Hi Mommies! I was wondering if anyone has any personal experience with the Your Baby Can Read Program? I'm looking for some genuine feedback. Thanks.

Lorraine - posted on 05/08/2009

my advice is just let your kids be kids dont rush let them do it on thier own

Ria - posted on 05/08/2009

Quoting Maura:

Please do not waist you money. I just went to a lecture entitled "Hey Quit Pushing" , the speaker was Larry Garf, a man that has been a teacher for almost 40 years. He talked about how we put too much pressure on our kids that they are simply not developmentally ready for. If you think that your child will learn to read from these videos you are wrong. All they really learn how to do is memorize. If you really want to teach your child how to read early on, all you have to do is read to them. They need interaction, not television. Children learn best through play. Please check out his website: www.heyquitpushing.com. Very informative and he isn't selling you anything. The best way to jumpstart your child's vocabulary is by talking to them, answering their questions, being very descriptive, and reading to them yourself. I hopes this helps. Don't let some guy trying to make a quick buck steal your money!

I looked at the hey quit pushing website. Larry has interesting and valid points. I don't feel like I'm pressured to get my son a head start though. And I don't expect my son to be the next einstein. I think it's up to parents to know where to set the bar of expectation for each of their own kids and know what they are developmentally ready for. I see this reading program as another tool to stimulate the brain. Keep in mind though, I'm not using this program right now. But if we do get into it, I will be sure to post updates here or on my blog http://billandria.blogspot.com.

Ria - posted on 05/08/2009

Quoting Brandy:

I was wondering about this program too! I am currently working on my Masters as a Reading Specialist and from what I've learned so far this isn't entirely a bad program. We have certain sight words that you just have to memorize but you still need to teach the phonics and comprehension. Those two things only come when you read to your child. Ask them questions as you read to them like, What do you think is going to happen next? Did that make papa bear sad or happy? Also, if your child watches a lot of T.V. any kind, their chances of ADHD increases. Just a few things to think about.

Hi Brandy,

I'm very interested to know how chances of ADHD increases by watching TV. Maybe you could send me a message/ email about it or post more info on this thread. I've been teaching my 19-month old sign language since he was 8 months old. I let him watch his Baby Signing Time DVD every other day and I also sign to him. He doesn't have any hearing problems. I just wanted to teach him to sign as another way for us to communicate before he learns to say the words. Anyway, he can sign a few words now but is having him watch his DVD (which he loves) harmful? We also read books to him everyday and go to a program called Tot Time at the library, where a librarian reads books and sings songs with the group for about 30 minutes. So maybe this reading program can be supplementary to what we're already doing? (Just thinking out loud.)

Ria - posted on 05/08/2009

Quoting Candice:

I don't have the kit personally. I have however watched the commercial because I was curious. I have some experience with teaching children to read. My only problem with this program, and what is keeping me from buying it, is simply that it is teaching the kids to memorize the words, not to read them. There is a big difference. Kids need to learn to build words and use phinics to read. This uses flashcards. So, yes, they will learn those words, but it doesn't mean that they will be able to read...just to recite back the words they have seen and heard. However, it is introducing new words to them, so it is not all bad. I would just caution you to be sure to teach your child how to build words and learn their letters and sounds as well.

I haven't seen the commerical myself but I heard about it through the grapevine. I was wondering, if this is teaching babies to memorize the words, wouldn't that be considered sight reading? I do agree with you though that kids need to learn to build words and know the sounds of the letters. Do you think making home-made flashcards with pictures of objects that are familiar to my own baby would be just as good? I've been taking pictures of my baby's things and plan to print them and put them in an album and use them to help him associate the actual object with the picture of the object.

Jennifer - posted on 05/08/2009

Quoting Ria:

I'm interested in this reading program too. I'm so glad I found this thread. My husband says we can go ahead and get the DVD. But should we get the deluxe kit instead? @Jennifer, since you are using this already, what would you suggest that we start with? I'm all for early development. My son is 19 months old now and I know it's not too late for us to start this, but he has Down syndrome so I'd like to get right on this sooner than later as it might take him a little longer to learn to read than the "typically developing" kid.

