The Ability to Read

A small exert from the great Toddler Times, a valid point I felt earnt the re-post.

"The Ability to Read

There are programs and gadgets and even educational curriculum that promise to teach your toddler to read. While they explain how, others ask: why? Why should a toddler learn to read? Some do, but it's not a necessity and your illiterate toddler is not falling behind. What's important: books everywhere and someone to read them"

There is some much pressure on pre-schoolers to read & write that many youngster can't cope with the structure and attention required of them by teachers. I have seen first hand, forcing a disinterested 3yo to trace their name by "guiding" their hand while the look the other way is in no way productive. In fact in Europe -who don't start school intill 6or7- are constantly beating us in education figures, so lets let up on the pressures for our little ones. How about better childcare options from the government (in Europe nursery is heavily subsidised) so that parents can still work without putting their little tots into that school uniform.