Hi there,
Becoming a parent can feel pretty overwhelming, right? For me, it really hit me the day my little one was born (typical for dads, I guess). For moms, it’s usually different; things change as soon as that second little line appears on the test!
Life turns upside down in a flash, and let’s be honest—we’re never really prepared for it. That’s why I started this blog: to gather simple, actionable strategies you can add to your daily routine to help your child reach their full potential.
“The photographic image impresses the film in darkness, then it is developed in darkness; and then again in darkness, it is fixed. Only when it becomes inalterable can it come to light. This is exactly what happens with the psychic mechanism of a child’s language; it begins to act in the profound obscurity of the unconscious, develops, fixes, and then reveals itself to the light. Something must have worked, as the realization of language is achieved.”
Maria Montessori
This beautifully illustrates how toddlers are like little sponges, capable of absorbing an immense amount of information without immediately showing it.
Building Early Literacy Skills
Between the ages of one and four, you can help your child develop early literacy skills with short word presentations. For example, introduce five words in just five or six seconds. To make this easier, we’ve created an app called LittlePages that simplifies the entire process.
This app also pairs words with images, helping your child associate concepts with written language. You can slightly slow down the presentation, adding a second or so to display the corresponding image.
As Montessori emphasized, nurturing the subconscious is key. Think of it as feeding that part of the mind that operates below awareness—the same part that advertisers target with subliminal messages!
As a parent, your role isn’t to teach your child directly but to create a supportive environment for natural learning. Keep these word sessions short—no longer than five or six seconds per word, or ten to eleven seconds if images are included—and spread them throughout the day without disrupting their motor skill development.
Trust the Process
Here’s a golden rule: don’t test your child to see if they’re making progress. It’s like constantly checking if they understand you when you talk—they do, even if they don’t respond right away.
Your approach matters too. If these sessions feel like a chore, your child might resist. Instead, present them as a fun, rewarding activity—a treat for their mind! Think of it as chocolate for their brain, not spinach.
And if your little one has an off day (don’t we all?), you can gently remind them that these sessions are a special privilege. Handle it with kindness, and it will become a positive habit.
Ready to Begin?
Why not give it a try? Download LittlePages today and explore how it can make fostering early literacy skills easy and enjoyable. Let me know how it works for you—I’d love to hear your experiences and discuss them with you!
Talk soon,
Antoine