle of Moms

Medic - posted on 04/13/2010

It doesn't teach your children to read only to memorize which sets them back when truely learning to read....just do some research...look around online for studies. Not a good buy.