Achivement of a four-year-old

My family told me that I was already able to read when I was four. And I can also remember that quite vaguely. I wanted to watch TV. That was the inspiration. But to know what were the programme summary for the day, I have to read them in the paper. To do that, I had to know how to read.

Being the only child (till I was 7) was quite an advantage. I learnt to read and write from my late grandmother. I also learnt how to write 'jawi'. She was quite a stern teacher, so being slow was not an option.

But when my eldest girl was four, she was still unable to read or write. Being a scorpio, she's quite a late bloomer. But, I know that she is smart and would be able to catch up later. Her oral communication is fine and her reading and writing will have to come later in the kindergarten or primary school itself.

However, she can do something that I couldn't when I was her age. She can play and finish her computergame without my assistance. No, not just any computergame. This is not kiddy stuff. She plays WARCRAFT - THE FROZEN THRONE. Anyone who plays this kind of strategy game would know what this game is all about. The thing is that she can't read but she listens very well. She picks up the languages from there. She also handles that computer and the mouse well too.

I guess a child development depends on its own exposure.

All my kids speak English among themselves in the house. Not that, I've been encouraging it, but their environment and channel 60-63 Astro really helps. I hope they will learn proper Malay when they go to school. Spoken Malay and standard Malay are two different ways of expression. I do want them to Master both, but let them learn the proper way first and later they can pick up the colloquial ones.

Nisah at the age of 4 - can read and write.
Along at the age of 4 - can play WARCRAFT and handle computer stuff like a breeze.

Not bad, not bad at all.