pushy parents?

[wulfstan]

2.8 yr boy can write his own name and sound out letters in words. Is this bad parenting / good parenting / none of anyone else's business?

none of anyone else's business!

none of anyone else's business

pushy parenting

none of anyone elses business, however, maybe he's a pushy toddler who loves learning?

pushy toddler

just a bright and receptive child i would imagine. you cannot force a child to learn but if they are ready they will absorb almost any information offered! take joy in the bright little thing

i read the thread title as bushy parents

and was trying to imagine what it could be about so i clicked

fine as long as parents aren't phrasing concerned questions in an I-sound-like-I'm-looking-for-advice-but-actually-I'm-just boasting on a forum

You know the ones:
"Is my child gifted?" (I don't really know, what do you think .. aka look what he can do, isn't he better than your child)

or

"Should I be asking school to start my child early?" (aka look what he can do isn't he better than your child)

Ooh, there was one of those yesterday, twig. In fact, most days, come to think of it.

You really need something a bit more original these days, for instance, my toddler can speak in tongues or my toddler can change a plug. Reading early is a bit old hat on mumsnet.

It depends on the child and whether they are leading the way or whether they are being pushed into doing it. I was reading at just turned three, all my own doing (I was jealous that my older brother could read apparently) but my mum was one of the most laid back and chilled mums when it came to our education that I know. Equally, my daughter knew her letters at that age, but there was no pushing whatsoever. She also had taught herself to tell the O'clocks by that age too. I bet lots of mums who could see a not even three year tell the time (to the nearest hour) would automatically assume that I was a pushy mum, but I honestly didn't teach her - I thought the nursery had done it... it was just something she was interested in and so learnt, completely by herself. So you honestly cannot say!

If self taught I would be thinking 'hmmm hyperlexia?' especially if said child was spinning round in circles or lining up cars the rest of the time. If they seemed an otherwise normal kid I would assume they would do quite well at school (although reading is only decoding so doesn't tell you that much about intelligence etc) & none of my business. None of my business if it was hyperlexia either.

If said child had been taught then pushy parents - and then Id rather it wasn't my business but I'd probably be told about it.

cornsilk. PMSL at the talking in tongues/changing plugs toddler, now that latter really would be a helpful child!

Message withdrawn

Yeah nobody else's business!

It might be that this child is very able and the parents haven't pushed and even if they have it's hardly the crime of the century is it!!

My DD is 3.5 and for 6mths or so I've been 'teaching' her at home. I don't see this as pushy nor do I feel the need to justify it to anybody else.

He's probaby a second child...

I remember asking my Dad to teach me to read (he did) when I was 3, because I saw my big sister enjoying books so much - and I'm a major underachiever, so didnt' mean much!

Interesting you should say that about a second child, Elibean. That is how I came to learn English at an early age: my brother (only 5 years older than me) was getting something I wasn't and I wasn't having that!

Some kids really do lead the way with e.g. learning letters. It's quite unfair to assume their parents must be pushy.

I'm sure there will be something this particular boy isn't so good at that other kids are....ds can certainly do some very clever things but he can't draw for toffee for example and can't ride a trike thingy properly at all. Some kids enjoy more 'academic' stuff like numbers and letters and they really do pester their parents to teach them more.

Who is he btw wulfstan, a relative's child?

my friend had a very bright child (she's 20 now) and at 4 she could read the time. She read very early and was generally an all round clever girl. However her mum never encouraged her at all and despite doing well in school she never took her education seriously. I think if her mum had been a bit 'pushy' she'd be on the road to a top career now, instead she's about to have her second baby! Nothing wrong with that of course.
Now i digress !! just wanted to say really that i knew someone who could tell the time early and its not always down to pushy parenting!!

i laughed at the comment on this thread about a very bright child who had the social skills of a plank of wood. Ive seen that so many times particularly in boys.
Ive often thought that parents who push boys academically actually make them turn out rather weird!