At first I was sort of consistent with four times a week with two sessions a day, but at one point, I went to six times a week with two sessions a day.  This was mostly from the request of my little one.  I did use other programs like Your Baby Can Discover and Sparkabilities on a very consistent basis.  My little on started at 6 months, and didn't really show a large database of word recognition until 16 months.  Then it just took off from there.  He is just now reading sentences at 22 months, and if he is in the right frame of mind, he can read a whole LR story.  I am exposing him to Readingbear  but not on a consistent basis.   I also show a couple of phonics videos.   To strengthen sight word knowledge, I did show Preschool Preps sight word DVDs but he didn't really need to see those too much probably because of LR. 

It seems that once mine started to have a small amount of word recognition it really started to pick up steam after that.  I am interested in too in how it was for everyone.   

I sent in my testimony.  I am so sad that this is happening again to them.  I hope they can finally put the issue to rest.

I also at one point had 3 under 3 too.  When I first started, I had a three year old, two year old and a 5 month old, and I had the same roller coaster of feelings.   I learned to put it into perspective by celebrating all that I have done and all that I am to my children.   Your love for your children says a lot and you are already in the best spot in the world with a mind set to give your children something more.  Take a moment and see all the beautiful things you are already doing and then get excited for the journey ahead.   We all suffer from "mommy guilt" and we have to just put it all in perspective.   Mommy/parent guilt doesn't do us any good, and serves as small thorn in our foot stopping us from moving forward.   Pull it out and start getting EXCITED!  Early learning in any form is a fun, exciting journey.

One of things I learned from all the wonderful people on this forum is take baby steps.  Just add one thing a day to your normal routine, and as it becomes apart of your life, than add another one.  Incorporating an EL activity with a specific part of your routine will always improve the success of making it a habit.  For example, showing phonics related videos on YouTube at lunch everyday or always counting toys during bath time.   It easy easy to get overwhelmed by what everyone is doing, but most of our journeys have been just like yours. We all started somewhere in the beginning feeling very overwhelmed and wishing we had done this or that.   

As far as free resources, YOUTUBE is full of them.   All my children learned their colors, shapes, planets and counting from watching short video songs on YouTube at breakfast, sometimes lunch and just for the fun of it.   Everyday more and more awesome kids learning videos show up on YouTube everyday.   If you need some playlists to get you started, I am organizing playlists on my channel.  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqZJoUUqFfdmGmpy1ucwrWQ.  Or you can go to http://pushplaylearning.com and subscribe for updates.   I have a map out of playlists for the next month.      I might have a slight addiction to YouTube.   

Also I don't think there is a magic curriculum you should follow.   One thing that resonated with me when I read Glenn Doman's books is the importance of trusting your "mommy" instincts (its been a long time since I read it but somehow that's what I got out of the book).   Just trust yourself, and if you feel like you should teach this or that, then teach it.   No one has the right way and no one's way is better.   Each way creates a unique and beautiful child.  So celebrate your journey and get excited!

(Jenene, it's so good to hear those playlists are helpful for you.  I will keep them coming.)

I would just love to hear reviews from both you on this product!  You guys always have nice insights.  Thanks!

TMT, I love it when you talk about Right Brain.  You always share some interesting articles and papers to read.

I think the reason we do not see a lot about the Shichida method here in the Western hemisphere is really due to a culture difference and approach to science.    Western civilization removes any intuition from science as it lacks a definitive form of measurement.  In Eastern cultures, I find that they are led by their intuition.  While one side will dismiss due to lack of definitive measuring standards, another side will consider and explore.  Both sides have something to offer to science in my opinion.   It's the Ying and Yang of the world of science.   They balance each other.

To give perspective on the merging of the two worlds of thought, I find this article from the Harvard Gazette in 2002 fascinating.   http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/2002/04.18/09-tummo.html     We hardly have a grasp on the human mind, but there is hope that Western Science community will continue to consider the scientific explorations going on in the Eastern Science Community and their culture. 

Giggle Math does look awesome.  It's going on the list of must buy for my youngest.    But I did finish the entire Mammoth Math grade 1 with my recently turned 5 year old.   It took us around 9 months to finish because we took a couple of breaks from it, but we did every single page and every single problem (Warning...its a lot).   I did not flash one math fact card, and he knows all his subtraction and addition math facts fluently.   He also played a game on his LeapPad that reinforced his learning as well.  He is now learning multiplication. 

