Umm... I will PM you.

Hi Nikki, sorry for my late reply.

Just wanted to say thanks for sharing on the "blob" front. It's good to know that it might have been nothing. (I was holed up in Club Med so seeing an ob/gyn was not really an option.)

It doesn't change my decision though, because just knowing that that *could* happen... No man. Not cool.

Nikki - It was like what Nikita just described (fuzzy blob), so that's how I knew. I'm as sure as I can be without having seen a doctor.

Why do you stick with it if you're having side effects and esp. if you're not in a relationship?? (I don't really believe it makes people gain weight, as some claim. But if I suddenly lose weight after getting it removed, I'll let you guys know!)

PY - That's TERRIBLE about your friend. I'm horrified. How many weeks was she??

Nikita - I decided to look up the dictionary definition of conception, and it includes implantation. So I guess if Mirena prevents implantation after fertilization, it can still technically be called a contraceptive. I just don't have the stomach for it. (It also doesn't explain PY's friend!)

I've never had anything against the morning-after pill, but I'm shocked that it took a month to work with you. That's another thing nobody warns you about! Sorry you had to go through that. It wasn't your fault. Just remember the beautiful children you do have.

[When fertilization does occur, Mirena is also thought to act as birth control by preventing the embryo from implanting in the uterus.]

Hi everyone

I'm sorry to say I have to withdraw my recommendation of Mirena. Nikita was right to be suspicious of how it worked.

Until last week, I had total faith in it - because an amazing obstetrician recommended it, and because I haven't had a period since giving birth two years ago.

However, last month I had period pains, and last week (on holiday), I had something I can only describe as a mini-miscarriage. I knew what it was as soon as I saw it. I just really hoped I was wrong.

Well, I Googled "fertilization" and "Mirena" when I got back, and this is what I found:

The hormone in the IUD may sometimes stop the release of an egg from the ovary, but this is not the way it usually works as ovulation still occurs in most women. The Mirena system may prevent sperm from reaching or fertilizing an egg. However, some sperm may reach the egg anyway, resulting in fertilization. When fertilization does occur, Mirena is also thought to act as birth control by preventing the embryo from implanting in the uterus.

I feel foolish for not doing my research properly before. I really thought the combination of breastfeeding (including night feeding) and Mirena was enough to prevent ovulation. Plus, the doctor who recommended it to me suggested that Mirena worked like the pill, only with a much lower dose of hormones. I trusted him.

Now that this has happened, I can't understand why my obstetrician would have considered this an acceptable form of contraception. He's not in Hong Kong anymore or I would ask him, and tell him to warn his patients properly.

Needless to say, I am getting the Mirena taken out as soon as possible.

Just wanted to let the rest of you know, in case you are using, or considering using, Mirena.

Maddy

Thanks Chris. Hope you had a great holiday.

I recently received a similar reply from the IAHP when I asked how, if at all, Glenn Doman's ideas were influenced by his reading of Maria Montessori (even if the two methods do diverge greatly in practice).

The response was: "I have no information about Glenn Doman's interest or influence by the Montessori method."

... aka meaning-emphasis vs code-emphasis approaches.

Just found this article, which doesn't go into the "war" but provides a good explanation of the differences in philosophy.

http://www.education.com/reference/article/debate-code-emphasis-vs-meaning/

Yup, equalling the Aleka record sure is impressive. Congratulations Nadia! Maybe Cammie will go on to skip two grades of school like Aleka, too!

Prettypips, the most important thing is that you daughter enjoys LR as much as she does. I'm positive that she's learning something (otherwise, she wouldn't want to keep watching).

Have you tried waiting before playing the pronunciation in multisensory mode? Do you use the pointer (in which case, you need to click the mouse for the pronunciation to play)? What is your daughter's reaction if you don't play the pronunciation right away?

Funny article and good introduction to the reality of doing math Kumon:

http://www.slate.com/?id=2152480

Ending made me , too...

Re. an update, Naimah is just reading way more words that she was when I shot the video. I can't say how many but the speed that she learns them at amazes me. Like, when I started doing the LR curriculum with her, I'd only showed her it twice when she read "Action Words."

