I've heard that a slow pace is good for kids -- specifically to make learning faster. I have no doubt that starfall's pace will teach letters quickly, (DS was saying letter names for a while when DH got home yesterday) I just wonder if letters are the right thing to be focussing on <2 or 3 years, even with a really early reader (and at 9-18 mos, who knows which of our kids really will be bleading-edge early readers?)

I worry about the pace inhibiting his learning of things like cause-and-effect, and the few options inhibiting his sence of exploration. Reading is linear, and so there's a reason for a reading thing to be linear, but life isn't.

So I guess in a lot of ways my concern with starfall for this age-group comes down to the question of "why would I want my 9-18 month old focussing in this way," and "will this type of focus have a negative effect overall."

And the answer to those questions is probably: what the Bl$#%& heck am I affraid of, t'aint like he's behind, eh?

Somebody said "moderation" up there somewhere...


DS1: Hon, you already finished your homework
DS2: Quit it with the protesting already!