[NoWorries]

Originally Posted by onetwo_threefour

See, I think that's where you go offside, questioning a parent's motivation for wanting their child to do something at a particular age. I want my sons to read as early as possible, because they are able to absorb a lot more of the world around them in school and from books without having to struggle with the mechanics of reading. My eldest is never going to be an athletic star, but we have him in gymnastics as well to build up his physical skills. He has taken piano since he was 4, not because we are trying to force him to be some supreme renaissance intellect, but because it gives him options later on, and he enjoys it.

I'm sure some might see this as us pushing him, but in actual fact, he nagged us for six months before we let him take piano, we thought he might be too young. He is just starting gymnastics, but he's been nagging us about that for most of this year as well. As I said before, for me it's a quesiton of the child's readiness and the parent's commitment to spending the time necessary.

Great post and I think the bolded part sums it up well!