Ways to teach my crazy 12 month old?

Fleur - posted on 05/19/2012

Thank you for your advise. I agree with you. I just lack some patience and I am now determined to work on my patience especially with potty training.

Angeline - posted on 05/19/2012

I have 2 daughters, 8 yrs apart. With my first, I used to sit down with her with a book and read to her even before she turned one. She liked books and enjoyed being read to. Now, with my second child, who just tuned 3: she had no interest - at age 1 - in sitting down with me to be read to. She was more interested in exploring the carpet, the floor, etc. I was a bit disappointed but left her alone and just hoped that her day would come. It did! Now, what's interesting is that this second one learned the alphabets faster than the first one. She was interested in learning the alphabets at an earlier age than her older sister! The point is, each child will make progress in their own time. Please be patient, and watch for the signals. Your son will let you know when he's ready. :)

Margaret - posted on 05/17/2012

I'm not an expert on potty training, but I can try to give you some advice based upon my own experience. Depending on the child's age, you can try different approaches. For the younger child (14 months or so), I kept the training potty within arm's reach wherever we were playing (living room, outside, etc.) and would let them walk around without a diaper. I would encourage them to sit on the potty as often as possible. You can read them books while they're sitting or talk with them about what they're doing. If they pee or poo, you celebrate with them and go together to the toilet to dispose of the contents and wave "bye bye" to it. For older children, you can have a sticker chart in the bathroom. Every time they go potty, they earn a sticker. You can go on a special shopping trip to buy "big boy" or "big girl" undies. You can let them practice wearing them around the house. Another way to use the regular underwear is as a tool of motivation (ie. "Once you're using the "big boy" or "big girl" toilet, you can wear your new underwear"). The biggest piece of advice that I have it to check in often with little ones about how their body is feeling. I often would ask my child, "Do you feel a pee pee inside of you?" If enough time goes by that they haven't used the toilet, I would say, "Let's go do an 'abracadabra' pee pee," which was my way of teaching them that they often can go pee, even when they don't feel like they have to -- it's magic! Just sitting on the toilet can trigger the need to pee. Also, allowing little ones to watch other ones go to the bathroom can motivate them to try using the potty. Most importantly, don't force it. Some children learn earlier than others. I never had a time line in mind for having my kids potty trained, so I never felt stressed out about it. Lastly, (you probably already know this) refrain from shaming him/her about potty accidents. The best approach when they have an accident is to act neutral or to say "That's okay, we all have accidents sometime. We'll keep on practicing!" That's all the advice I have! Good luck!

Fleur - posted on 05/17/2012

Yes. I agree. Do you have any tips on potty training?

Margaret - posted on 05/16/2012

I'm the mom of two kids and I have a M.A. Education and an early childhood background, so I can say with absolute confidence that "Your Baby Can Read" is developmentally inappropriate and a waste of money, not to mention a waste of other valuable time that you could be spending with your child. The greatest cognitive boost that you could give to any baby or toddler is lots of verbal interaction in the context of play. All the moms who said that you should get down on the floor to play, sing and talk with your precious boy know what they're talking about. Play Peek a' Boo, bang on pots and pans, play with blocks, dolls, cars, balls, etc. The greatest guarantee for future academic success is how much language exposure and love a child has received from his/her caregivers. Good luck and I hope that you see that the greatest learning tool you need is free--it's you!

Brittany - posted on 05/16/2012

Read to him while he's taking a bath, buy books on tape. They don't need to read at toddlers, and really pictorial reading isn't ideal. It can make sounding out new words later harder.

Children that age aren't meant to be sitting down and doing school work. They are meant to be running around causing mischief. They learn through play. Count everything, talk about letters and shapes, you'll find that he's picking up more than it appears.

Work with him on his interests. If he really likes cars. Sit there with him and talk about the different types, colors and sizes. If he likes animals pretend you are a momma animal and talk about what that animal eats, where it lives, and how it plays. Make up weird stupid songs about his current interest.

One day he'll come up to you and know all of these things that you had no idea that he was learning.

Karon - posted on 05/16/2012

Allie, you're doing great.
I am a new mom too ( my son is 20 mnths). I have learned that if playing with blocks and saying the colors is more interesting to him that reading a book then that's what we do. Now he can pick out the 'red' block, etc. and I couldn't be happier with his progress.
A friend of mine gave me her Baby Einsteins Dvd's and told me that that's how her daughter learned. My sis-in-law is convinced that 'Barney' taught her daughter to read. That may very well be but not for my son.
Take your cues from your child and build on it.
I think the best advice I've heard so far is 'don't try too hard, just enjoy!'