What I learned with Mammoth Math is to go through every problem in order and if you need to be manipulative dependent with an abacus or feeding cheerios to dolls, that is okay.  I found the results to be the same.   We used manipulatives for the first book and by the second book, he was doing them in his head or with his fingers.  Then at the end of the second book, he was doing two step word problems in his head.  I found Mammoth math's systematic approach through the math facts to be incredibly thorough.   Its an open and go book, so it is so easy to use.    There are lots of samples, so print them out and give them a try.   I use the Light Blue series.  http://www.mathmammoth.com/complete/grade_1.php

Hope that helps.

Those are great ideas.  Thanks!  I am sewing together the puppet theater that is just going to hang in the doorway on a spring rod.  I am so excited for the cute Melissa/Doug Doctor puppet.   I think she is going to have lots of fun with all the puppets.   I love the ideas.   I am going to work on some tags to hang around the puppets neck with key medical terms about the puppet's "illness."   I also found some great free doctor printables...even XRAY printables. 

http://www.sparklebox.co.uk/topic/roleplay/emergency/medical.html#.UeN_pm2AF5c

So much to do...I can't believe she is going to be four.

Addiction to anything is really lack of discipline.   Simply practicing fasting helps give one a good control over themselves.   For example, setting out parameters of when and where to use technology is a practice of when and where you also fast from technology.   What parameters you set up for your family will be based on your own personal philosophy and parental instincts.   These things should not be over thought but you should have a rough plan. 

Remember to set the rules out firmly for the baby and be consistent to follow through.  iPad time might just be mommy/daddy lap time in which the only interaction with iPad is with the baby in your lap doing the specific program you want.   Then you remove the iPad exactly when you want and never waiver.   Babies can spot a weak moment in parent in a heart beat.  So beware and just smile and put it away quickly.   Babies don't like a toy taken away, but you are the parent.   They will love you anyway.   Just be ready with another distraction.   Making this a habit will allow the baby to be comfortable with process and any moment of displeasure will be replaced with an excitement for the next activity with mommy and daddy.   

My baby wasn't introduced to the iPad until maybe at 20 months (strictly financial reasons here), but before that, he did receive screen time through LR and LMusician along with Sparkabilities and YCCD.  I also rotated other things in here and there. 

I believe most studies on babies being exposed to TV and such are very subjective.  These studies are more or less subjective surveys taken by parents.   No consideration is made to the content of the programming other than it being mainstream and directed towards children.   So many elements can really be a factor here from economic, social, cultural and/or parental philosophies.   The programming is also important.  Most television and computer programs recommended by parents on this forum are not really considered mainstream and wouldn't be found in these so called studies.  Also, early learning parents have very different parenting philosophy of creating a loving environment filled with opportunities to learn with and without technology. 

I think interaction children receive during the use of a software or DVD program is critical to the success.   I didn't just push PLAY and walk away from my baby.  This was our special time cuddling where we are counting with the program, naming the colors, laughing together at the silly parts, and singing along.    When I got my baby up in the morning, his first word was "words."   He loved LR, and if he was addicted to it, I was okay with that.  Now, of course, he is addicted to shapes.   How I have learned that shapes are everywhere!   

We are really in the early stages of understanding the mind and how it works.   While we know a lot, we hardly know anything.   There is so much to learn.   I would be wary of any organization that isn't open minded enough to come over to Brillkids or go on YouTube to see the thousands of babies and toddlers reading.

No matter what you are going to do a great job, so don't worry.   I am excited that you are here, and I hope you keep us updated on your early learning journey. 

Thanks guys!   I am putting together lots of great playlists, so keep checking back.   I just did one for Children Spanish audio books with words/pictures. 

Come on over and check out my new blog pushplaylearning.com where I make no apologies for using technology to teach my four children ages 1 to 9 years old. 

You can have a good laugh on my blog because I am easy going and just real.   I also have great resources and links to my favorite sites.   I will be posting often so please subscribe. 

Relax, sit down with you glass.....and read my blog response to that obnoxiously, funny Fisher Price Commercial "Do you know that Mom?" (Have you seen it yet?  Its a hoot. The commercial is posted in my blog post.)

http://pushplaylearning.com/if-its-as-easy-as-pushing-play-why-not/

Don't stop there though.   Browse around and let me know what you think. 

