Teaching Babies 101

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Top 10 Keys to a Successful Program

Tiny children have the ability to learn at a remarkable pace. As early as 3 months, a baby can begin to learn a language in its spoken and written form. The proof that tiny children learn so much within the first years of their life can be found in the massive database of knowledge that they have acquired before they ever go off to school. They will know their names, their family, their age, they understand a whole language (maybe even two) and some will even be able to give you directions to their house! Babies seek out knowledge because it connects them to the world around them and it ensures their survival.

Over the last 60 years, the way that we view babies and their capacity to learn has drastically changed. Rather than approaching learning as a fluke, we have tried approaching learning with purpose! This approach has lead to remarkable findings as well as results. Today, the fruit of all those years of research allows for any parent to be able to present their child with tools that will allow your child to grow to his fullest potential.

1. Start as Early as Possible.

Babies as early as 3 months old can begin learning to read, can easily pick up the principles of math and are willing and able to explore the world in which they live. Babies that start learning from this early age are less restless because they do not yet have the need to be moving around on their own. But they want to learn! So this presents you, the parent, with a unique ability to bring their world to them.

2. Follow Your Baby's Lead.

If your baby is more interested in learning about why the carpet feels rough or how come they can see their reflection in a mirror, cater to your child's interest. At the same time realize that they want to learn the ways of the world they live in and that means leaning basic life skills like reading or math. Your baby thinks learning is a game, on which his entire survival depends on and therefore your child will always be eager to learn.

3. Always Keep Your Baby Wanting More.

If your baby wants 10 cards, only give him 9. If he wants 15 pictures, only give him 14. That way you always leave his interest peaked. This will keep their attention better and will also raise their enthusiasm for learning time. A good rule of thumb is always stop before your baby loses interest. If you're not too sure when to stop, just remember: your child loves you. Trust yourself to know when to stop.

4. Short Sessions

Your baby has the ability to pick up things at a speed that you can't even imagine. This is one of the reasons why every session is fast, short and concise. You don't want to bore your baby. If using flashcards, you want to flash each card at a rate of one card in less than a second. Don't worry about going too fast. The total learning time fore the day won't be more than 5 minutes. You don't need more.

5. Consistency and Frequency.

Repetition is the name of the game. The more your child is exposed to a language or the principles of math or anything, the faster and better the neural pathways will be formed. This is setting the foundation for your child to later apply the facts he learned with other facts to discover new ones. And thus life long learning is born. While it is possible to have three mini sessions throughout the day even if you are a full-time working parent (remember it's only a total of 5 minutes!), remember to set realistic goals. Just because it's possible doesn't mean you have to do it. Only do what is most comfortable for you. If you're happy, you're baby will be happy.

6. A Time to Teach and a Time for Breaks

On a bad day, don't even touch the lessons with a 100 foot pole. Taking breaks is allowed. Don't expect to teach them everything under the sun. It is a gift that you are giving your child, not a chore. Only continue with a lesson if you are both in it for the fun of learning. Otherwise, just come back to it when you are both receptive and ready for some fun!

7. The Everyday Classroom

Teaching you child is not just about the short lessons. That's only 5 minutes of your entire day! What are you going to do with all that other free time? Teach! While you're running about preparing a meal, talk to your child. Tell them what you are doing. They'll understand. Tell them about anything and everything. Remember, you are your child's link to this alien environment. You like to play the guitar. Tell them about it! Sing, play, hum, rhyme, they want to learn and they want to learn from you!

8. Stimulation of all 5 senses

Your child is like a scientist using his five senses to collect data, analyze it and store it for later. Every piece he adds allows him to create a better picture of his world. So talking to your baby us great, but don't forget about the other senses. Let him feel different textures, expose him to different smells, noises, weather, colors, tastes, everything!

9. Baby's Nutrition.

While this might be a "duh!" for some people, you'd be surprised how often it is forgotten in terms of learning. Now you know that you were never too good at concentrating on an empty stomach or when you were feeling a little under the weather, but fortunately for you, you could do something about it. Your tiny child is relying on you not only to expose him to all the wonderful things around him, but to take care of him. This is another reason why bonding with your child is important. Just as he can read when you are distracted or stressed you should forge that bond so that you can do the same for him. A healthy baby is a happy baby. And a happy baby is always ready to learn!

10. All about Attitude.

Joy and Love, these are the things that are most coveted by your child. The only real secret behind a genius has always been a loving enriched environment in which the child grows up with high self-confidence and self-esteem, knowing that the only thing that was expected of him was to be happy. That's all your child needs: your love and your belief. Express this through your joy and you'll find there's no better head start than that.

What it all boils down to...

Giving your child the tools to succeed often depends on you getting the right tools for the task. You may want to teach your child to read and learn math and expose him to his world, but do you really want to spend all of those hours making all of those flashcards and then fumble your way through them, the whole time wondering, isn't there a better way? Well, I have scoured the internet for a solution to my problem. Something that is flexible to my lesson plans, feeds my baby's hunger for learning. And after much searching, I am proud to say I have found my answer.

Little Reader Learning System Tour

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Top 10 Things I LOVE About the BrillKids

1. It only takes 5 minutes a day. Now this may sound crazy, but it really is all the time it would take for your child to learn 500 words in 6 months! This gets rid of the whole "I have not time" or "I'm too busy" excuses. Even the busiest parent or caretaker can spare 5 minutes to dedicate to your child's future.

