LOOK: Saab Magalona’s 2-Year-Old Can Read!

Actress, blogger and mom of two Saab Magalona together with musician husband Jim Bacarro, had the surprise of their lives when they found out that their two-year old son, Vito, not only recites the alphabet well but can actually read.

Videos posted on Saab’s Instagram showed the cute toddler reciting each letter of words written on flashcards first and then capping the exercise by reading each word accurately.

What is especially impressive is that Vito seems to have gone past three letter words and can read big words such as “tambourine”, “guitar”, “piano” and more. 

Learning by observing

According to Saab, Vito has learned how to read by observing and being around her and his Kuya Pancho when they do their learning sessions.

In her Instagram, Saab reveals that she took an online course to learn more about creating a developmental program for her eldest child, Pancho, now four years old. It will be recalled that Pancho was born prematurely and as a result has developed several complications as an infant, including a brain injury that inevitably led to a brain surgery.

Pancho has been showing signs of progress by the day which are documented through Saab’s Instagram and blogs, including in the popular podcast she co-hosts with her husband called, “Wake Up with Jim & Saab.” 

Saab shares that Vito may have picked up some of the lessons she has been doing with his Kuya Pancho. “I’ve been making these flashcards to help with Pancho’s vision and cognitive development program and sometimes Vito wants to look at the cards,” Saab shares in here IG post. 

“I don’t have any set program for him. He just randomly looks at the cards or observes when I’m teaching his Kuya,” she shares. 

Apart from the video showing Vito reading words from a flash card, there were two other videos of the toddler grabbing a flashcard on his own and reading the words spelled on them such as “blueberry”, “banana”, “avocado”, and “mango”.

Inclined to become advanced

Saab says that while creating a developmental program for Pancho, she’s learned that younger siblings of brain-injured children are inclined to become advanced in many things.

“Sibling of brain-injured children tend to develop significantly faster than their peers because of the neurologically rich environment the parents set up at the home,” she wrote. 

She adds that “the music we play, the safe spaces we’ve created where they’re free to explore and crawl, etc.” may all have contributed to Vito’s advanced skills.

More compassionate sibling

Saab also recognized that beyond learning how to read, Vito’s exposure to a special sibling has also made him more compassionate.

“What I learned is that they also tend to be the kindest and most compassionate people because of the love and patience and understanding in the household.”

A third video in the same post also showed Vito ‘pretending to do therapy’ on his stuffed bear. 

A study just may support Saab’s observations with her youngest. The study mentions that “findings reported on well siblings being positively impacted by their lived experiences, through the expression of positive social skills, increased empathy, and more caring personalities with these well siblings actively participating in the child’s care.”

Filled with gratitude on how her boys are progressing, Saab aptly ends her post with the words “I love my family” punctuated with a heart symbol. 

We look forward to more of videos of Vito’s impressive reading skills and Pancho’s amazing progress. 

Read tips on how to raise an early reader, here.

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