Ria,

We have the Deluxe kit which comes complete with the DVDs, books to review words, flash cards, etc. What a lot of people don't understand about this program is that they watch the video twice a day, but you spend the day reinforcing it by reading other books and doing the flashcards as well. My son really wasn't one who would sit through an entire story-even the hungry caterpillar, which really isn't that long and now when I sit on the floor Indian style, he will go over and find books and bring them to me and he will sit and read with me and identify things he sees in the pictures once we are done reading the book. I think this is an incredible program! My son's vocabulary has increased exponentially since we started this program. I take my son EVERYWHERE and I tell him about what we see. We don't see grass, but we see, tall green grass. I have talked to him all the time and introduce new and complicated words all the time and he really never really said much. Once we started the videos, he just started spitting out new words all the time. He is 18 months and says Elephant and repeats things only after I say them once now. It is your own decision as to what you want to do for your son. I am so excited that another parent wants to educate their kid instead of just letting them watch useless TV!

Good Luck and feel free to post your progress or email me with them!

Jennifre

Brandy - posted on 05/08/2009

I was wondering about this program too! I am currently working on my Masters as a Reading Specialist and from what I've learned so far this isn't entirely a bad program. We have certain sight words that you just have to memorize but you still need to teach the phonics and comprehension. Those two things only come when you read to your child. Ask them questions as you read to them like, What do you think is going to happen next? Did that make papa bear sad or happy? Also, if your child watches a lot of T.V. any kind, their chances of ADHD increases. Just a few things to think about.

Maura - posted on 05/07/2009

Please do not waist you money. I just went to a lecture entitled "Hey Quit Pushing" , the speaker was Larry Garf, a man that has been a teacher for almost 40 years. He talked about how we put too much pressure on our kids that they are simply not developmentally ready for. If you think that your child will learn to read from these videos you are wrong. All they really learn how to do is memorize. If you really want to teach your child how to read early on, all you have to do is read to them. They need interaction, not television. Children learn best through play. Please check out his website: www.heyquitpushing.com. Very informative and he isn't selling you anything. The best way to jumpstart your child's vocabulary is by talking to them, answering their questions, being very descriptive, and reading to them yourself. I hopes this helps. Don't let some guy trying to make a quick buck steal your money!

Candice - posted on 05/07/2009

I don't have the kit personally. I have however watched the commercial because I was curious. I have some experience with teaching children to read. My only problem with this program, and what is keeping me from buying it, is simply that it is teaching the kids to memorize the words, not to read them. There is a big difference. Kids need to learn to build words and use phinics to read. This uses flashcards. So, yes, they will learn those words, but it doesn't mean that they will be able to read...just to recite back the words they have seen and heard. However, it is introducing new words to them, so it is not all bad. I would just caution you to be sure to teach your child how to build words and learn their letters and sounds as well.

Ria - posted on 05/07/2009

I'm interested in this reading program too. I'm so glad I found this thread. My husband says we can go ahead and get the DVD. But should we get the deluxe kit instead? @Jennifer, since you are using this already, what would you suggest that we start with? I'm all for early development. My son is 19 months old now and I know it's not too late for us to start this, but he has Down syndrome so I'd like to get right on this sooner than later as it might take him a little longer to learn to read than the "typically developing" kid.

Jennifer - posted on 04/25/2009

We got it about a month ago. My son will turn 18 months on the 30th.Since we have started using it, his vocabulary has jumped! He now says elephant-or something very close to it. He does Head, shoulders, knees and toes with all the body parts instead of just knees and toes. He watches the video at nap time and then again before bed. We have to find time to watch the 1st video again during the week. He can read moo, baa, laa, laa, laa though-I mean he doesn't know all the words, but there aren't too many other than those and he can read me the story. He seems to pick up things quicker since we started the video as well. They recommend that the children do not watch any other tv besides this, but we also let him watch baby sign videos while in the car and dora and diego to help him with his spanish. Overall, I think it is great. I just wish the flashcards were a little more sturdy. If I let him hold them, he bends them :-(
I am looking forward to the time when he can start to read. I will field any questions that anyone might have-feel free to email me directly about them if you want.

Roxanne - posted on 04/25/2009

I also am very interested in these, was thinking about asking my husband for the deluxe kit as a Mother's Day present. In fact, I got on Circle of Moms to post this same question. Were you watching the same infomercial that I was watching? LoL.

I would also LOVE to hear the feedback before I spend that much money!