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Better Late Than Early
Moore brings a wealth of evidence from a wide variety of sources to indicate that early schooling, although promoting (perhaps) earlier cognitive organization, introduces a host of fateful "iatrogenic" disturbances. Our knowledge of maturation, development, developmental stages, and critical developmental periods for the human, all support Moore's basic thesis....Of what value is the educational process, if the very process, when prematurely introduced within the unfolding epigenetic field, distorts the developing psychic structure so as to interfer with future education, and learning to live and learning to love, let alone learning to learn.
Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1975
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About the author
Raymond S. Moore
28 books38 followersDr. Raymond S. Moore, author of Better Late than Early, the book that launched the modern homeschooling movement in the United States, passed away on July 13, 2007, at the age of 91.
Moore’s book grew out of an article first published in Harper’s in 1972, at the time when California was considering a law to make school compulsory for children as young as 2 years, 9 months. The article was republished by Reader’s Digest where it was so popular, the editors requested a book. With his wife Dorothy (deceased) he wrote many books on education and other subjects.
His educational career began as a teacher, principal and superintendent of California public schools. During World War II he served on General MacArthur’s staff. After completing his PhD in Education at the University of Southern California, he held the positions of academic dean and president of numerous Seventh-day Colleges in the United States, Japan, and the Philippines. The United States Office of Education then invited him to be a higher education program officer.
But it was the research that he compiled about the effects of schooling on young children that steered his career away from higher education and into homeschooling. He and his wife Dorothy spent years working with legislatures and courts to establish legal precedents for parents desiring to homeschool their children. Dr. Moore was the world’s foremost expert witness in homeschooling appearing in courts as far away as South Africa, West Germany, Great Britain, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as Canada and the United States. The Moores were strong believers in the educational principles of head, heart, and hand laid out by Seventh-day Adventist Pioneer Ellen G. White. This philosophy of balancing service, work, and study became known as the Moore Formula in homeschooling circles.
from: http://www.moorefoundation.com/
Moore’s book grew out of an article first published in Harper’s in 1972, at the time when California was considering a law to make school compulsory for children as young as 2 years, 9 months. The article was republished by Reader’s Digest where it was so popular, the editors requested a book. With his wife Dorothy (deceased) he wrote many books on education and other subjects.
His educational career began as a teacher, principal and superintendent of California public schools. During World War II he served on General MacArthur’s staff. After completing his PhD in Education at the University of Southern California, he held the positions of academic dean and president of numerous Seventh-day Colleges in the United States, Japan, and the Philippines. The United States Office of Education then invited him to be a higher education program officer.
But it was the research that he compiled about the effects of schooling on young children that steered his career away from higher education and into homeschooling. He and his wife Dorothy spent years working with legislatures and courts to establish legal precedents for parents desiring to homeschool their children. Dr. Moore was the world’s foremost expert witness in homeschooling appearing in courts as far away as South Africa, West Germany, Great Britain, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as Canada and the United States. The Moores were strong believers in the educational principles of head, heart, and hand laid out by Seventh-day Adventist Pioneer Ellen G. White. This philosophy of balancing service, work, and study became known as the Moore Formula in homeschooling circles.
from: http://www.moorefoundation.com/
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June 27, 2009
Borrowed from Mom & Dad.
I've always wondered what exactly was better late than early. Any teaching at all? No. Apparently, it is better not to put your child in an institutional setting until your child is at least 8-10 years old (day care, preschool, day school) -- basically, in any setting with more than 5 kids per adult that replaces parental supervision and authority (i.e. a parent [figure:] of the child isn't there). He uses brain, eye, hearing, and educational research to show that until the age of 8-10 children cannot handle the socialization of a large group of peers without a mother; if they do seem to adjust fine, they often transfer their allegiance from their mother to their teacher, or they have simply developed anxieties that aren't manifest or that the parents haven't made the connection between the behavior and the school.
Instead, he argues, the best place for children from birth to 8-10, is at home with mom, participating in regular life (family meals, conversation, and chores) and having lots of outside play time.
"Close work" -- anything requiring focus of vision and attention -- should be minimal if any is done at all until the age of 8-10, he claims. He admits that some children might teach themselves to read without formal instruction (which he does not even suggest parents do), and says that not more than 15-20 minutes of reading should be allowed, and no reading or writing or "close work" of any kind should be forced upon the child who resists. He says that children's eyes are naturally far-sighted, and so focusing on close work is a strain to the eyes, whether it appears to be or not, and that too much of it will literally misshape the eyes and cause vision problems.
