Originally Posted by Kai
Originally Posted by blackcat
So is it houthousing if a parent buys their child some alphabet books or BOB books or leapfrog toys and talks about letter sounds with their preschooler, or puts them on Starfall (assuming the kid is interested and willing)? Or is that just good parenting? What about math? Is it hothousing to ask questions like "If you have 3 cookies and I give you 3 more, then how many do you have?" Where is the line between providing some enrichment according to the child's abilities and hothousing?

My opinion is that it is hothousing when the child stops enjoying it or it substantially gets in the way of other activities.

I can agree with this. But on the other hand, I continually get lectures from people about not working with DS enough in terms of his delays (he is 2e). I am supposed to be doing vision exercises, writing exercises, motor activities, etc. But I'm not, not on a regular basis at least. Because I'd have to fight him and it's unpleasant. So if I did do it, in one sense it would be hothousing (because DS doesn't want to do it and it takes time away from other things), but in another sense it would be good parenting. I guess I'm in the middle somewhere...I'm not going to let my kids totally slack off but I'm not going to get into a big battle either. I'm taking DS to OT and PT and swimming which is the compromise and that will have to be enough.