thanks all for your response. @

Nakedall read my post well, i said count i didn't say read

My dad calls them late bloomers or something like that. Leave the boy oh! Dont pressure him only facilitate and providee more fun reading materials. Cartoon is good for him too. You wont know how much the cartoon helps. Speech, numbers etc are used in cartoons.

@Olumide, i tire for you o, there is no cause for alarm, he is just like his father (abi i lie?), lol. Please don be afraid, all you need are children learning aids. These aids are used to make children learn subconsciously without even knowing they are learning, it becomes part of them naturally. They comes in terms of audio and visuals. Just as your little baby knows barney, Anna montana ,Lion King, Tom n' Jerry, Casper, Winnie the Pooh & Tigger, Chillie Willie, Tweetie Bird, Bugs Bunny, the Roadrunner & Will E. Coyote, Muppet Babies, the Flinstones and Underdog thats how counting and recognition of characters will come. As for writing, all you need is another learning aids which is all dots completion books. Its now left to you to make sure he connects those dots everyday. We too were dull when we were young , but now, We don get how many degrees? Pepper don rest scatter everywhere.

I really think you are in a hurry.
When I was his age I could not do much, but I picked up later and caught up with my peers.
My son is about 4 yrs old and he has some problems with numbers as well, but I wouldn't worry myself until he his 6 and still has challenges.
You may be surprised that your child may top his class before he his 10.
Pls just be patient. I really think 3.5 is too young for any conclusions.

Don't wait till he is a day older,as soon as u can take him to see the professionals in dis matter, time wasted can now turn to regret later

Frankly, I think your child may have a problem. I have seen 2 year olds who can count without issues.

@OP: if u disturb ds boy again i'l take d next available flight down to 9ja and use koboko and water-cane on u.
Wen did u, urself start counting? Did u start school at that age? Mind urself o!
In Nigeria, d children pass thru too much stress especially d ones leaving in Lagos. De start school at 2yrs. Wake by 5am like adults going to work. Come back home by 4pm. While in school, impatient teachers will scold, threaten and even beat dm. How do u want d children to learn properly?
Besides, der kid that start fast and end badly. De'r also kids that start slowly and end well.
Pls if u hv d extra pay, get him a patient teacher. GOD bless that child.

the kid is still too young,so no cause for concern.

Just be calm, don't be hard on your son,

This is where developed countries are better (e.g UK) . Child of that age does nothing serious in school but play with several toys , objects , paint object, watch cartoons , eat balance diet and counting number gradually using colors and object. The child develop naturally at his pace , if they notice the child had learning disability , he will be sent to special school  all at no cost to the parent.

But the reverse is the case in Nigeria, !!

When i left Nigeria for UK , my son was 3yrs old and he could counting 1-20 , write 1-10 , A-F and very smart too. But in UK at that age to me they do nothing but what i mentioned above. They don't teach him alphabet , numbering was 1-20 , and they started with a colored laminated number -1  and they gave him a small bag where he kept the numbers as he progresses. Your child daily activities are recorded inside a book with your child pictures for records and Audit purposes.

Initially i was not happy with the pace my son was leaning because some of things he could do in Nigeria , he was finding it difficult to do same in UK . I was more disturbed when his friend Julie(His teacher/aunt--he called her by first name) told me my son is good in painting, but relieved when she said my son is active, smart and wins in games ( note every good thing done by the child is rewarded with a cartoon sticker, sometime sticked to the child cloth).

My son is now 4yrs , very smart and could count 1-20 without assistant and 1-100 with my assistant , write 1-10 , but could neither write nor recite alphabet ,this because hasn't been taught in school yet.

So give your son time to develop , encourage him, reward him with something or object he likes, am sure before you know it he will catch up quickly.

maybe he is a late bloomer like others have mentioned. keep teaching him but don't be too hard on him so that he won't get turned off by learning.

Keep working with your child and don't lose hope.

I was doing discrete maths by age 6, vectors b age 5, integrating everything integratable by age 4 and I had already finished Ake and Things fall part before my 3rd birthday. I know I was a precocious lil boy. The point is that, sorry to be so blunt, your child is dumb and most likely a lil behind. That said, you ve made the right decision by coming to NL to seek the advice from well respected people like SAGAMITE. Who better to seek advice from If not from a confused 20 something yr old boy who is just as unintelligent as your adorable little future high school dropout. If I were you, I wouldn't seek the advise of professionals, instead Id listen to what people like Sagamite have to say, then enroll him a vulcanizier/capentry school as early as possible.


