I can fully comprehend how in a world of performance and child idolatry (as in - making icons out of any performing child), that industry leaders would be seeking to develop cutting edge programs to peek the performance of children whose parents are willing to invest in any way to give their child a leg up. On a personal aside, I am tempted almost every day to find some niche where my son could eventually compete against others at a high level. It is definitely the uglier side of parenting as we teeter on the balance beam of giving our children abundant opportunities to succeed, while not making their talents the objects of our own affection and pride. I don't know many parents that would ever deny this valid temptation. What we need to recognize by this vice of sorts, is that we are prone to allow any opportunity to invest in a program or tool that will give our child what appears to be an edge on others their age. It is obviously okay to a point, but if it is not in the best interest of our children, than we are undoubtedly teetering off the beam.
The tool is ultimately just stimulating the brain to process information at a rate that is far more suitable to its capacities. This is very defensible with research and common sense. What I am concerned about is the notion that through a language development theory, we are purporting that all children should be able to operate under a scientific modem of performance. (With only a couple of years in the educational field, I hesitate to offer my opinion on why this tool is ultimately ill-advised, but this is my blog, so read on for my unstable opinion). I want to see successful children as much as anyone. I love watching children learn and to increase in their knowledge and insight of the world around them. What scares me when it comes to educating children is both the attitude of productivity, as well as an insecure pursuit of competition. Life success and the overall health of individuals in our society has never boiled down to the ability to perform at a genius level. There are way too many geniuses and successful persons that are imploding emotionally, socially, and most importantly, spiritually. I do understand the desire to purchase programs such as "Your Baby Can Read," if met with the right balance of support of the child's well-being and developmentally appropriate learning styles. Otherwise, I believe that what manifests far too often with these scenarios is a failure to meet children's greatest needs of compassionate attachment to adult figures, and a sense of esteem not based upon a specific talent. My greatest hope is that parents and educators do not get caught up in a frenzy of "geniusitis," but rather realize that the most important, formative characteristics of a person, including a child, are their ability to build positive relationships, have self-control, and to ultimately be the person God has designed them to be.
So are we really selling all of our children short, or do we surmise and come to terms with the fact that the majority of children are not exactly meant to comprehend several languages? Many children indeed have numerous other gifts germane to their personality that are just as effective for producing individuality and the betterment of others. Who truly benefits from a child being able to read at 2? Is it the parents who show them off? Is it the child who gets to be on a few youtube videos or their own website (see "Oscar Wrigley" or "Elise Tan Roberts")? Is it a company that spawns an enterprise based upon a few genuinely gifted children that retain information at a faster rate than even the majority of the adult population? As I conclude, I do not think that this is a bad or ineffective tool. I do however think that the tool is not as developmentally and comprehensively appropriate as the inventors may think.