The second half of the book is parenting advice for children from birth to age 8-9, giving examples of activities and toys and chores that are good for each age and also explaining some development that can be expected. His emphasis is on nutrition and good eating habits, independent solitary play, no parental indulgence, but training in obedience and responsibility.
Once the child is 8 or 9, he explains, he should not be made to begin first grade with 6-year-olds, but he should be placed in third or fourth grade with his peers and given a little extra attention or tutoring (by parents, most likely) until he's caught up, which should only take a few months. He will then be more likely to be a leader, as he has more self-confidence and self-control (which is more likely to develop at home than in a group setting, especially if the child is young within the group). So now he is mature enough to handle group pressure and competition, lack of personal attention and competition for the teacher's attention and favor, and now has the ability to place others' needs before his own or work out solutions creatively. Before he is ready for this, his interactions with peers, even a small group of peers, should be with a parent nearby to supervise and know what is going on so she can directly teach and train her child. A mother simply does not know what has happened at school (what was said and done between peers is more important, more shaping, and more uncontrollable than what the lessons were) and cannot help her child handle it well.
The book was written in 1975, on the cusp of Early Childhood Education development. Research, I'm sure, has progressed immensely, although as he points out, what is published and popularized is usually only what is in the best monetary interest of some group or other, and ECE is an easy sell to concerned parents and is a huge business -- even moreso now. Still, with it's age, I do wonder if more recent research still bears out his conclusions.
I've always wondered what exactly was better late than early. Any teaching at all? No. Apparently, it is better not to put your child in an institutional setting until your child is at least 8-10 years old (day care, preschool, day school) -- basically, in any setting with more than 5 kids per adult that replaces parental supervision and authority (i.e. a parent [figure:] of the child isn't there). He uses brain, eye, hearing, and educational research to show that until the age of 8-10 children cannot handle the socialization of a large group of peers without a mother; if they do seem to adjust fine, they often transfer their allegiance from their mother to their teacher, or they have simply developed anxieties that aren't manifest or that the parents haven't made the connection between the behavior and the school.
Instead, he argues, the best place for children from birth to 8-10, is at home with mom, participating in regular life (family meals, conversation, and chores) and having lots of outside play time.
"Close work" -- anything requiring focus of vision and attention -- should be minimal if any is done at all until the age of 8-10, he claims. He admits that some children might teach themselves to read without formal instruction (which he does not even suggest parents do), and says that not more than 15-20 minutes of reading should be allowed, and no reading or writing or "close work" of any kind should be forced upon the child who resists. He says that children's eyes are naturally far-sighted, and so focusing on close work is a strain to the eyes, whether it appears to be or not, and that too much of it will literally misshape the eyes and cause vision problems.
The second half of the book is parenting advice for children from birth to age 8-9, giving examples of activities and toys and chores that are good for each age and also explaining some development that can be expected. His emphasis is on nutrition and good eating habits, independent solitary play, no parental indulgence, but training in obedience and responsibility.
Once the child is 8 or 9, he explains, he should not be made to begin first grade with 6-year-olds, but he should be placed in third or fourth grade with his peers and given a little extra attention or tutoring (by parents, most likely) until he's caught up, which should only take a few months. He will then be more likely to be a leader, as he has more self-confidence and self-control (which is more likely to develop at home than in a group setting, especially if the child is young within the group). So now he is mature enough to handle group pressure and competition, lack of personal attention and competition for the teacher's attention and favor, and now has the ability to place others' needs before his own or work out solutions creatively. Before he is ready for this, his interactions with peers, even a small group of peers, should be with a parent nearby to supervise and know what is going on so she can directly teach and train her child. A mother simply does not know what has happened at school (what was said and done between peers is more important, more shaping, and more uncontrollable than what the lessons were) and cannot help her child handle it well.
The book was written in 1975, on the cusp of Early Childhood Education development. Research, I'm sure, has progressed immensely, although as he points out, what is published and popularized is usually only what is in the best monetary interest of some group or other, and ECE is an easy sell to concerned parents and is a huge business -- even moreso now. Still, with it's age, I do wonder if more recent research still bears out his conclusions.
