My DD has generally refused to read any words other than pig (sometimes) when I know she can read more - I can hear her reading bits from books she has not memorised when she should be asleep at night, and if she thinks I am not paying attention she points to words, runs her finger along, and says them in her books. Plus she randomly read a word on the TV the other day too. If I ask her a word though she just says "I don't know!". I probably ask her once a month, if that. I have told everyone (my family) not to test her or ask her because maybe she thinks it is pressure which would be weird because I consciously don't test her or get frustrated if she does not know..........

She has been like this in other areas too.... Like taking off her coat and shoes and getting dressed - she has phases of faking not being able to do it. When we did potty training I knew she could do it but she just refused, which was fine if baffling. When it came to night dryness she one day surprised me by saying "wake up in the morning, do a wee in the nappy, go to mummy" (so she was not wetting during the night, but waking up and deliberately going wetting her nappy, even though we had discussed having dry nights). So I laughed and said "no, wake up in the morning, go in the toilet not the nappy". She has been dry ever since. She just doesn't seem to fancy *doing* certain things she is able to. It was a bit frustrating that there is a gap between can and do with her, but perhaps it is just her personality??? Anyone else find that??? Any tips to overcome, or do I just leave her to it or work around it??? Since I want to homeschool I would like to get past this or at least know what is going on..........

Anyway, back to the reading.... Getting most right in the LR games in the new version might have to triggered something - confidence maybe??? - because today she read a few words I have not heard her read before off her own back. And at bedtime today she offered to "read" a book to me.

The only area she will demonstrate her knowledge with ease is when we do IXL. Once she figured out she would get rewards from the programme. But I want her to like learning and demonstrating her learning for the love of it, not for a gold medal or other reward..... I do not plan to bribe my child all the way through education! Perhaps it is okay to be reward driven at first, and the love comes later.....

(hope this makes sense!)

We switched. My DD seems to prefer it. She likes being able to do more than press to continue. Also I can get a better idea about her reading / through the games since she bizarrely refuses to read many words to me even though I know she is can read and recognise more words....... anyway. I like it. She was chuffed to see her pic inside the programme.

Thank you!

Oh - Also, should I start again from the beginning - or just keep going from day whatever we are on....
I am thinking about the sight words we will have missed...

thanks
:-)

Hello,

How do I / Should I uninstall the content from the previous versions? At the moment I have:
BrillKids English (UK) Semester 1
BrillKids English (UK) Semester 2
English (UK) Semester 1
English UK Curriculum Trial

I would like to get rid of the bottom two.

thanks.

I have not heard of it but my 3yo just started Suzuki Violin Lessons and the way that works (or should work if you get a teacher who follows the method properly) is that you learn at the same time or even prior to your child so that your child wants to learn because they see you doing it. So when you ask about one child having lessons for now, that could really work because you could teach your other child from what you are learning.

I really like philosophy of Suzuki violin because it aims to give children a love of music and their instrument which should be a motivating factor from the start. My girl has not got to the stage of making 'music' yet but is so keen to because she has been to a recital and has observed other young children having lessons.

( <a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/sYANkPn_d2M&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/sYANkPn_d2M&rel=1</a>)

Hiya,

I am thinking of withdrawing my just 3 year old from nursery. She has been attending one day a week for about 3 or 4 months (with a break from Christmas etc) but her behaviour an language seem to have suffered. However, I am a lone parent (or whatever we are called) so a whole day to myself (aka to catch up on housework and perhaps sleep) is great.

Language - she has started using slang like "innit" and "oi". And her pronunciations seem to have lost a little clarity. She no longer says the days of the week properly and really messes up the content of several nursery rhymes she knew properly. I think this is to do with the fact that lots of children are saying the nursery rhymes together and some know the words and some (or presumably most) don't so she picks it up as she can make it out.

I think that any concerns about socialising with other children.... hmmm.... there is plenty of time for it. Confidence comes from being allowed to do things in your own time, not from being pushed into being around other children. IMO anyway. 

I find myself undoing a lot, and it is being resisted because of course I was not there when it happened to explain that just because the adult / child did or sad something does not mean it was right or good or to be copied!

Anyway, be reassured, your presence is much appreciated by your child. Even if you think you could be doing more (I am saying this to me as well as to you!). My daughter has always been a good sleeper and the day she started nursery started waking 3 to 5 times a night every night for about 2 and a half months. Obviously the anxiety may not have shown while she was there but it was tough on her and she is not particularly shy. It did trigger a bit of separation anxiety generally too. If she was a shy child and I had the option to I would be minded to wait until she was older.

Further, I think that she learns so much more with me, we can focus on topics and follow her train of thought and chat about things to ensure understanding. In terms of learning pre school feels like a wasted day to me at times. However, I will say I have learnt a few things about her, how she copes, what she likes (the nursery staff have some toys / activities I had not thought of).

Whatever you decide though, don't feel guilty. I know lots of mums who put their first child in nursery when the second is on way or has arrived just so they can get a break. Parenthood is one big juggling act. We do the best we can!!

Just my thoughts.....

Thanks!
I haven't found much of any real use. Never mind! :-)

Thanks. I've imported it a couple of times... I see the full curriculum for both semesters but a few days later its gone. Mildly frustrating. Will see how it goes this time though I've only been able to download semester 1 . Cheers

Hi - any help you can give me with this would be appreciated.
I am currently downloading the Little Reader content yet again but still expect that next time or later down the line it will have vanished and I will only be able to see the trial version of a few days.
Thanks.

this is the shot for LR. So i guess when I put in all the content disks originally nothing happened.
I have tried to download the content for LMath and LR instead but get an error message saying request cannot be completed or something.... 

little musician is fine (but that is a download anyway)

I did the CDs for all of them but still saying trial version etc. Will attach screen shots in a bit. Ta

Hey,

LR says I am using trial version. I re entered my activation code and it says it is already in use. Does that mean I am not using the trial version.

Might be worth noting that I did once download a trial version but then could not get it to work so never used it, then later got the LR discs etc and installed them.

Thanks 4 any comments.

Congratulations! 

Sorry, I don't have much to add which answers your question but just to say that I was informed about the change to the early years foundation guidelines which came into effect this September and find them absolutely baffling. I'm not sure if it's staff interpretation of it or the actual guidelines but either way I think it spells huge problems for education in England. My daughter is due to start nursery shortly and I'm almost thinking what's the point! I'm told she'll learn about queueing up and having a set amount of time to eat and sitting still to eat, plus she'll make friends. Hmmm. Although there is value in these things children are learners so to plan to hide colours, numbers, letters, counting, quantity etc from them seems to me to be a travesty. Anyway, rant over.

I have recently started using kumon books with my DD. But her favourite are roger priddy wipe clean books for handwriting practice (there are others). They are not academic so should be good for non-teachers. But the Kumon ones are ok though repetitive and not hugely exciting.

Interested to know how you get on with this as nurseries are pretty structured so I'd wonder how they will fit  that into the day especially as each staff member is key worker to more than one child - up to 4 at 3+ age group