The real question here is why is teaching a young child his colors considered hothousing but teaching him to use a fork isn't? Teaching him to use the potty or throw a ball is fine, but teaching him to do addition is not.
Right. I spent some time thinking about this myself when DD was a toddler and seemed especially ripe for hothousing (although I know I could also hothouse her easily right now by plopping her in front of Khan Academy videos....man, that place is amazing). Why are some things okay to teach and others are not? I guess fork skills are a life skill whereas academics are more specialized, but...? And we did absolutely hothouse some physical skills with no fear that anyone would "think anything." But that was to get her up to age-appropriateness. I guess perhaps the assumption is that teaching can be painful and that one should not prolong the "pain" by moving the child past an age-appropriate level?? Thus far and no further? Is that it?
In any case, DD was already REALLY different as a toddler and I felt like I didn't want to accentuate it any more. I was accused of hothousing once, by a nurse, of all people (I forget what DD had done to merit this)--she said, in tones dripping with scorn, "Oh, I see you WORK with her a lot." It remains a vivid memory--probably too vivid.