Allie - posted on 05/15/2012

well i thought it would be good for him. im new to all this ,im a new young mom so im just trying to get advice from people who may know.

Angy - posted on 05/15/2012

Mine will be 3 years in a month or so. He wo.t count for me but will for other adults. He talks a lot. Says new words daily. All cause he wants to. I have usually left sprout or one on during the day. Like many others have said. He's a baby. Learns they play and repetition. They learn at Thier own pace. Mine rarely sits. I have to strap him in the booster seat to eat. All day long he plays plays plays. He learned some animals by a puzzle board. Or just being outside. Now he loves to explore. Fu.s all day till he literally drops. Run with whatever they show an interest in. People say I'm.wired for teaching my daughter hwr colors by ottter pops(flavored popsicles). But she learned the basic.colors in a month. Play play play......

Ivy - posted on 05/15/2012

I bought my daughter the baby can read. I would put the DVD on and let her play. She loved watching sometimes. Then after a few months, she wanted to watch it repetitively. If he doesn't want to watch it, you can put it on in the background. I wouldn't for e the cards or books as it will make him not want to do it more.

I started reading to my little girl since she was little baby baby. She always loved for me to read. Read his favorite book. I can recommend getting foam letters that he can use in the bath. You can do the alphabet for him and say it using his finger to point to the letters, but allow him to play. We (my husband, her nanny (grandma), and I) would make words, the word, and spell it. She's always liked to learn. I've never forced anything on her and she's always enjoyed it.

Try to give him many different books. Children learn from many different sources. The baby can read program is really useful. If you integrate it slowly, then I think he will be less resistant. Talk to him what you're doing and try to have several different sources of fun learning tools.

My daughter still looks at the books from the program, but she's not interested I. The DVDs anymore and she's 3 now. She can read some of her books, but repetition is important. I had to read her favorite 7 books many hours of the day till we bought her more. Now she has a load of books and she loves reading everything.

Julie - posted on 05/15/2012

LET HIM BE A CHILD - o.k.?

Let him play ...before bed when he is wound down ead to him a golden book as the stories are short...

There is far too much push to get oue babies educated and not nurtured or grow up normal - seriously!

He is telling you he is not ready -

Make bedtime fun by seeing how fast he can get ready for bed
and meet you in the rocking chair
and he will look forward to bedtime game that will be relaxing
and
help him sleep
AND give you BOTH quality time together ♥

They are little only ONCE ... let him be a little child,.o.k?

Rhonda - posted on 05/15/2012

Why do you want him to read at 12 months??

Lee - posted on 05/14/2012

Maybe you could just let him be a baby? He has plenty of time to learn to read when he is ready. Babies will set their own pace and do everything when they are ready. Forget the hype of having to teach kids to read at such a young age and rather play baby games with him, which will teach him life skills. There is far too much stress in our world today. Perhaps it's time to go back to basics and teach ourselves and our children that relaxing and enjoying life is also very important.
I found a learning technique my kids loved. We would sit in the garden and see how many different insects we could find and after looking at them and discussing their differences we would gently place them back in the garden. We did the same at the beach. My kids are nature lovers today, and respect all forms of life. Most importantly, we had fun while we developed the investigative mind.

Hella - posted on 05/14/2012

Most of the children don't sit down and read at this age yet, and they don't need to. Children learn through play. I never sat down with my 3 years old son, and he knows everything. He learned it while we went to the library, or when I told him stories (what I made up),or going groceries shopping. Babies are not designed to sit down and listen to stories, just because you think that how they should learn. Just let him explore on his own, what ever interest him, and encourage him to explore more, and support if you see something is really interesting to him. My son is 3 and now he likes to read, and he even goes to read on his own in his room, but when he was one, he never sit down , ever. :)

It is also very important: No TV at least until they are 2 years old. Not good for them. So you shouldn't make him sit in front of the tv ever. Let him use his own brain!

Fleur - posted on 05/14/2012

You are right. I wasted my money on that program as a new mom. I have learned so much by just observing him and playing with him.

Fleur - posted on 05/14/2012

We bought that same set,but my son before he was 1. He just liked the flashcards and some of the 1st video. I found other videos from Leapfrog that helped him learn his ABCs, phonics,and numbers. Baby First is another good educational set of videos you can find on Netflix. Your Baby Can Read is not for every baby, I have learned. I still use the flashcards,but real learning is everyday in your house, in your environment from the grocery store, to your library. Practicing,exploring,and playing is how they learn. Kids have to her exposed to new things like zoos, museums, parks,and other kids.

