Thanks so much for all your responses. Just to clarify though - i taught him to read using the your baby can read theory. He didn't like the DVDs much but loved flash cards, and we also read and read to him (native reading style) and by 2 he was able to decode words he hadn't seen before and thus read new books on his own. I have also taught my now 4 yr old little girl who reads at a 7-8yr old age too. My 18 month old is also well on the way too and seems more advanced than the other 2... knows at least 100 words on sight so it won't be long till she is reading on her own too.

I say all this not to brag, though ... OK a little bragging   . But more to say that the reading is not so much a gifted thing - I taught him, and I am a early childhood teacher so teaching is what I do. Does that make sense - yes definitely an early reader and reads at a level that amazes me ... but isnt that normal for an early reader? I guess that's another post there because would be very interested in responses

The whole repeating a book to me though, from memory is something I have never seen before, but could it just be a freaky skill he has ?

I did mention to his kindly teacher and she said she had noticed a few things too that suggested he might be gifted.... extensive vocab .. which I would still just put down to lots of reading? Sensitive to noise and touch, pefectionist?

The school won't assess him so we will have to do it privately, which is fine, but I just don't want to be the pishy parent you know? But I also want to do what's best for him, and i sort of need to know what I am dealing with I guess?

I know it sound like I am being negative and I don't mean to... just not really sure what to do? 

So my children can all read, taught them early      and now a friend has asked me to tutor her 5 y old boy.

I am just not sure which way to go, is it too late to try and teach him via flash cards, and native reading.. so pretty much using the whole word approach? Or the more traditional way of a is for apple... sooo boring!

I guess i will try and do a mixture of both but is he really too old for flashcards?

Why oh why can't parents teach their babies to read? - its soooo much easier?

Hi all,  I havent been on this site for ages, but I dont really know who else to ask? Or where else i could get some reasonable responses 

So my little boy is 5, has been reading since he was 2 and now reads at an 8yr old level. He is clearly a very bright little boy (don't we all think that). I have always noticed that he is an excellent memory but the other day I was reading to his sister, a chapter book, and noticed that he was mouthing along with me, from the other side of the room. Thought he might have just remembered a few sentences here and there..

But no - he was able to recite pages and pages of the story to me. Occasionally he would get a word wrong ie wept, instead of sobbed, or say mum and bob instead of bob and mum, but it was pretty much word for word! We could turn to any page in the book read a sentence or so and he would continue.

Its a book he only got a few days ago, and since then he has done it with a few other books too!

It kinda freaked me out... what do you think?

Background info - In Australia so- Kindy is a 5 day fortnight - very socially orientated - Starting ages 3.5yrs - 4.5yrs
                                               -Preprimary  5 day, 'start' of school Starting ages 4.5 - 5.5
                                               - yr 1, yr 2 etc etc

So my 4yr old has just started kindy and they have discovered his 'reading'.  They did a reading assessment on him and he has a reading age of 8yrs and 9months... of course their first thought is to put him up a grade     He is also writing at a level beyond his years and LOVES doing simple addition and subtractions.

I just dont really know what to think.... This is what we have decided - to finish his kindy year as he is now, then next year go into a preprimary/yr 1 class but probably do most of the yr 1 work.. and then the following yr go straight into Yr 2...??

What do you think??  He is not a loud boisterous boy, used to be really shy but just inthe last 6 months or so has really gained some confidence and is starting to be a bit of a leader, has lots of friends, and kids seem to 'want' tp be his friend if you Know what I mean.......

hmm so many thoughts going through my head.. I guess I am after experiences of kids who have skipped a grade, thoughts on when is the best time to move up, if its the best thing at all??

anything at all would be helpful.. especially as I have a little girl who is 3 and will go into Kindy next year, and reads at the same if not a higher level than her brother.........

Apologies if there is already a  thread on this - still tryign to navigate my way through this forum.

Was really intrigued reading the post about the child being bombarded (prob the worng word   ) by a heap of languages and then being able to pick up a few things from each.

My 3 and 4 yr olds are both awesome readers thanks to YBCR and native reading, and we are getting there with our 11 month old.

I have always wanted to teach my children another language but only have limited experience in German, but we have a German friend who has been teaching them recently and I am blown away by how much they have learnt so quickly (more than I learnt in 3 years at high school )

Reading the other post has motivated me to immerse them all in at least one other Language and maybe more?

Trying to find some good german songs/nursery rhymes etc to play in the car and just when they are playing at home.  Language Lyrics sounded good but I they dont seem to do it anymore??

