I actually sort of disagree with this. DD can always tell (and has seemingly always been able to tell) whether we are having a conversation or whether I am trying to test her knowledge. The former is great, and has been great since she was an infant. I'm sure people thought I was crazy walking down the aisles of the grocery store with my baby saying, "Hm...what did I forget? Should we get some lentils? How about apples? Or would you prefer pears?" But who cares what people think? I'm sure they'd rather hear me talking than hear her screaming & crying because she was being ignored.
As for reading, I read to DD from birth. First I read the books I was reading anyway, ust out loud, but it was only a few months (if that) before she started protesting and insisting on picture books.
I don't know why anyone would look askance at someone reading to an 8-month-old. Don't most people read to their babies??? I'm sure it's generally recommended.
But asking questions just for the sake of figuring out whether the kid knows the answers? This I think can be way overdone. And in our case, even a little bit can be too much, and can trigger a big backlash. I think kids can tell the difference between a conversation and a test, and testing puts pressure, whether we mean it to or not. I would not do flashcards with a baby (or any aged preschooler) unless the child asked me to, because my philosophy is that kids learn best through play and observation...so I would never drill or quiz a baby (or preschooler). JMHO.