Good luck. How I wish kids came with manuals.

I was doing discrete maths by age 6, vectors by age 5, integrating everything integratable by age 4 and I had already finished Ake and Things fall part before my 3rd birthday. I know, I know . . . I was a precocious lil boy. Not trying to brag or compare myself to your lil boy, just stating the facts.The point is that, sorry to be so blunt, your child is dumb and most likely a lil behind. That said, you ve made the right decision by coming to NL to seek advice from well respected people like Sagamite. Who better to seek advice from If not from a confused 20 something yr old boy who is just as unintelligent as your adorable little future high school dropout. If I were you, I wouldn't seek the advice of professionals, instead Id listen to what people like Sagamite have to say, then, enroll him a vulcanizier/capentry school as early as possible.


Good luck. How I wish kids come with manuals.

i would not give it the slightest concern before he's 6.

OP,
I think your son is still young and may be the type that catches up as he grows up. My elder sister is a living example of such. My dad used to say that he never believed she could make it to secondary school however, today she is a graduate. She kept improving as she grew older. One of the things I know worked then according to what my parents usually told us which may be difficult to apply today is: the need to be patient with him, show him more love and dedication to his studies. You may have to start reading with him to be sure that he learns all he needs to. Those days, before my mum retired from banking to face us her kids, during mid term and end of term exams, she plans her leave to ensure she is there to study with my elder sister who during mid term exam period doesn't use the school bus because my mum would have to drive her to school and still read with her in the car until the bell is rung for classes to begin. I know he surely would cope and please remember, each child is different from the other. While I and my elder brother got beating whenever we missed any question in math when my dad teaches us during the weekends she never got any rather, she gets extra caprisonne or sometimes vip for getting so high. Though then, I used to beef her but today it worked for us.

ojogbontomoye:

I was doing discrete maths by age 6, vectors by age 5, integrating everything integratable by age 4 and I had already finished Ake and Things fall part before my 3rd birthday. I know, I know . . . I was a precocious lil boy. Not trying to brag or compare myself to your lil boy, just stating the facts.The point is that, sorry to be so blunt, your child is dumb and most likely a lil behind. That said, you ve made the right decision by coming to NL to seek advice from well respected people like Sagamite. Who better to seek advice from If not from a confused 20 something yr old boy who is just as unintelligent as your adorable little future high school dropout. If I were you, I wouldn't seek the advice of professionals, instead Id listen to what people like Sagamite have to say, then, enroll him a vulcanizier/capentry school as early as possible.


Good luck. How I wish kids come with manuals.

Fstranger. Hmmm

Please!!, most of the doctors, Engineers, e.t.c at least born 60 and 70s that we see today started nursery at 4 yrs and moved on to primary at 6>, dont rush the child. especially boys. google it if you want to, but boys are normally slower and tend to overtake girls by around 14/15 years!!!.

dont compare him to any child, just be patient>, and i dont mean being patient and then suddenly lashing out at him , i mean wear patience like a shirt, from your heart and teach/ hold his hands and reward him for small steps,
he will do well. It baffles me why parents are in such a hurry sometimes, especially as someone else commented in Lagos,

He is perfectly normal, boys are by nature not as verbal as girls, @ 3.5 yrs he is still too young to be given d 1-20 target, some of us started skool @ 4yrs, so he is a pre-schooler, try not to compare ur child wt anoda even his sibling cos each person is unique

Don't compare him with his peers and do not frustrate him from learning. I will recommend seeing a doctor to see if there is anything you need to be doing. What do you mean by he likes playing with his hands

Outstrip:

Don't compare him with his peers and do not frustrate him from learning. I will recommend seeing a doctor to see if there is anything you need to be doing. What do you mean by he likes playing with his hands

I disagree with this post. All the child needs is Sagamite and NL. It is the mother/poster/OP who is in dire need of a doctor. She needs to get her head checked.

@Poster

I think you need have the school test him and then take those findings to a doctor. It could be a number of things that could cause him to not retain or recall what was done or said in school. Because he loves doing thngs with his hands tells me that he could have some case of Autism or a learning ability.

Don't hesitate, these are the child's wonder years.