Any ideas, places to look etc??

we have little pim german, and 'i can speak'  which the kids like but am over the tv being on!!

we LOVE LOVE LOVE the balance bikes.  My older 2 had the "JD BUG bikes", and both went straight to a normal pedal bike on their 3rd birthday no problems.  Although they both STILL love riding their balance bikes

My next little bub is getting a "wishbone" bike for her first birthday (can be used from 1 yr of age)

What do you mean by an expert?? well I guess I know ... but I have a Bach Degree in Early Childhood Education.

not sure if that is an expert or not...

I also have a 3 and a 4 yr old who read at an 8 and 9 yr old level respectively and to achieve this I used NONE of what I learnt in 4 years of uni...!

Hiya Kimba - I tried checking back on your posts but couldnt see.. how old are your kids??

I think from your post and signature you might be having another bub soon???

To be honest it all seems so long ago that they progressed to actually reading LOL and I know have a 7 month old that I am just starting with and feel like I am in the deep end again and lost about how to do it... which is really stupid because clearly I have done it twice LMAO!!

I am an early childhood teacher which I think helped with my interaction with my kids (if that makes sense?/) but this approach to teaching kids is completely different to the 4 years I spent at uni learing about "how kids learn".  I really had to open my mind to this new method!!

With the writing - well my kids are seriously blowing me away!!  The just turned 3 year old writes like a year 1 child I think (although it has been a while since I have been in schools teaching LOL)  I would actually love to post some examples later on and get some feedback??
I just tried to make everything fun to start with -lets draw a snake... oh my goodness that snake is twisting so much it made an s shape.. etc

I also make writing very much essential to their life, they have to write their name on the chart if they want a turn on the computer, or if they want me to buy apples at the shop they have to write it on the shopping list etc... does that make sense??

Anyway I am far from an expert LOL - as I said I am so lost where to start with my 7 month old - she is a squirmy little thing and wont sit still for a book... oh but she is standing on her own, unassisted   and has taken a few steps (yes just turned 7 months a few days ago!!)

So maybe she will be my athlete.......

Hiya - I am in remote WA - REALLY keen to chat to some other parents doing this with their kids!

I have a just turned 4 year old (who has the reading age of a 9 yr old) and a just turned 3 yr old (who has the reading age of an 8 yr old) and a 7 month who I am just starting the doman method of learning to read!

3 and 4 yr old both write extremely well to - which is something I havent heard much mention of onthis site...??

anyway - thats my story - yep sounds like a brag I know but if I cant brag here well then I cant ANYWHERE!!!  because people just do not want to know LMAO!!

look forward to meeting youall!

bec

yeah bummer about the geenogee - it seemed a pretty good system from the info I could find about it!

And I too have been told numerous times that "just cos kids read early they wont do any better and chances are they may eventually fall behind more so than others!!"

I really need some solid "research" that supports the notion that early readers go on to thrive because as my little boy is only 4 I cant say that yet.. and Imust admit I do have a fear that he is going to be bored in school and lose some enthusiasm for learning!!

Hey sorry to hijack - trying to findmore info on the geenogee flashcard system???

any lnks??

Choose carefully who you tell or be ready to be judged!!!  I know that sounds Harsh but for me thats the way its been!

4 yrs ago when I did this with my son - I told a few people and got shot down, at 2 he was reading books 5 yr olds would struggle with and other parents I knew were pretty much jealous and ignored him!!

Now however i have a 6 month old and am doing it all over again and have mentioned it to a few close friends and mayne because they have seen how well it has worked with my older 2 children they are very keen!!??

I found my inlaws and parents were a little dismissive of the whole idea but now that it has worked are so sso so proud and continually talk about how clever their grandkids are to anyone who will listen!!(annoying!)

Hiya everyone!!  I am soooo looking forward to some like minded people and not people that think I am doing my kids a disservice by encouraging their love for learning!!

So so sick of hearing "let them be kids"

well hello - I am!!

anyway before I start a rant I should properly introduce myself

I am an early shildhood teacher who stumbled upon the YBCR dvds when my firstborn was about 12 months old.  WOW  - what a completely different approach to teaching than what I spent 4 yrs learning at university LOL!!

my husband wasnt convinced but we both gave it a go and by 2 yrs of age my son was reading phonetically

fast forward a few years I now have my son just turned 4 who has the reading age of an 8-9 yrold
a daughter who just turned 3 and has the reading age of an 8 yr old (we combined YBCR with the doman reading system and the native baby reading philosphy)
a 6 month old who has a brother and a sister shoving words/books in her face all day so will be reading before long just to get them to leave her alon LOL!!

My 2 older kids are also quite proficient at sign language and we have just started teaching them german and they are soaking it up like sponges!!!

so anyway I am so keento talk to soem like minded people because Iam really struggling to not be looked at like a freak........

cant wait to meet and chat withyou all and look forward to reading your stories!!