April 16, 2019
summary: skip preschool
July 14, 2009
I had never heard of anything like the "Integrated Maturity Level" before, but now that I have, it makes perfect sense. If a child is not ready - physically, emotionally, or mentally - for school, even the best teacher in the world won't be able to get the child to really learn. Why does society continue to believe that getting kids into school younger and younger will somehow make them smarter?
There is nothing better for a young child than to have consistent, one-on-one care with a mother figure. And it really impacted me when I read that putting kids in school at too young an age can really hurt their eyesight. I was put in school young, and I first got glasses at 7 years old - I wonder if the two are related.
It's great that the authors gave specific, age-appropriate activities to do with your kids to prepare them for school and ease them into their Integrated Maturity Level. It's pretty clear to me that the easiest way to have your child's education be individually-paced would be to homeschool.
There is nothing better for a young child than to have consistent, one-on-one care with a mother figure. And it really impacted me when I read that putting kids in school at too young an age can really hurt their eyesight. I was put in school young, and I first got glasses at 7 years old - I wonder if the two are related.
It's great that the authors gave specific, age-appropriate activities to do with your kids to prepare them for school and ease them into their Integrated Maturity Level. It's pretty clear to me that the easiest way to have your child's education be individually-paced would be to homeschool.
April 18, 2019
Some really eye-opening info backed by research, and some dated opinions with no research to back them up.
I had previously accepted that early childhood education was just something that had always been done, but this book showed me convincingly that it is a relatively new phenomenon--the implications of which we don't fully know yet. I found the section on the rise of children's nearsightedness particularly compelling, for some reason.
If nothing else, this book will help me not to freak out and apply more pressure when my kids aren't "hitting all the milestones" for Kindergarten or first grade.
I had previously accepted that early childhood education was just something that had always been done, but this book showed me convincingly that it is a relatively new phenomenon--the implications of which we don't fully know yet. I found the section on the rise of children's nearsightedness particularly compelling, for some reason.
If nothing else, this book will help me not to freak out and apply more pressure when my kids aren't "hitting all the milestones" for Kindergarten or first grade.
June 19, 2009
One of the books I read at the beginning of my homeschooling journey. It helped me get over the "why-can't-I-teach-him-to-read" stage, and helped me through the early years when people tend to duplicate school at home and burn out quickly.
If you are thinking of homeschooling your young children, this is definitely one I would recommend!
If you are thinking of homeschooling your young children, this is definitely one I would recommend!
May 1, 2011
I am new to Dr. Moore's thoughts on delayed academics and the more that I ponder this, I feel that there is truth in it. This book gives the why, some of the research and the method for "teaching" ages 0-8. While I have skimmed over his specifics of what each age level needs, I do lean towards the thought of teaching formally when the child is emotionally, mentally and physically ready.
Why oh why do we feel the need in our culture to push children at such a young age? They should be free to discover the world in a secure setting using their creativity and imagination during this precious time instead of stuck behind desks.
I am interested in reading more of his books and looking more deeply at his research.
Why oh why do we feel the need in our culture to push children at such a young age? They should be free to discover the world in a secure setting using their creativity and imagination during this precious time instead of stuck behind desks.
I am interested in reading more of his books and looking more deeply at his research.
August 4, 2012
This book provides some very good insights on why "hot housing" or accelerated learning and measuring kid's successes by ridged benchmarks can be harmful. It advocates letting your kids learn at their own pace. Kids experience growth spurts and can all of a sudden get things that they struggled with for years and "catch up" with no problem. But why is it that these kids feel they need to "catch up"? Who dictates what a normal learning pace is for each child anyway? :)
This book, however, may be used as a lisence to the lazy to say, "Eh, my kids will be fine. I don't have to require much." But I would say that that response is not the author's fault.
This is a valuable resource to help parents have more grace and hope when their kids seem like they are slow.
This book, however, may be used as a lisence to the lazy to say, "Eh, my kids will be fine. I don't have to require much." But I would say that that response is not the author's fault.
This is a valuable resource to help parents have more grace and hope when their kids seem like they are slow.
March 28, 2022
This book was a great read. It’s a little dated in terminology but the premise behind it needs more attention than our country is giving.
“The larger issue is not ‘Shall my child go to nursery school?’ but, ‘Who shall control the mind and thoughts of my developing child? Shall the family remain as the basic unit of our society? How long will our culture survive without the family?’”
“To be truly sociable means to have a concern for others, to know how to practice the golden rule and willing to serve.”