She also reads words out of context now - which she didn't used to do at 16 months. Like, she's read the word "Stop" on a sign next to the swimming pool, and just today she read "My Day" off an episode of Signing Time. That got me.

Re. BF, yes, still going! I'm sure Nim won't wean as long as we're co-sleeping. I want to move her into her own bed soon (around her 2nd birthday - which is in less than 2 months' time), and then hopefully she'll night wean. Day weaning doesn't bother me. I would be happy if she self-weaned, but right now I wouldn't have the heart to wean her. Sometimes BF is a real life saver, toddlers' emotions being what they are. It's like flicking a mood switch and a few times, has made the difference between our being able to stay/go out, or having to go/stay home. So I do appreciate the benefits.

Re. Nim's speaking explosion, it's hard to remember, it was so long ago - but luckily I blogged about it at the time: http://brillbaby.com/blog/?p=156

Around that time (11 months), I wasn't having trouble understanding her. I was having trouble at 10 months... which is why baby signing was so handy! (http://brillbaby.com/blog/?p=149)

I don't think a 14-month-old should be expected to speak clearly though. I know 2.5-year-olds whose speech is garbled. At this age there's a big range in terms of "normal" verbal skills, just like there is for physical development. Some 2-year-olds I know are running and jumping everywhere; others, like Nim, are still learning to go up and down stairs.

Oh yes... Kyles Mom quoted DomanMom in the thread that linked me to this thread! And I quote her quote...!

The child must progress to the point where he doesn't just see the numbers on a card (which he will soon not be able to do anymore) but that he sees the numbers in his head. He must be able to manipulate the numbers in his head, he must know them front and back, knowing not only the number but its relation to other numbers, knowing that "fifty" is half of 100 and 1 less than 51 and 30 less than 80. He must know that "twenty eight" is a third of 94 and half of 56, that it's the product of 2 and 14, and 7 and 4, that it's the sum of 20 and 8 and the difference of 30 and 2. If it's all in his head, he'll have it for life, and he must get to that point before he loses the ability to "see" quantity.

Yup, that's where I got the idea that you can lose the ability to perceive quantity without losing the ability to do instant math.

Clearly that's the idea DomanMom got from her conversation with the IAHP spokesperson. Whether they said it explicitly or implied it, I don't know.

Karma to you Chris! I will read those nrich pages with interest. Thanks for the great teaching suggestions, too - double karma!

Now, I'm confused about something though. You said...

You have to ask why the IAHP fail to inform parents that the ability to subitize larger quantities and perform rapid calculations is not retained.

I know the IAHP admitted that the ability to subitize larger quantities is not retained - they admitted that in their conversation with DomanMom.

But did they actually admit that the ability to do instant math is not retained?

My understanding was that as long as you developed the ability to do instant math while you were able to perceive quantity, you would be able to keep doing instant math... forever.

Where (if anywhere) did you read that kids lose the ability to do instant math?

Thanks

Maddy

Hi Chris

I have ordered Embracing the Wide Sky but it hasn't arrived yet, and page 141 is not available for preview on Amazon.

Would you be able to type in what Tammet has to say about the lack of evidence for children being able to subitize (or summarize it)?

*I* gave you karma by the way.

Thanks

Maddy

Hey... A question for all you Shichida math experts!

Just looking at the scanned document that Agnes gave us before, and I notice it says:

"Random Type (Plain Dots) is used for the whole of this 65 Day Prog.
Supplement with:
a.Variety Type (Picture Dots) to be flashed 10 cards each time in sequence to offer a system of picture dots.
b. Organized Type (Pattern Dots) to be flashed daily. 10 cards each time in sequence."

Does this mean you only need to do one session per day (with plain dots), but if you want you can do up to three sessions per day, with session two and three using picture dots and pattern dots respectively?

What can picture dots include? Are they just shapes or actual pictures, too? (Like what?)

Pattern dots - is that the same as grid alignment in Little Math?

Thanks

Maddy

Joha, I don't think I helped very much, but anyway, you're welcome!

Keep up the great progress! Valerie is adorable btw.

Maddy

Can anyone answer my questions on Shichida math (see original post)?