I have gotten these sorts of comments a lot. I find my self worrying that maybe I don't know what I am doing and should listen to these older/wiser? parents around me. But then I see the difference in DD when she is challenged. It is like night and day. If she is not challenged we have problems. When she is challenged she is happy, calm, cooperative and well adjusted. I am starting to realize that other people and teachers underestimate what she is capable of by a lot. They don't live with her, I do and I underestimate what is challenging for her. When I get it right though it is really right and everything just falls into place. She is engaged and happy and soaks up everything she is learning. She really seems to need to learn. Not teaching her or answering her questions I think would be harmful. All I can do is try to keep up.
I agree that parents have a need to be social and share the journey of parenthood with others. Finding others is the hard part for the parent and for the kids.
I have found at the library there are certain librarians that are very helpful and receptive to my kids. I try to go when those librarians are working. I would tend to think most librarians would not think it is odd to see the same people week after week checking out so many books. Most librarians probably work there because they like books and learning. But we have met some crabby ones.