And I know this is controversial but here’s another… “if she (a mom) voluntarily decides to have children, there are certain sacrifices she should strongly be encouraged to make. One of these is staying home with the child until he is of school age.” (And, as the book suggests, isn’t until kids reach the age of 8, give or take.)”Every worthwhile thing one does whether it is going to college, serving in the peace corps, etc., involves giving up a block of time to concentrate on that one thing, and parenthood is no exception.”
There are other interesting comments around the idea of the govt spending money on educating and helping moms to stay at home with their kids rather than the govt spending the money hiring day care “professionals.” Not sure what I think about that, not sure I know enough about how much the govt is actually spending on daycare and preschools. Perhaps this is worthy of looking at. Not sure.
“The larger issue is not ‘Shall my child go to nursery school?’ but, ‘Who shall control the mind and thoughts of my developing child? Shall the family remain as the basic unit of our society? How long will our culture survive without the family?’”
“To be truly sociable means to have a concern for others, to know how to practice the golden rule and willing to serve.”
And I know this is controversial but here’s another… “if she (a mom) voluntarily decides to have children, there are certain sacrifices she should strongly be encouraged to make. One of these is staying home with the child until he is of school age.” (And, as the book suggests, isn’t until kids reach the age of 8, give or take.)”Every worthwhile thing one does whether it is going to college, serving in the peace corps, etc., involves giving up a block of time to concentrate on that one thing, and parenthood is no exception.”
There are other interesting comments around the idea of the govt spending money on educating and helping moms to stay at home with their kids rather than the govt spending the money hiring day care “professionals.” Not sure what I think about that, not sure I know enough about how much the govt is actually spending on daycare and preschools. Perhaps this is worthy of looking at. Not sure.
September 1, 2019
This was a very interesting book. The concepts of starting kids in schooling when they reach a maturation level, rather than a set age, are good to explore. This book was foundational for my parents as they decided to homeschool myself and my brother. I definitely respect the research and the studies that they reference. I especially respect the history that this book represents.
Now the details were good. I found the human development section to cover areas that I was already familiar with. I also found that there are other books (and blogs) that have talked about the ideas for teaching and helping your kids to learn to love learning, that approach this in a more modern and relevant way.
All in all, it was a good book to read for some overview of concepts.
Now the details were good. I found the human development section to cover areas that I was already familiar with. I also found that there are other books (and blogs) that have talked about the ideas for teaching and helping your kids to learn to love learning, that approach this in a more modern and relevant way.
All in all, it was a good book to read for some overview of concepts.
Read
December 18, 2025I'm drawn to homeschooling because it seems the most efficient way for kids to learn in a way that is almost unnoticeable. It will be interesting to dip our toes into the homeschool communities nearby in the next year or two. I'm hoping we can find our place. I found it helpful to listen to the perspective that universal preschool is neutral at best but more often harmful, as far as child development is concerned. Interesting things to ponder.
October 4, 2020
Old but good. The first half summarizes interesting research on the value of early childhood institutional and academic education vs. home care and practical learning during the early childhood years. Part 2 is a guide for parents based on the authors’ conclusions. I would be interested to see how any more recent research compares.
May 23, 2025
WOW these guys do not pull punches. This book was like a weight off my shoulders as a new homeschool mom already battling fears of not doing “enough.” They argue compellingly that kids should be allowed to just be kids until at least age 8, criticizing the restrictiveness and often unrealistic expectations the school system imposes on young children.
July 23, 2025
A little dated here and there, but overall a good perspective for homeschooling parents (though homeschooling is never talked about because of the time of this book's publishing.) I would say the highlights of his argument are honoring children's developmental timing, integrating education into family life, delaying formal schooling to foster lifelong learners, and promoting real world learning and play. It was a bit clinical for me, but overall a thought provoking read.
April 1, 2023
A nice reminder that secure attachment and time to develop are more important to a child than formal learning. Nothing really new for me, but I can imagine that it would seem fantastical to public schoolers.
September 9, 2021
Not sure what to make of this.
Firstly, only the first half of the book has important history, a compelling argument, decent research, and citations. The second half is much more one family's idea of how to raise children.
