[designed explicitly as an infant educational tool]

"Their verdict: It’s not good, and probably bad.
Media, whether playing in the background or designed explicitly as an infant educational tool, “have potentially negative effects and no known positive effects for children younger than 2 years,” concluded the AAP’s report, "

I wonder what kind of infant educational tools they researched??  Was it just the mainstream Sesame Street type of programing?  If so, then I could understand their verdict.  I can see such wonderful positive effects from my child using Brillkids programs and Reading Bear and Starfall. I don't think she would have advanced as quickly with just my homemade cards, etc, if we hadn't added in the media also.  I just couldn't add the pictures, fonts, number of words, etc. to compete with it.   How could Signing Time, Twiddlewink, Sparkabilities be considered harmful?

I can see how most "educational" programs would be detrimental though.  And we avoid those even though she is over two years old.  Yes, I would say turn off mainstream TV, but don't throw it all out just because they haven't really studied Early Learning.

I agree. I really don't think you can compare Peppa Pig with Baby Signing Time!

Hi Seastar

Blindfold reading or Dermo-optical perception is just the classic nose peek trick.

Chris.

I love it! Yes, I have to say that's what I think too. I would love if it were true but I don't think so.

This might be of interest  - http://gerryp.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/evaluation-of-superachievers-magazine/

Chris1

Very interesting blogpost Chris - thanks for the link. I guess it is exactly what I have been grappling with. I have never met anyone who has developed these right brain abilities through practice so I am naturally sceptical. That said, until last year, I thought it was impossible for babies to read (unless they had hyperlexia) so I am trying to be openminded about the right-brain education claims. With that in mind, I have decided to work on developing these skills myself before I use the techniques with my kids. At least then I may get some evidence (or not) for myself!

I too have worried about Sparkabilities - the rapid changes just seem so dramatic!   

As a matter of interest - have any of the parents on here worked on their own right brain skills? If so, I would love to hear your feedback. I have been working on this for the last few days and I have had some interesting results, e.g. after doing a photo eyeplay session, I had a strong urge to reconnect with an important person in my life with whom things had become quite strained. I acted on this feeling by sending a quick email which received a favourable response. What was interesting for me was that the photo eyeplay session led me to take a completely different course of action, but one that was right for me. I am both intruiged and sceptical as to where this right brain stuff will take me next   

To be honest, I had dismissed mid-brain stuff as snake oil. However, this thread has made me rethink that opinion. For example, I believe in intuition to a certain extent and maybe this is where intuition comes from. I never linked the third eye with mid-brain activation, thank you Tamsyn!

I wonder what the link is with different forms of meditation? Do any of you guys meditate? There are many many well-designed studies showing the positive benefits of meditation, particularly with regard to concentration, ability to learn, freedom from distractibility, organisational skills, and, in the more 'out-there' studies, intuition. Could this be all along the same lines?

With regard to diet, I definitely feel there is a link. I was vegetarian most of my life, with a pretty healthy diet overall. However, I began eating meat a few years ago, and my overall diet was less healthy, less fruit and veg and less water. I have always dipped in and out of meditation but I have found it much more difficult to do this in recent years and maybe this is due to my diet? I am now meat-free once again and I am working on the sugar addiction (after the Robinson discussion). I feel that tv and screen time also has a negative impact. While I watch very little TV, I did not watch any for around 5 years and I feel it has a negative impact on me. I had been thinking about giving up TV following the comment that 'TV was invented to make slaves of us all' (or something like that) - was that you again Tamsyn? Well, as of today, I have given up TV - wish me luck!

So, now that the diet & screen time has been improved somewhat, I am determined to take a fresh look at all this mid-brain, right brain stuff. But, where to start? Ideas and suggestions most welcome.

hi peasoup - only just saw your reply. We also love the Sing & Sign DVDs, although we have now switched over to ASL due the the greater availability of resources. My sister loves Mr Tumble too!

urthemom.com has a series of lectures on self-teaching free this month: http://www.urthemom.com/Freebie_February.html

Karma MummyRoo. Is there a way of saving these lectures to listen later?

This is such a stimulating discussion.

 I am pouring over all the info on urthemom.com - I must say,the approach sounds fantastic. I used to work in ABA ( Applied Behaviour Analysis) years ago, and with that method a child only moves on when they achieve 90-95% mastery two days in a row. I, and others, used this method to teach nonverbal children to read, among other things. Much later I became disillusioned with the approach as it is quite political and I just hate politics! However, I can see merits once more. Many of the more able children set their own goals, planned their days and corrected their own work, all to mastery.

Off now to read more on that website - karma for the link

We did BLW with Sophie and are currently doing it with our baby. Have you checked out the BLW forum? I love the recipes section.

      

Following this topic, as it is of interest to us. We are (regrettably) monolingual, but are determined to teach our son multiple languages.

One thing we have considered is a nanny or au pair who speaks other languages, even though I am a SAHM (mostly). Has anyone ever tried this? Au pairs in any of the programs we have explored cost about $25k/yr for all fees & usually stay 1yr at a time. Do you think it would be worth the expense when we really don't need the child care aspect? We found one nanny locally who spoke FIVE languages (including all the ones we wanted our child to learn, except Spanish), but she is engaged full-time as an after-school nanny for another family & would only be available 4hrs/3day/week. Not sure he would really get much out of that. Thoughts?

4 hours 3 days per week is pretty amazing compared to what many children get! I have asked a French nanny to come to my house once a week to play, sing songs etc and it has made a huge difference in my daughters interest in the language. I know it is not enough to become fluent, but it is a start

My almost 3 year old and my 7 month old go to Waterbabies too. It's expensive but they are both making great progress. We are starting our 3rd 10-week term next week. Here's a link to the Irish site www.waterbabies.ie

Wolfwind - karma for this thread. How do you think this approach compares to All About Spelling?

oh no! I bought the upgrade - waterdreamer, I blame you for putting the idea in my head 

Go on then, I'll chime in too. Please please please put us out of our misery and tell us!