2. No need to be a genius.The program provides an easy way to bring the world to your baby without you having to be a know-it-all. Your baby wants to learn so why not encourage it by letting them explore as much as they can.

3. Expand you child's learning opportunities. Let's face the facts: your baby is going to learn whether you encourage it or not. The difference that you make on your child's brain development is that by pursuing these opportunities for you child to learn your will be opening doors that your child might no have otherwise had the chance to. Or they may get exposed to ideas and concepts that may not hold their attention if they are presented later in life. By starting now, your baby will be better prepared and comfortable in his world because he will understand it.

4. Boost your baby's confidence and self-esteem. If your child never knows the feeling of frustration because he can communicate and understand his surroundings, he will be more sure of himself. Children that begin learning early combine the best of children and adults because they are kind and happy, but they also comprehend their actions and those around them making them natural born leaders of tomorrow.

5. Instill a passion for life long learning. We are all born with a thirst for knowledge, but somewhere along the way we lose that driving curiosity and we begin turning down opportunities to learn. Is it because we just don't care? Actually it stems more from a wondering what strings are attached. Our love of learning is tested time and again until we reach a point where we say no more. By handing your child the opportunity to simply learn, no strings attached, you will allow your child to retain that remarkable curiosity that has always sparked human achievement and progress.

6. Bond with your child. The ease of having lessons all planned out with no need of spending hours making flashcards lets you to spend more quality time with your baby instead of making flashcards. Also the bond created from learning together with your child is something that lasts even after the lesson is over.

7. User-friendly interface that not only gets you up and running in no time, but it's also easy to store and take wherever you are going. The program does come with a manual and online support, but it is design so well you probably won't even need to look at it. You can simply get going right off the bat. All you really need is a computer and that's it. And there's no need to carry a bunch of cards everywhere or find a place to store them, it all fits neatly in your computer. It also keeps a lesson planner that keeps track of what you have covered and what comes next to keep you right on track.

For those of you that do want the actual flashcard system, never fear, BrillKids has got you covered as they provide an actual package with their tangible flashcard system that can be mailed right to your house.

8. Constantly expanding Library. This means that your child will never run out of things to learn. While you can not expect to teach your child all there is to know under the sun, you will have an endless supply of material to feed your child's active curiosity and thirst for learning.

9. Add you own Lessons. Although there is an endless supply of material for your child, you also have the option of easily adding your own content as well. Your child will be delighted to learn about things that are in his usual environment and what could be better than having your child learn with daddy's voice recorded even while daddy is away at work! Or maybe you want to teach your child a second language? With its user-friendly interface there is no more fumbling or toiling with flashcards. It is also fully customizable to your child by having control over how fast it flashes, the color and size of the display as well as sounds, etc. This all ensures that the program will move at a pace that is just right for your child.

10. Community! Now this is a big one. We all want our children to start off with their best foot forward and as the saying goes, "It takes a village to raise a child." And the BrillKids village has over 30,00 members providing you with a strong network of parents just like you all trying to give their child the best start possible. Not only can you share your experiences and get help, but you can also download the lessons that members have made and add those to your baby's lessons, even if it's in another language! Basically, having a support group let's you stop worrying about doing it all alone and let's get back to more important things like giving your child the gift of learning.

All in all, it is a great program that allows you to get your child off on the right foot. And there are two ways you can test this. If you just want to get your feet wet, then check out the free sample lessons or simply join the community and see what people are talking about. If you're ready to jump in and start swimming, then you are still try out their 14-day FREE trial! So in the end you have nothing to lose, but your child has everything to gain!

Your Baby's Brain Development

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How To Raise An Amazing Child the Montessori Way

by Tim Seldin

This book is great whether or not you are considering sending your child to a Montessori school. It has great ideas and tips that cover anything from games and activities to how to let your child's room grow with your child and making your home more child-friendly. Seldin even includes a chapter on discipline advice to teach care and compassion. The beautiful pictures also make this book no only eye-pleasing, but provide a easy, useful references.

Not only is Tim Seldin the President of the Montessori Foundation, but he is also a parent and a Montessori school alumnus. He uses his own experience and knowledge to provide a clear and concise handbook filled with useful tips for parents on how to guide their children into independent life long learners. It's no wonder so many people sing praises of this book.

Other Reviews:

Beautiful and Helpful

"I picked up a copy of How to Raise an Amazing Child - and I must say that it is an amazing book. It is a gem filled with important tips as well as a beautiful piece of art. I find myself leafing though it just to enjoy the photographs and the presentation. I love the practical and helpful ideas throughout, such as ideas on how to create a meaningful birthday celebration, how to encourage and teach helpfulness, and how to set up your child's world to encourage the enjoyment and learning of new skills. This is a worthwhile book for any parent to enjoy and learn from."
Elizabeth Pantley (Kirkland, WA USA),
Author of The No-Cry Discipline Solution
5.0 out of 5 stars

How To Raise An Amazing Child the Montessori Way

Amazon Price: $11.33 (as of 02/15/2012)Buy Now

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The Gift of Learning 

How To Raise An Amazing Child the Montessori Way

Amazon Price: $11.33 (as of 02/15/2012)Buy Now

This is a book that you'll keep going back to over and over again. The amount of knowledge and ideas in this one book really transform the way you think your child sees the world. Great for parents or parents to be, early education teachers, care givers, just anyone who wants a simple yet effective way to allow children to naturally learn about the world around them. Hands down, this book belongs in your library!