That's such a cute pic Emma!

We're the same.  We've read to Michaela since a very early age and she's read several book a day but we don't put pressure on her to learn to read.  She likes counting so she probably takes after me in that respect and recently she's started singing all the time so obviously she's focussing on that atm. 

That's a talent I missed out on.  I'm no good at fictional writing.  My mum is a writer and both my sisters and my niece are good at it, even my DH is a fab writer.  I was in the above average class for english at school (all those years ago) and I'm really good at writing professional letters but crap at making up stories and writing poetry etc.  I'm great at maths though.

Teresa, the article suggests we start teaching them to read from 3mo and that watching shows designed for kids (such as wiggles) will turn their brain to mush.  He also claims that 75% of brain development occurs before age 2 so leaving reading until after then results in illiteracy (in a nutshell).

I think fostering an enjoyment of books in babies is important and teaching kids to read as toddlers/preschoolers is great but I wouldn't force it, once Michaela's ready and interested she'll learn.

I'm with you Flissty. 

I think that there's a reason kids do things in certain order and I watched a show a couple of years ago which actually said why certain stages were important. 

 I was also thinking when watching it that I don't know anyone who was pushed to read early and I also don't know any illiterate people but the guy was alluding that those that don't do the program will be illiterate and he was anti-wiggles, that wouldn't go down well in my house.

I ended up switching over because his monotonous tone of voice was annoying me.

p.s. I was surprised to hear that most kids (according to the article) start learning to read after 5 my niece and nephews were all reading before they went to school, I assumed that was the norm.