[aaronem]

Yes, but reading is the single skill with the highest payoff, when it comes to learning things that let you learn more things. Why give the kid a fish, if you can teach her how to catch her own?

(Again, as in my other comment, I feel it worthwhile to point out that this isn't a purely theoretical discussion for me: I was myself taught to read at age two, and have never been other than glad of it.)

[DanBC]

> but reading is the single skill with the highest payoff, when it comes to learning things that let you learn more things

Not when you're two. When you're two you need to learn that asking questions is okay, how to ask questions, and how people answer questions.

[aaronem]

It takes bad parenting to give a kid that age the impression that asking questions could ever not be okay. As long as that mistake isn't made, the rest follows organically.