DS8 saw an ad for these. He asked if they were real. My response: kids who can/are ready to learn to read at that age probably don't need the programs, and most kids--even most HG+ kids--would be better served by doing other things with their time when they're babies.
I always like to stress the opportunity cost. If kids are staring at videos or flashcards as babies, they're not doing all the other things they could be doing with that time, having all the experiences they could be having. And if the other things they could be doing are more appropriate for where they are developmentally, then trying to push reading too soon can actually hurt them.
Instead of holding up a flashcard, why not count pieces of cereal as they eat them? Instead of plopping them in front of a video about reading, why not read to them and point to the words and ask them what they think will happen next? These things seem more sensible to me. And they're free!