Secondly, this is a book out of time. Lest I forget for even one moment that this is from 1975, there are these un-ironically deployed gems to remind me:
• cripple
• retard
• ghetto
• the Orient
• he - as the only pronoun for your child
• cautioning against spoiling a baby who is crying for you
• cautioning against falling for the fake tears of a fallen child
• an unexpected dash of cold water to the face as an antidote to an extreme tantrum
W.T.F. - woof. But there were some nuggets of actual good advice, and most importantly, there's the first half of the book that discusses some intriguing research. I will try to find more modern books on the subject. I would cautiously recommend this book to those interested in the thesis, with many grains of salt.
Firstly, only the first half of the book has important history, a compelling argument, decent research, and citations. The second half is much more one family's idea of how to raise children.
Secondly, this is a book out of time. Lest I forget for even one moment that this is from 1975, there are these un-ironically deployed gems to remind me:
• cripple
• retard
• ghetto
• the Orient
• he - as the only pronoun for your child
• cautioning against spoiling a baby who is crying for you
• cautioning against falling for the fake tears of a fallen child
• an unexpected dash of cold water to the face as an antidote to an extreme tantrum
W.T.F. - woof. But there were some nuggets of actual good advice, and most importantly, there's the first half of the book that discusses some intriguing research. I will try to find more modern books on the subject. I would cautiously recommend this book to those interested in the thesis, with many grains of salt.
September 5, 2014
Borrowed from my parents. This one was important to them and their decision to homeschool me (and my younger siblings). So, for that I'm grateful.
However, I think the evidence is lacking in this book. Jessie Wise flat out contradicts what Moore says about children's eye strain (and that's just one problem).
If we're talking about putting children into an institutionalized setting (public school), then yes: better late than early. But better still: never.
Children love to learn when they're young. They have memories that would put elephants to shame.
What it comes down to is this: homeschooling is about doing what's best for the child. Making rules about when someone can learn to read or do formal math, is ultimately not helpful.
However, I think the evidence is lacking in this book. Jessie Wise flat out contradicts what Moore says about children's eye strain (and that's just one problem).
If we're talking about putting children into an institutionalized setting (public school), then yes: better late than early. But better still: never.
Children love to learn when they're young. They have memories that would put elephants to shame.
What it comes down to is this: homeschooling is about doing what's best for the child. Making rules about when someone can learn to read or do formal math, is ultimately not helpful.
June 12, 2014
Although homeschooling (a.k.a., home education) has technically been around since home and education have been part of our world, Dr. Raymond S. Moore and his book
Better Late Than Early: A New Approach to Your Child's Education
have frequently been credited as having been one of the main catalysts in the rise of the American homeschooling movement. (Interestingly enough, homeschooling is hardly mentioned in this book.)
Better Late Than What?
Together with his wife, Dr. Dorothy N. Moore, the authors use their research and even their experience as parents to present their concern that premature placement into an academic setting is having a detrimental effect on the long-term academic success of our children.
The Moores purport that placing children into a formal learning environment is better done later than early. The studies they show demonstrate that to place a child in such an environment prior to 8 to 10 years of age is to do so too fast, too soon.
There are many factors involved: from integrated development (physical, emotional, intellectual), to the natural far-sightedness that does not begin to go away until children grow past a certain age, to separation and attachment needs, to peer attachment over parental attachment, and to premature, unhealthy forms of competition. The Moores counter that although some children initially seem excited about going to school, most often those same children face detrimental effects within a few years.
Comparing forced, premature academic growth with forcing a plant to blossom before it is ready, Moore states, "We would not force a flower to bloom before it is ready unless we were prepared to ask for less fragrance or to watch it wither away before it's time. We should have conclusive evidence before we challenge nature's normal course."
Better Late Than Early is divided into two main parts: the first half of the book presents evidence, studies, and science to present the case for delayed formal education. The second portion walks parents and educators through the phases of childhood development from birth through age 9, providing common developmental milestones and parenting advice as well as suggesting activities and ideas to nurture, teach, and care for a child in each age group.
But What About Early Homeschooling?
So what implications does this have toward homeschooling? With some suggestions in the book and then additional information on The Moore Foundation's website, the Moores still believe that attempting to place children under the ages of 8 to 10 in a formal, scheduled academic setting is rushing children into something they are not developmentally prepared for.
Of course, the range of formality of the learning setting within homeschooling is extremely broad and complex.
