[hooch]

Despite how kooky some of his ideas might seem, there is one aspect of Steiner's view that I found particularly insightful (and helpful): that the first period of life, up to when kids really start losing their milk teeth, they are discovering their body, motor skills, their voice, and so on, and in doing so, they are mostly copying the people around them. It's completely experiential, not intellectual.

Both my kids suddenly took flight and became much more interested by themselves in things like reading and arithmetic once their teeth started to really change - not due to pressure from adults. And it's only anecdotal, but this has been borne out many times as I've spent time with other families.

(Also anecdotal!) but when I spend time with adults who grew up in societies where math and literacy is already emphasised at age 3, for example, I find they are completely unable to stop talking :-)