My bigger worry is that if a kid isn't exposed to things, then how will that child know if s/he's interested in studying more of it or not? If you never try it, you never want to try it. I think part of being a responsible educator--at home or in a traditional school--is the job of broadening the horizons of the kids whom you are teaching. I don't think a kid should have to slave away at something that doesn't suit, but I think there are plenty of ways to approach subjects that will make them not feel like slaving away.

A little creativity and problem-solving in an educator goes a long way for growing a curious child, I think.

I suspect a kid who had no interest whatsoever in science until age 12 or older is not going to *want* to become an astronaut or anything else science-related. So as long as the kid winds up with a basic working knowledge of science by graduation, I'd say it's fine. But it would be a shame for a kid to *think* that she didn't like science because she never studied any science, when it was really a wonderful path for her.

Kriston