Probably No Mozart
Dear Doctor,
We want to know what you think about early sensory stimulation of very young children. This would make them learn better.
For instance, we have heard that trying to have a two year old begin to play an instrument is a good idea. We are parents of a two year old, and we want to give her every chance to realize all she can be.
There are some programs in the community that say they want children this age. We want to know how successful they are.
New at This
Dear New,
Chill out, for heaven’s sake. You have years to go.
Most children I see are geniuses unless their parents, the curriculum of the schools, materialism, the media, or any one of a number of forces ruin them. What happens to a curious, delightful child who finds the world exciting and new?
How do you get from there to a burned out, unhappy middle school child? It isn’t easy, but we seem good at it.
Many studies over the years have suggested that early exposure to various forms of learning and achievement are beneficial. However, many of the same studies show that the gains are eventually lost, at least for most children.
The old notion of "readiness" seems to be one we have forgotten. If your child shows evidence of a remarkable talent, by all means nourish it. But do not deceive yourselves either. Most children need to have a happy, disciplined, accepting environment with opportunities to learn available but not pressured. For example, exploring the woods or preparing a meal with Mom or Dad is more beneficial than rushing to an appointment for "stimulation."
Kids need to be exposed to opportunities, have a chance to form their own toys and ideas out of available junk and materials. We prefer to give them a pre packaged gismo endorsed by Dr. Smellfungus.
By the way, Mozart didn’t become a musical genius because his parents enrolled him in a program.
Tags: early sensory stimulation, early sensory stimulation of very young children
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