Originally Posted by Crystal:
Things like your baby can read, baby einstein, etc. are not Developmentally Appropriate activities for children. I have never once used a flashcard, a video or anything even resembling those to teach young children. Society is wrong, but they also are not experts in the field. They do what sells to parents......it's not hard to convince a new parent that flashing lights and digital pictures are the way to go, as they have grown up in a time of electronics being THE way to go 
Offering hands on, play-based, and real-life learning are the best ways to provide a solid foundation.
Wow! I didn't realize there was a disapproving attitude toward things like Your Baby Can Read. I personally like the idea of teaching kids at a fast pace. I love having a two year old read to me. I love the math idea too. I think the basic idea behind these programs is communication skills. I would take communication skills over large motor skills in a child any day. I have a slightly different take on the way to teach things than these reading programs do. I do flashcards and the kids love them! I don't force them to learn I just give them the information. I never test them. I never use electronics with them, no tv, no computer. I find doing my curriculum with the kids to be very rewarding and fun. I don't like to 'play' with the kids because their play tends to be simple and repetitive. I encourage them to play with each other and learn from me. I'm doing something with the kids or for the kids every minute that I am open except nap time when I'm on here though that could be a toss up since I learn so much on here.