To be clear, though, interested readers must realize that the Moores are not promoting withholding learning opportunities for children; quite the opposite! Particularly within the home setting, there are numerous other areas in which creativity and learning may be fostered during the early years: learning the family routines and rhythms, developing strong character and habits, learning through natural situations, and long periods of exposure to nature and free-play. Related, the Moores also present concern that when children are taken out of home-based learning environments prematurely, they often fail to learn many of the life and generational interaction skills that should otherwise be normal.
While nontraditional educational philosophies such as unschooling and hackschooling are on the rise (just two of many), I simultaneously see a number of parents beginning highly academic homeschool quite early and becoming increasingly frustrated with themselves and their children, believing their children have a behavior problem or a learning disability. In reality, it is most frequently an expectation and misunderstanding (of education, of child development) problem.
I have heard parents with children as young as two grow frantic when their children aren't "getting" the learning concepts parents believe their child should or aren't sitting still through lessons. And I have seen parents asking on forums for full-scale curriculum suggestions for their two and three year olds! Of this, the Moores comment, "Premature teaching often results in not only damage to the child, but also an enormous amount of wasted effort by parents and teachers who feel compelled to teach skills or facts too early."
Additionally, while the Moores present evidence that shows delayed schooling is better for both boys and girls, they also clarify that this is particularly problematic for boys. Such a presentation is not novel; another helpful book of a similar theme, Boys Adrift: The Five Factors Driving the Growing Epidemic of Unmotivated Boys and Underachieving Young Men, addresses this same concern with more up-to-date studies and in a more recent publication (2009).
Conclusion
This book is not perfect, nor is the philosophy one that will sit well with some, due to many factors. And yet, should we not consider the alarming trends of the push for earlier and earlier schooling and frequently reevaluate what we are doing?
The overarching message to take away is that formal schooling is most successful when delayed until ages 8 to 10, sometimes even to age 12. Mixed into this message, there are techniques that may or may not be helpful, and certain parenting advice (particularly when it relates to caring for newborns) that was simply a vestige of the era (e.g., getting babies to sleep through the night early on, or concerns of breastfeeding too frequently which, ironically, contradicts some of their later advice on attachment and nurture).
The Moores push for primarily home-based care and learning in the early years, but do show that in several European countries (Finland, a main example; simply Google "Finland education" to find a wealth of articles on the subject), home-like, play-based atmospheres have been successfully replicated in early childcare centers, where formal education is still delayed until ages 7 or older.
Helpful Confirmation
With a six-year-old who is neither enrolled in school nor is "officially" homeschooling, I often feel like I am swimming upstream in our approach to our children's education, even in the midst of having many friends and acquaintances who are homeschooling. As indicated above, my children are certainly learning at home (and actually, both my four and six year olds can read on a basic phonetic level); yet, we've never had sit-down instruction periods or forced them to complete worksheets and workbooks.
When you walk this path, it's easy to occasionally have moments of panic as you watch others enroll their children of similar age into multiple extracurricular activities, perform in musical groups, and then rejoice when the school year is over for their family. But reading this book was reassuring, as has been hearing from older parents and educators who successfully used this or a similar approach.
Sadly, since this book was first published, the push for earlier academics in the Unites States has only intensified. Just this week, The Washington Post published an article titled, "‘Sweat shop’ kindergarten: ‘It’s maddening’," and numerous, similar articles have been published expressing a shared concern. And yet the push for earlier and more marches on, and mainstream parental consensus continues to press schools for more academics in the younger ages.
Better Late Than Early is currently out of print, but can be found online through Amazon and Ebay, occasionally at dropped prices. You may have better success finding it at a library, or through education resale groups (I found my copy on a Facebook Homeschool Group.) You can also check out this (outdated and formulaic, but still helpful) article on the Moore's philosophy of homeschooling.
It is not my intent to offend those who have opted to place their children in formal academic settings at an early age. If your child is in such a setting, and is struggling, I hope some of what is mention in this review will allow you to see an alternative route that may better fit your child. Or maybe you are struggling under the weight of trying to homeschool a four or five-year-old for several hours a day, and this can help lift an unnecessary burden from your shoulders. Perhaps it's the opposite, and your child seems to be thriving. If that is the case, then I wish them all the best and hope such success continues!
Review originally posted here: http://www.kerenthrelfall.com/2014/06...
Better Late Than What?
Together with his wife, Dr. Dorothy N. Moore, the authors use their research and even their experience as parents to present their concern that premature placement into an academic setting is having a detrimental effect on the long-term academic success of our children.
