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.
I was just doing that on the train today with DD. We got some strange looks but if it makes her happy, who cares?
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.
Hehe, I also used to read DD the books I was reading but then she kept grabbing then and trying to turn the pages in them, which almost always ended up ripping them. Now we're sticking to board books.
In regards to the whole quizzing thing. We don't do it either. I guess, I tend to figure each family knows what their baby prefers and if the baby likes it and is happy I don't see that much harm.
