Mizzoumommy... it is no secret that I am anti-hothousing and your posts really sums up a lot of my issues with it. One of my close friends has a daughter 2 months younger than mine and she decided the curriculum for her child never once was it that her DD was interested in the subject. They started with colors than shapes, numbers and then ABCs. It really frustrated me because all I saw was rote memorization from her child. She doesn't take the idea of shapes and use it in her surroundings such as the door is a rectangle but rather can recite the pages in the book. But what really frustrates me is everything is a competition with her. I can't really tell her anything about my DD because next thing you know that was added to her curriculum and the big difference is my DD taught herself most of it and was interested in it... guiding what she wanted to know. She so wants her daughter to be gifted b/c she herself was the smartest in her high school. And I am not saying her DD isn't gifted... only time will tell but drilling your kid doesn't seem right to me. And now that DD is past the basics she can't make that happen for her DD though she tries. The big one is reading. She really tries to force her reading and it is clear that she isn't even close to being ready for it. I made the mistake to share with her DDs first sign of reading which I got will that is the easy thing of memorization like it was no big deal but this was before my child was even 2. Now 9 months later she is still trying to get her DD to read and it isn't working. Yes I have an evil side to me because I can't help but think yes that is the easy part right? But no I don't say a thing to her. I am a big believer that all children develop differently and in their own way and I don't see the need to rush things at all. So now knowing about gifted and looking into what the curriculum is for Kindergarten it has made me hold my child back or at least try to but she learns no matter what I do.
