Well put, KM and no5.
I think that sort of pressure you're describing also assumes that kids aren't learning *anything* when they're not learning *what the parent wants them to learn*. That seems very disrespectful of the child to me, as well as wrongheaded about education in general.
I agree that the free play time is really vital, and there's a lot of important learning going on there. Is it fun? I hope so. But at an early elementary school age and below, it's also how kids learn best!
The choices are not solely between mindless TV and flashcard drills. There are other options.
As kids get older, things change somewhat. Kids have goals they want to reach, kids have educational needs--like getting into a certain class so that they can learn--that might require extra study time. But that's respecting the child's goals and needs. That's not hothousing to me.
