educating your kids

Yer eating should be started from 6 months really. You don't give them meals as such get them used to a variety of flavours and textures. The balanced diet aspect is superseded by them having milk at age anyways and you'd calculate the nutrition and balance of a week and not a day. As a matter of note if they haven't tried it by about 10 months you'll struggle to get them to take to a new food and it will usually take them 20 attempts at a food before you can categorically say they don't like it. So really crack on with this they'll thank you far more in the long-term.

As a sidetrack this is the time you and your other half need to have a clear plan on discipline and how it will be implemented as the challenging times will start soon. What you don't want is a mixed message from you guys when the boundaries are crossed - you need to do something that you both feel comfortable with and that you feel will work. And of course boundaries should never be crossed - if you aren't willing to enforce them then don't set them. But of course do set them - it's your house your rules. And again social learning - it's the most important part. We have all these extended family structures destroyed these days and family units isolated then everyone goes OMG when everyone get's diagnosed with autistic traits because they don't socially interact well when they've stayed at home with their mum for 3 years with little contact outside that what the hell do we expect.
 
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And none of us got our smarts from smart phone apps! ;)

No, but they weren't around then and if they were and can be used to teach then why not use them. Looking down your nose and coming out with comments like that provide zero input into a thread.

As for everyone else, thanks for the input, it's useful to see what others have done and are doing.

As for signing, it's not been a problem for us as we sign and speak, and she is copying us so it's going ok so far.

Screen time isn't that big an issue, TV is always on but she has NO interest in it unless the theme tune for the Big Bang Theory comes on :D Doesn't watch cartoons, but she does like having music on in the background and can be seen dancing while doing other things.

I'm in no way going to force her to learn, just encourage her natural curiosity and feed it.

Food wise, some days she'll eat anything, other days she is fussy. She will eat anything although she seem to be going off the baby jar rubbish and is preferring proper food and she already know's what 'no' means, and sometimes uses it back :p

She is out at groups 3-4 times a week, interacting with other kids up to 4 years old. Add that to lots of walks, day trips etc and we're giving her a lot of stimulation.

She's already got a fair book collection for her age, she just loves them and we read a lot while she turns the pages. She does get bored and loves new things hence the reason for asking. She loves piano/drums on my phone, animal pics and sounds too she really likes.

We've got stickle bricks etc ready for her birthday along with other bits and pieces.
 
Don't forget one really important thing demonstrated by research. A high achieving child (when starting) attending a poor school will be overtaken by lower achieving child attending a good school by the age of 7 - then you have another 9 years compounded on top of that.
 
Don't forget one really important thing demonstrated by research. A high achieving child (when starting) attending a poor school will be overtaken by lower achieving child attending a good school by the age of 7 - then you have another 9 years compounded on top of that.

Hence our daughter got baptised and my wife takes her along to the occassional family mass as the best school in the area is the local Catholic one. :D
 
We sold our house specifically to move our current address - pretty much the best schools in the country. Everyone said we was stupid and we'd lose money - now add up how much I am saving every year on my daughters uni fees and see who's laughing now.
 
Don't forget one really important thing demonstrated by research. A high achieving child (when starting) attending a poor school will be overtaken by lower achieving child attending a good school by the age of 7 - then you have another 9 years compounded on top of that.

we've already had this conversation, we're going to start checking out schools soon just to see what is out there. If we have to move, we will :)
 
Hmmm, the responses so far seem less about educating your kids and more finding something to shut them up and get them off your back for 5 minutes.

It's a 10 month old, "educating" it doesn't mean teaching it the history of pre revolutionary France but encouraging and challenging problem solving skills and keeping the child engaged in activities rather than just staring at something.
 
Hard to remember what our wee guy was doing at 10 months. The only thing I can remember about my son with an ipod was that he managed to delete my angry birds app and all my achievements were gone, gutted, lol.

Can't really offer too much advice unfortunately on what your specifically asking regarding apps & kids websites etc.. as he would have been much older before we introduced him to anything like that. Our son was very much into building blocks & shapes etc.., he loved those sort of things. I'm not saying don't do it but I'd maybe wait a bit before looking at apps or websites, my uneducated impression is kids like things they can grasp, feel, throw and knock down and so on.

When he started pre-school he started learning computers and he has no bother now, he's 5, using a pc, searching in google for kizi and playing a game of something, same for using apps on an ipod, he can work his way round one extremely well.