The Moores purport that placing children into a formal learning environment is better done later than early. The studies they show demonstrate that to place a child in such an environment prior to 8 to 10 years of age is to do so too fast, too soon.
There are many factors involved: from integrated development (physical, emotional, intellectual), to the natural far-sightedness that does not begin to go away until children grow past a certain age, to separation and attachment needs, to peer attachment over parental attachment, and to premature, unhealthy forms of competition. The Moores counter that although some children initially seem excited about going to school, most often those same children face detrimental effects within a few years.
Comparing forced, premature academic growth with forcing a plant to blossom before it is ready, Moore states, "We would not force a flower to bloom before it is ready unless we were prepared to ask for less fragrance or to watch it wither away before it's time. We should have conclusive evidence before we challenge nature's normal course."
Better Late Than Early is divided into two main parts: the first half of the book presents evidence, studies, and science to present the case for delayed formal education. The second portion walks parents and educators through the phases of childhood development from birth through age 9, providing common developmental milestones and parenting advice as well as suggesting activities and ideas to nurture, teach, and care for a child in each age group.
But What About Early Homeschooling?
So what implications does this have toward homeschooling? With some suggestions in the book and then additional information on The Moore Foundation's website, the Moores still believe that attempting to place children under the ages of 8 to 10 in a formal, scheduled academic setting is rushing children into something they are not developmentally prepared for.
Of course, the range of formality of the learning setting within homeschooling is extremely broad and complex.
To be clear, though, interested readers must realize that the Moores are not promoting withholding learning opportunities for children; quite the opposite! Particularly within the home setting, there are numerous other areas in which creativity and learning may be fostered during the early years: learning the family routines and rhythms, developing strong character and habits, learning through natural situations, and long periods of exposure to nature and free-play. Related, the Moores also present concern that when children are taken out of home-based learning environments prematurely, they often fail to learn many of the life and generational interaction skills that should otherwise be normal.
While nontraditional educational philosophies such as unschooling and hackschooling are on the rise (just two of many), I simultaneously see a number of parents beginning highly academic homeschool quite early and becoming increasingly frustrated with themselves and their children, believing their children have a behavior problem or a learning disability. In reality, it is most frequently an expectation and misunderstanding (of education, of child development) problem.
I have heard parents with children as young as two grow frantic when their children aren't "getting" the learning concepts parents believe their child should or aren't sitting still through lessons. And I have seen parents asking on forums for full-scale curriculum suggestions for their two and three year olds! Of this, the Moores comment, "Premature teaching often results in not only damage to the child, but also an enormous amount of wasted effort by parents and teachers who feel compelled to teach skills or facts too early."
Additionally, while the Moores present evidence that shows delayed schooling is better for both boys and girls, they also clarify that this is particularly problematic for boys. Such a presentation is not novel; another helpful book of a similar theme, Boys Adrift: The Five Factors Driving the Growing Epidemic of Unmotivated Boys and Underachieving Young Men, addresses this same concern with more up-to-date studies and in a more recent publication (2009).
Conclusion
This book is not perfect, nor is the philosophy one that will sit well with some, due to many factors. And yet, should we not consider the alarming trends of the push for earlier and earlier schooling and frequently reevaluate what we are doing?
The overarching message to take away is that formal schooling is most successful when delayed until ages 8 to 10, sometimes even to age 12. Mixed into this message, there are techniques that may or may not be helpful, and certain parenting advice (particularly when it relates to caring for newborns) that was simply a vestige of the era (e.g., getting babies to sleep through the night early on, or concerns of breastfeeding too frequently which, ironically, contradicts some of their later advice on attachment and nurture).
The Moores push for primarily home-based care and learning in the early years, but do show that in several European countries (Finland, a main example; simply Google "Finland education" to find a wealth of articles on the subject), home-like, play-based atmospheres have been successfully replicated in early childcare centers, where formal education is still delayed until ages 7 or older.
Helpful Confirmation
With a six-year-old who is neither enrolled in school nor is "officially" homeschooling, I often feel like I am swimming upstream in our approach to our children's education, even in the midst of having many friends and acquaintances who are homeschooling. As indicated above, my children are certainly learning at home (and actually, both my four and six year olds can read on a basic phonetic level); yet, we've never had sit-down instruction periods or forced them to complete worksheets and workbooks.
