This has me laughing, because I often feel like you do, except that Leapfrog & Starfall both seem very teachy. DD3 had taught herself to read some sight words by the time she was 2 (and is now reading at least at a first grade level), but I feel like she didn't really teach herself because I let her play around on Starfall. I feel sort of like one of those people.
I also feel kind of bad if I let DD play with starfall. We also have not done Leapfrog stuff as I'm not huge fan of DVDs, and if she watches something I prefer it not to teach her to read or count, I wish her to enjoy children's culture. Not saying there is anything wrong with Leapfrog but we have no time for it as I work fulltime and she goes to daycare.
I think it is just funny to think that if you would teach your child to read by yourself it would be worse than Starfall or Leapfrog, I would prefer the one on one parent time over computers or DVDs anyday
I don't see how the redshirting could be a big problem. I was always youngest in my class with late December birthday. I was also tiny and immature and the kids that were year older, big and mature maybe did better socially but not academically. They might have made it bit better during first few years than later but the difference was never anything huge that should make any difference in gifted placements.
