Infomercial reading rant

There's a product being infomercialed on TV right now 'Your Baby Can Read'.  Here are some statements from their website and the TV.

• It's your only chance to be your child's first teacher
• Most children are not exposed to written language in any consistent way until they go to school
• There is a small window of opportunity to teach your child while their brain is developing (up to 5 years) 

 1.  I am already my child's teacher and so is any adult who communicates, plays or reads to her.  A teacher is someone who interacts with her.  Just being exposed to things is teaching her.  She's not in some benign state of numbness unless I use flash cards on her.

2. If you are not exposing your child to written language I'm not sure where you live.  Words are everywhere. Street signs, packaging, TV, newspapers etc.  The world is full of words.

3.  The window of opportunity is not small nor does it end at 5 years, gosh, that's when school starts.  As my teacher friend said, they come in at all levels and they all end up reading, writing and not peeing in class.


The package is $300.  I say write some basic everyday words on cards and then spend the money on books you read to your child.