Parenting for Beginners

Your baby can easily learn to read if you follow the 12 Golden Rules of Teaching Babies to Read. If you want to know how your baby can learn to read, just read on. It is easy to do and you can get started immediately.

From birth to five years old, babies are learning language at an amazing rate. This includes any language. It can be spoken language, sign language and even written language. Thousands of parents have already taught their babies to read using these rules.

• Be joyful. – The only way to get started teaching your baby to read is with a joyful attitude. Your perspective will determine your baby’s response.
• Make the words big. – Whatever words you set out to teach your baby, make sure they are big. Don’t aim to show your baby words in the font size you are reading now.
• Show words frequently. – Whatever words you aim to teach, show them around 15 times to your baby.
• Move quickly. – Your baby is learning at an incredible rate. Don’t bore your child by moving too slowly. Once they have seen a word for a second, move on.
• Always follow your child’s lead. – Never pressure baby to read. Just show your baby words and tell them what they say. Read words your baby finds interesting, and always stop just before your child loses interest.
• Get creative. – Use everything as a tool to teach your baby to read. Read words on paper, labels, and signs; there is no shortage of words. Use them to teach your baby to read.
• Give freely. – Freely tell your baby words as you point them out. Don’t expect to get anything back immediately. Every word you show your baby is creating some kind of brain connection. Don’t expect your baby to figure it out in a day. Most parents talk to their babies for 6 months before they hear baby attempt to speak.
• Add new materials. – Introduce plenty of words to your baby. Don’t limit your baby to reading 5 words. Your baby can learn hundreds and thousands of words. Show them plenty of new words.
• Have fun. – Teaching your baby to read is an amazing and fun experience. Teaching a baby to read is much different than teaching a school-age child. Enjoy it!
• Point to words. – By using your finger to point to words, your baby is making the connection that the symbols we use for language are the sounds he is hearing you say. Run your finger under words as you say them.
• Read to baby often. – Babies easily learn language when they are familiar with it. By hearing how the written word sounds, your baby will easily make connections that will help him learn to read.
• Just do it! – Jump in and get started. You can start with a marker and a piece of paper right now! There really is nothing to it.

Did you know that there are things you can do as a parent to help boost your baby’s motor skills? Young babies learn fine motor skills with practice as they grow older. The more opportunity they have to practice, the quicker they will master these skills. While all children learn at their own pace, there are things you can do to help your baby along.

Here are some of the things your baby can do to improve motor skills:

When feeding your baby, give her a spoon to hold while you feed her with another. This teaches hand-eye coordination and will help her learn to feed herself more quickly. It also pleases most babies to feel they are doing part of the work.
When feeding baby finger foods, give her plastic kitchen utensils like measuring cups and let her practice putting the foods in and out of there.
Allow your baby to play with plastic stacking cups or bowls.
Play games with finger foods such as creating a trail and having your baby follow it to the end to eat a snack.
Always remember to monitor your baby well while she is eating, especially finger foods or new foods. Picking up small objects like finger foods is great for hand-eye coordination but can be a danger if she picks up small objects that are not meant to be eaten. This cna be a real choking hazard so watch baby close.

As a parent or baby childcare provider, it’s our jobs to give our children the best start in life. One way to help do this is to foster learning such as through baby’s fine motor skills.

Lisa Mason is a freelance writer with a specialty in Internet content and SEO articles. She has written thousands of articles, hundreds of ebooks and thousands of website pages and related content. She is the author of How to Earn a Living Writing for the Internet.

Lisa Mason, Professional wordsmith for hire: gamer, wife, mother, entrepreneur, published poet, co-owner of game guides company (http://www.liti4.com), public speaker and Internet business consultant. You can learn more or follow Lisa’s blog from her website: http://www.freelancewriter4hire.com