(IMPORTANT NOTE:  I know everyone here has different philosophies on technology...I am not debating it...I am just making no apologies for my personal choices.  So relax and move on if this isn't your cup of tea.  I am cool with you anyway.  )

I am putting together my little girl's birthday present.  She is turning four, and I am making her a puppet theater.   I am combining her love for role playing with her love to play doctor, but I want to give her something more meaty as far as the doctor role playing goes.

I kind of want to create a little game where the characters wear name tags listing there symptoms and we have to figure out what's wrong and how to "fix" them.    I feel kind of out of my league on this one and wanted some expertise or point in the right direction.   

Thanks.

The thought of teaching Calculus to my kids makes me want to hyperventilate, but thank you Kerileanne99 for giving me a simple place to begin.   Now off to get a graphed poster board for some fun time graphing and learning about all the parts of a Cartesian graph.  I can handle starting there.   

Thanks guys that does save a lot of work. 

Skylark, I agree about the flashing categories.  Thanks for the all the tips.  I will keep you updated.  Someone suggested moon facts on facebook and there is a moon phase category already in the library too.  Yay!  I will keep you updated and when its ready, I will let everyone know. 

I love this course feature on LR!

I am putting together a course on the Universe, and I just wanted some tips and advice.  Here is a rough draft of my planned course outline.  I haven't figured out the recommended length of how many times a slide should be shown, so any advice on that would be great. 

A.   Part 1 (introduction) (Insert number of days to show and start/end day)
  a.   Famous people (astronomers)
         i.   Galileo, etc
  b.   Basic Space vocabulary
         i.   Universe
        ii.   Galaxy
       iii.   Star
      iv.   Planet
      v.   Comet
      vi.   Asteroid
     vii.   Meteor
    viii.   meteorite
     ix.   Telescope
      x.   Man-made satellite
     xi.   Natural satellite
    xii.   Astronaut
    xiii.   Astronomer
  c.   Planet Names
B.   Part 2 (Our Solar System) (Insert number of days to show and start/end day)
  a.   Famous people (astronauts)
  b.   Our Solar System
       i.   Earth  facts  (Insert number of days to show and start/end day)
      ii.   Mercury facts  (Insert number of days to show and start/end day)
     iii.   Venus Facts  (Insert number of days to show and start/end day)
      iv.   Mars Facts  (Insert number of days to show and start/end day)
      v.   Jupiter Facts  (Insert number of days to show and start/end day)
     vi.   Saturn Facts (Insert number of days to show and start/end day)
     vii.   Uranus (Insert number of days to show and start/end day)
    viii.   Neptune (Insert number of days to show and start/end day)
     ix.   Dwarf Planets (Insert number of days to show and start/end day)
      x.   The Sun (Insert number of days to show and start/end day)
     xi.   Asteroids  (Insert number of days to show and start/end day)
    xii.   Meteors and Meteorites (Insert number of days to show and start/end day)
    xiii.   Comets (Insert number of days to show and start/end date)
  c.   Names of Telescopes/Satellites
  d.   Names of Constellations
C.   Part 4 (Introduction to Deep Space) (Insert number of days to show and start/end day)
  a.   Star Maps
  b.   Parts of our Galaxy
  c.   Types of Nebulas
  d.   Types of Stars
  e.   Types of Galaxies
  f.   Specific Planetary facts part 1
       i.   Ordinal number from Sun
      ii.   Sizes of Planets in order
D.   Part 5 Deep Space  (Insert number of days to show and start/end day)
  a.   Star Maps continued
  b.   Famous Nebulas (Insert number of days to show and start/end day)
  c.   Famous Stars (Insert number of days to show and start/end day)
  d.   Famous Galaxies (Insert number of days to show start/end day)
  e.   Famous Supernovas
  f.   Famous Star Clusters
  g.   Specific Planetary facts part 2
       i.   Mass of planets in order (smallest to biggest)
      ii.   Number of satellites for each planet in order
     iii.   Length of planetary day
      iv.   Length of orbit
      v.   Surface Temperature
     vi.   Planetary types (gas/terrestrial)

That is very exciting!  way to go!