Have fun regardless with all the things that come with kids at that age, so many little landmarks they come to.
 
OP : I'm going to against the grain and say take her away from technology to the simple things in life. Animals (visit any open farms), nature (take her to lakes/rivers and let her splash about)

Kids will be tech savvy enough when they are older but give it a few years before sticking them in front of technology. They will still learn fast about tech as they are like a sponge at that age, just absorbing everything....let the child be a child and learn to appreciate the simple things in life.
 
We don't actively limit TV or access to our little locked-down ipod touch our daughter is allowed (she's 2 and has been using the ipod touch since she turned 1).

She tends to limit herself, although she might play with the ipod for 20mins a day she prefers to read her books, play in her pretend kitchen or dance to music. Whilst I agree with people that limiting access to TV/tech is probably necessary surely it's best if the kid does it themselves? Our daughter genuinely loves physical activity far more than sitting staring at a screen, she'll only do that when she's tired herself out and generally wants to sit on someones knee and chat, even if it's mostly in baby language!

Baking scones = fun times too!

OP get your kid to a zoo, honestly it's the best fun ever :)
 
OP : I'm going to against the grain and say take her away from technology to the simple things in life. Animals (visit any open farms), nature (take her to lakes/rivers and let her splash about)

They are not mutually exclusive you know?
 
I'd go with any activity that involves human interaction rather than an app.

Why?
Children need to be able to play on their own, have an imagination and be able to think of things to do on their own.

You don't want a child that is dependant on the parent to play all the time, just like you don't want a child who is socially poor. There is a happy medium.
 
Good thread - as the father of a 1 year old there's some good info in here. Thanks :)

My philosophy with learning has been to not over-think it too much. He seems to love books more than anything else - toys don't seem to hold his interest for very long. We let him watch the odd cartoon, but again, it only keeps him entertained for a few mins and then he's off after something else anyway. He's just started a "putting things away" phase - he'll sit for ages putting stuff (alphabet blocks usually) into or behind something very neatly and deliberately :)

We also have 3 cats and he absolutely adores them. He holds a feather wand toy and waves it around while they go after it - causing him to almost pee himself with laughter :D
 
Good thread - as the father of a 1 year old there's some good info in here. Thanks :)

My philosophy with learning has been to not over-think it too much. He seems to love books more than anything else - toys don't seem to hold his interest for very long. We let him watch the odd cartoon, but again, it only keeps him entertained for a few mins and then he's off after something else anyway. He's just started a "putting things away" phase - he'll sit for ages putting stuff (alphabet blocks usually) into or behind something very neatly and deliberately :)

We also have 3 cats and he absolutely adores them. He holds a feather wand toy and waves it around while they go after it - causing him to almost pee himself with laughter :D

i think getting them used to animals is very important. often the nicest people i know grew up with dogs & cats

ours loves our dog and she loves him to bits. things like empathy are important to kids.

im also trying to get him into nature. we let him watch natural history programs (got most of the recent BBC nature stuff on blu-ray) and take him out for walks. he seems to love seeing squirrels in the garden and the birds etc. plus as we live in a village in a rural area there are plenty of walks around.

we live opposite a good school's rear entrance so it will be really handy for school, without tonnes of cars turning up outside.

now, i just wish the little bugger wouldnt wake up 3x a night! :rolleyes:
 
but then you are going to have a brainwashed kid. i wouldnt send my kid to a religious school. i want them to learn facts, not fairy tales.

High five! my sons 4, when it comes to religion I'll let him decide on that himself when he's old enough.

Some of those Youtube things posted earlier look great, I'll sneak them on later :p
 
but then you are going to have a brainwashed kid. i wouldnt send my kid to a religious school. i want them to learn facts, not fairy tales.

I agree with this in principle, but I also have an unproven suspicion that it might work the other way for some people. Having a religious education might not stop you from making your mind up anyway, and it also makes you less naive to falling into some sect or radical form of religion because you've kind of heard it all before and know what its about.

I am bringing up my children without a religion but there's a small part of me that fears that this could mean that in adulthood they are actually more naive about it because they never 'grew out of it'
 
OP - on moving to a better area. Don't forget that kids start at 4 now so you need to be in that address for at least a year for most good schools so if you want to move you've got to go sooner than later.

but then you are going to have a brainwashed kid. i wouldnt send my kid to a religious school. i want them to learn facts, not fairy tales.

I think you misunderstand what faith schools actually teach. Just a hint it's not scripture all day strangely enough.
 
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