Joy - posted on 05/14/2012

My son didn't stop trying to rip the pages from books until he was around 3. The other girls are right. All he needs to learn at this point, you can teach him by playing with him. I also taught my son his abc's during teeth brushing time :)



*Side note: I cannot STAND the "Your Baby Can Read" program. The first time I saw a commercial for it on tv, the first thing I thought was that it was sad. Why not let a baby be a baby? They still learn. They are little sponges. If they are meant to be geniuses, you'll know it. I just don't see the need to try and force it so young, which is basically what that program does, IMO. Besides, DVD watching is actually part of that program and at that age, aren't kids not supposed to watch that much tv? Just a thought.



Edited to add: If you want to feel like you're teaching him, one thing you can do is buy some foam bath tub letters. They stick to the wall when they're wet. As you're playing with him in the tub, show him the letters. Say them out loud. Of course, you also have to be silly and make the letters into boats and cars and people (if your son is anything like mine lol). Just have fun with him.

Stifler's - posted on 05/14/2012

This is normal they don't need to know how to read at this age. Just read the story or sing songs while they play or get down and stack the blocks with them.

Tara - posted on 05/14/2012

If you do enough research you will find that any reputable specialist in child development and neurological growth will tell you that you have just wasted your money and your time.
Children learn through play best right up until about age 6-7. The way the brain forms lends itself to natural learning, to child led learning, to discovery and exploration.
The brain is not designed to learn things just one way, using just one part of itself. The brain is designed to have information layered into it as the brain develops. This means that singing the ABC's to your son now will eventually lead to him singing them to. Reading to your son is great, if he likes it, if not, follow his lead.
Honestly babies know what they need far better than their parents do. If he could talk he would say "hey mom, get down here and chase me around the house for awhile, then we can cuddle and look at a book together, then I want to chase you around the house for a bit."

Vicki - posted on 05/14/2012

Forget the flashcards, play, be silly, sing songs, dance. He's still a baby :)

Allie - posted on 05/14/2012

thank yall :)

Sneaky - posted on 05/14/2012

A learning technique your baby will love???? PLAYING WITH MUMMY!!!!

Krista - posted on 05/14/2012

Good lord, woman -- ease UP on the poor kid!!! He's 12 months old -- he's a BABY. At this age, they learn through play. The "your baby can read" set is utter crap. All it does is teach them to recognize words by how they look -- it doesn't teach anything about phonics or word meanings. Like Dove said, just play with him, and point out colours and shapes and letters in your surroundings. If you put this much pressure on him while he's young, you'll completely turn him OFF of learning for the rest of his life.

S. - posted on 05/14/2012

My 18 month has only started to sit and listen to stories and that's only because her older sister has a story before bed and eventually she has come over to join in. My 4 year old has only just become interested in me teaching her anything as she would much rather be off playing were as my oldest was like a sponge and wanted to learn all the time she was singing her ABC by 20 months old my 18 month old daughter has just started saying words.my point is you can't push a kid's,they all learn at there own speeds and if he's not interested don't push him he will only relate the flash cards a something bad he doesn't want to do, have you tried teaching him some nursery rhymes? With my oldest I found if we sang it to her she picked it up. 12 months is still very young, my 4 year old can't read and that's totally fine she will learn.

Kaitlin - posted on 05/14/2012

Um, just let him play.
Flash cards and dvd's do not teach babies, they program them to respond to certain cues. They actually cause more problems during elementary school (learning the basics and reading) even though the baby seems smart when they respond so young.
Babies and young children need to learn by doing, interacting with their environment and listening to you talk to them on an every day basis.
Relax. Your baby doesn't need to be able to do tricks or sit quietly like a 5 year old might. Treat your baby like a baby and have fun with him. He's learning every day, just not in the way you want him to.

Dove - posted on 05/14/2012

Duh! He's a baby!! You teach him by playing with him. Talk to him about your day. Point out letters, shapes, colors, etc.. in the world around you. If he won't sit for a story... read him a story while he's playing whatever DOES interest him.

Amy - posted on 05/14/2012

He's 12 months old he's going to learn by playing, singing, and repetition. I'm not sure what you are trying to teach him my so learned the alphabet because we sang it everytime we brushed his teeth. I never tried sitting him down to teach it to him. With my 2 year old the only flashcards we used were ones that taught her to sign because she has no desire to speak. She brought the cards to us when she wanted to do them we never pulled them out and tried sitting her down. She probably can sign 30+ words but other then the basics to help her communicate her needs we always just followed her lead.