Marcus can read.

(Picture above: Marcus on plane to Bangkok at 13 months old in Oct 2005)

Everyone seems to comment a lot recently about how well Marcus can read. It delights us a lot, of course, but sometimes it also gives me some pressure indirectly. Zann said recently that Marcus could be gifted when I mentioned in passing that he can read about 800 English words. That was a wake up call to me and I suddenly go through the next few days panicking and worrying if I had under developed my lil boy by not sending him to any enrichment class, no school, no playgroup and not doing any flash cards, etc etc. with him.. All he does all day long in the past 5.5 months since Nicholas arrived was play with his vehicles and watch TV. Ok, I know E always says I exaggerated that bit, that Marcus does a lot of other things too,... but still he watches too much of Finding Nemo, Hi-5 and I always feel guilty when I can't drag him away from TV.

So, this mummy scrambled and did some research quickly, and signed him up for Shichida Method! It is ridiculously expensive.. almost $1 per min. But I consoled myself that this is for his brain development and the best time to do so is between age 0 and 3. He is already 2.5 y.o.. so maybe we have waited too long.. Besides I can use whatever I've learnt in SM class on Nicholas..

I also started panicking about not doing more with/for Nicholas. I remember reading to Marcus everyday since he was 3 months old. Nicky mouse is almost 5.5months now and we are still not reading daily to him. I made an effort though to read at least a short story to him and he loves it. That is the problem of being #2... sigh! We are so much more relaxed with NM..