Cecily routinely determines, without solicitation or encouragement, the beginning (and often ending or other predominant) sound(s) in words.
Today:
Happy – that starts with huh huh.. H
Milk – that starts with M like Mama and me
Nelson – that starts with nuh nuh and there’s a big LLLLLL in there, but I think there’s a bigger nuh again.
There are many others, unfortunately I haven’t captured the list or video, as we’ve been traveling of late. I will endeavor to compile a sufficient collection for the purpose of review, assessment, and progress/development at this stage.
Lily finds letter combinations as well, primarily ST, SH, PL (this she learned today), HA/HO, and TO/TA, CO/CA.
We have re-instigated a daily episode of WordWorld (PBS) and she enthusiastically, and with great focus, interacts with the program, as do her Papa and I (whoever is in the room). – When she was really little, we ran PBS n the mornings in the background, and WW was one of the staple lunchtime activities that she and I did together. Along with Signing Time, WW is likely the second in line responsible for her letter recognition and word/reading development.
That said, for those that will ridicule the use of television in this way, Cecily is quite obviously a visual learner at this stage. (Angie is less visual and much more experience the demonstration of the process, as well as audible. Russ is process driven/experience/doing, with visual as reference and audible as mostly ineffective.) Most often, the tv is on, but is rarely a focused activity… it’s just there. When it is a focused activity (or intended to be so), Angie or Russ (or Savannah in the past) tend to be present. However, there are times when Lily becomes very involved with what is on the tv, acting out with the characters, living the story and/or following the plot extensively. She will replay the stories, lives, characters, situations, and relationships of what is found in a movie or tv show in her imagination and act it out dramatically. She often assumes different character identities as well, fully immersing herself in their world and integrating it within her own.
From the perspective of exploiting all available, and most effective sources of education/exposure/development at this stage, using the TV, computer, movies, and books (though books are less at this stage, however we are seeing their interest level climb) is something that appears successful with Lily. It has not caused a decreased or short attention span, or violent/aggressive behaviors and attitudes (except when the occasional Kai-Lan or Caillou slips through). In fact, it’s done just the opposite – her attention span whether watching something or independently playing, or doing an activity with Angie/Russ/other is significant for her age. Lily often will play for more than an hour alone in her room at whatever scenario her imagination is concocting at that given time. She will also engage in an activity with Mama, often spanning the entire morning and into the afternoon (or even next day sometimes), with little intersession (lunch/nap/change of venue).
There is one difference that might be worth noting, however, in how our family uses things like TV, computer play (she has her own Tablet now, and uses it daily), and the like. We have the TV entirely programmed, and her computer usage is directed and encapsulated into a couple different categories and/or programs that control what she has access to. The TV programs she is exposed to are 1) entirely non-violent (see below for details), 2) age appropriate, & 3) positively educational one way or another. The computer games and activities fall within the same guidelines, as do any movies she views.
Non violence extends beyond whacking, tripping, shoving, or mean spirited activities. If there are any diminishing attitudes, lack of respect (even inferred), or desire to hurt another for the gain of self, it is prevented at this time. This means, Max & Ruby is out.. Kai-Lan is almost entirely disallowed, and even Olivia is heavily monitored. (Purely for explanation for future reference: Ruby is consistently demeaning to her little brother Max. Kai-Lan has characters that act out extreme emotions that, while legit, demonstrate experiences and emotions foreign to Lily at this stage and we would rather she come about them naturally instead of having the demonstrated for her. And Olivia is self centered, egotistical, thinks her little brother is a bother, and the worst episode is when her superiority and her father’s stupidity is clearly demonstrated – something that is typical of our current society and something we refuse to have in our home. )