Good Luck to you and your son poster!!

ojogbontomoye:

I disagree with this post. All the child needs is Sagamite and NL. It is the mother/poster/OP who is in dire need of a doctor. She needs to get her head checked.

Really? and apprently you think Sagamite and NL is the best advise for all. It's not!!!

I hope the poster has enough since to look over your post because it's not useful for the dog to read.

Oohhh !

Why all this long talk for olodo pikin

make him papa start on time buy half plot for olodi mount d boy mechanic workshop

now wey d price of land nor dey too much

olodo pikin

he is very smart, relates well and discusses very intelligently. H does not watch cartoons like children his age, he cant remember many things he has learnt in school, but he likes doing things with his hands.

Your son would be great in life, if you could have recognized the 'bolded' in him, so early in life!

Half of your work is done!
Now hat you have identified his "key-speciality and advantage", all you need do is BUILD ON THIS.

Get him educational TOYS (vivid colors toys of animals, numbers, letters, LEGOS, Thomas Engine (the type he needs to assemble into an engine; it sis less than $10/ 7Euros at Argos or PowerCity or any other Toy Shop nearest 2u).

With time, he will translate into what you expect of him.

It is not how we get "there" that matters, it is GETTING THERE, on time that really counts!
And l think he will get there so, stop stressing yourself.

Cheers.

Lastpage!

BTW: Children are different, even identical twins learn differently, some by sight first, some by touch first, some by 'sound' first, e.t.c.
It depends on which of their "senses" developed fastest, especially amongst the five senses.

u don't need to beat the boy in other not to discourage him, but such a boy need patience to handle as I have one in my hand but with time he changes. He will change just pet him tell him if he write those figures gradually from 1 to 5 in a day you will by Bobo or anything you know he likes.

Good luck

^^^^^ well said

At 3.5 years there is nothing wrong if your son cannot count numbers. As he can use his hands I suggest you buy him toy cars and the likes which he is likely to destroy or dissemble within 24 hrs. He may likely turn out to be the most intelligent person in your family.

What is the hulabaloo all about? Most times parents are the problems! We mostly have an unatainable yardstick for these children at times and assess them based on these largerv than life standards. Children have different developmental milestones ; and jsut as posited by the earlier posters, these milestones are different from child to child. I stopped to impose my standards on my children when I asked my son to paint a leaf. He actually used a red paint against green paint. I initially wanted to scold him but later relaise that there are also red leaves. Come to think of it, I have lived all this while to believe that a leaf must come in green colour.

My son was not speaking at 3years and the teachers complained severally abount his unperticipative attitude in the kindergateen class. He would be 6years by May. Ask me how he is now? He talks to everyone intelligently as if he is a teenager. It is amazing what he say and how I get along with him on the phone during my converstions with him. This dramtic change occurred to him within 3 years. There was no medical intervention. No nothing! The sister started speaking at age 18months. She speaks very fluently now and would be 4 in April.

Let the boy be and continue to encourage him. The only thing I did was to buy the children some interactive toys game which has both audio and video features. Maybe this is what actually helped.

Ok I share posters concern. My kid was doing 1-50 read and write at 3.5yrs Speaks most impressively. But he really didn't understand the numbers 1-50 he just knows how to recite and write, He can't fill in the missen number ? . We have studied him and now with some Aids he does more at 4yrs. He's light years ahead of what his brother was at his age. We got lot's of commendation from teachers too on his reports

My point. Being able to write it and read it is not necessarily a measure of the child's capability or intelligence.

Secondly, Different kids learn via different methods Saddly in Nigeria the hard rule and methods is what all schools use. This means as a Parent you fill the gap left by the school. Try understanding the child's learning pattern and what methods, e.g interactive, game , simulations,, Also Diet is a good propeller. Omega H3 is good for brain development

get dstv family bouqet - the only way you will get quality tv for kids ceebeebies , disney junior - plenty of good stuff that teaches number etc on the sly

alternatively, you can download numberjacks from the net if you know where to search for it

also, you can get preschool prep "meet the numbers"

http://www.google.com.ng/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=prescool+prep&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCMQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.preschoolprepco.com%2F&ei=yNRUT9-sHs3A8QP58snwBQ&usg=AFQjCNEIwTcvFQm3Swzw8eL5CU_NVXyWbg

or you can find somewhere to download it

those things work wonders imho

my daughter is 2 1/2, and she counts the stairs when climbing them