I think people should have to be more polite to each other.
We all have our choices all our life and we can't call other people stupid just because you do not agree with them.
I think this article is very worth reading. I 've read a lot of other books "con" and "pro".
It's about our choice. Nowadays I think when you do not teach anything to your children it should be you choice, based on the info you have.
I do not encourage anyone to follow Glenn Doman's way of bringing up a child, I say you have to read it to have your own opinion on it. And decide for yourself, and for your child. What's better for both of you.
Surely it's is not a panacea, for bringing up smart child. And not every parent can follow this track. But it makes you think what to do for right development of you child. How we may help.
You already teach your baby words - they have auditory representation, writing - is just another representation of the same word. You don't mind teaching him words, and pushing him to say it even though his migh not be able to pronounce it yet, but you patiently wait for his organs of speach to develop abitity, meanwhile you keep repeating, and "drilling" all day long : )) but you don't like to show him a written word.
Kids like to understand world around them, and they like to be able to read! They enjoy this.
There is a lot to say about this article, but just few remarks:
The author takes fun of :"reading" from his daughter to just keep away "happy, magical" moment when she finally realized she can read at the age of six. That was his choice, as a parent. He went to Institute, he read different books, he made his choice. If you did the same - great.
The author feels sorry that little girl does not know names of all the princecess. What a targedy. Austria has more Nobel price winners, b/c their kids are taught to read at 7. Where is the connection of these two facts. It's a logical flaw here (too big of a conclusion he makes based on nothing). There must be proof these two facts are connected, it could be many million other reasons why they have more Nobel prise winners...
I am not planning to "create" my child a Nobel prise winner or even go to Harvard (although I would like him to, as any parent would). I just think there are many more things given to us by Allah, that we are not using. Such as this ability of our brain when we are infants, toddlers to absurb information.
Personally I do not think my child will benefit a lot knowing to which class this buterfly of bug comes from (I don't teach him that).
But this ability of the brain sould not be wasted. Or better to phrase it this way: this ability sould be used as much as possible.
At this age it is best time to teach your child about the world using all means you have, as a parent: read books, go outside, explore, etc. And play!
The autour of the article is trying to say that Donan's programm is against play - it is simply not true. To show a child 5 words, 5 times a day, takes a minute. All other time he is playing.
Parents sould chose what they can do, and what they cannot. As for me, I do not have time to create picture "flash cards" with facts on them. I just bought calendars and big books with big photographs of different animals and I show them to my son, we "read" them, - I tell him all I can about this animal.
You have to ajust to your time, means. I cannot forget my personal life and dedicate ALL my time to the baby. He plays by himself a lot. Normal family.
Buttom line: parents should be aware of those programms, and take any ideas if they like them. Do not have to follow everything. Have to make their own choice, based on their opinion, well founded on the info available.
I said the logic is stupid, not the people.
A child who starts reading at 5 and a child who starts 8, at the age of 13 they will be on the same levels so why the rush? That was my point.