When you walk this path, it's easy to occasionally have moments of panic as you watch others enroll their children of similar age into multiple extracurricular activities, perform in musical groups, and then rejoice when the school year is over for their family. But reading this book was reassuring, as has been hearing from older parents and educators who successfully used this or a similar approach.
Sadly, since this book was first published, the push for earlier academics in the Unites States has only intensified. Just this week, The Washington Post published an article titled, "‘Sweat shop’ kindergarten: ‘It’s maddening’," and numerous, similar articles have been published expressing a shared concern. And yet the push for earlier and more marches on, and mainstream parental consensus continues to press schools for more academics in the younger ages.
Better Late Than Early is currently out of print, but can be found online through Amazon and Ebay, occasionally at dropped prices. You may have better success finding it at a library, or through education resale groups (I found my copy on a Facebook Homeschool Group.) You can also check out this (outdated and formulaic, but still helpful) article on the Moore's philosophy of homeschooling.
It is not my intent to offend those who have opted to place their children in formal academic settings at an early age. If your child is in such a setting, and is struggling, I hope some of what is mention in this review will allow you to see an alternative route that may better fit your child. Or maybe you are struggling under the weight of trying to homeschool a four or five-year-old for several hours a day, and this can help lift an unnecessary burden from your shoulders. Perhaps it's the opposite, and your child seems to be thriving. If that is the case, then I wish them all the best and hope such success continues!
Review originally posted here: http://www.kerenthrelfall.com/2014/06...
September 1, 2018
This was an interesting book about early childhood education. The premise is that children (especially boys) should not go to school before the age of 8 or 9, at which point they will quickly catch up with their peers within a few weeks because of their increased maturity. The authors call for reversal of legislation concerning mandatory schooling for all children at ages 5 and 6. They cite several studies indicating that the best place for children is in the home until they reach maturity (physical, mental, emotional) for school. They also acknowledge that day care and school may be better environments that some depraved home situations. They never talk about who would do the judging of those situations. They imply the government should step in and decide which homes are good and which are bad. They also advocate for the government paying women to stay home with their children until they reach ages 8-10, as well as education for parents about interacting with children and child development. This book was published in 1975. It doesn’t seem as if it made much of a difference with the legislators.
The second part is their idealized parenting manual. Some suggestions were good; some were strange and outdated. The authors seem to comply with the “system” rather than “method” approach. It is very prescriptive, with a lot of “should” and “should not” statements. They do acknowledge that every child develops on his own timeframe, but they imply that every child will turn out wonderfully if parents simply follow everything they say. There are no solutions given for parents who may not have started with this system at birth, nor is there help for dealing with non-robotic children.
Overall, I think it was beneficial to read this book. The second part didn’t really seem to fit well with the first part, although it does a good job of showing how rich an early home education can be.
Quotes:
Page 23
A reason often given for the trend toward early schooling is that such experience gives a child opportunity to learn how to get along with others. Several questions should be raised about this presumed benefit of early schooling. What is the evidence that these children actually do get along better? What kind of socialization should they have? Do we want them simply to make many acquaintances? Or do we expect them to develop concern and consideration for others and respect for older people? What do we really mean by “getting along”? Are these values really best developed in a crowded situation where a child has relatively little attention from an adult who he can use for a pattern? Or will he find more identity of the right kind in a home where his parents can respond to him on a consistent, warm and constructive basis throughout the day, and where youngsters in the neighborhood can challenge his selfish ideas? The so-called preschool socializing process does not necessarily socialism exist ideally.
Page 83
Some parents and teachers confuse learning skills with development. A child should first be free to develop naturally. Then learning skills can be acquired more easily when he is ready. A child tends to absorb knowledge by exploring his world and actively experimenting with real thugs. He learns much more in this way than in being taught passively. And he is less likely to fail. The so-called basic skills of reading, writing and arithmetic must be considered strictly secondary to sound basic development of mind, emotions and body.
Page 38
If the child works and plays and lives warmly and freely with his parents (or parent substitutes), in a one-to-one relationship in the home, he also has a better chance to develop sound character traits systematically: neatness, order, promptness, dependability, honesty, industry, and the graces of kindness and concern for others. These lead to a positive concept of himself. Such a self-concept is the foundation for self-discipline and self-control. Such self-respect and self-control, in turn, are the bases for unselfish sociability and self-discipline. Then when this child goes to school, preferably at age 8 or later, he is equal to most situations. Social problems seldom threaten him. This quality of sociability is more difficult to build into the child who starts school too early.
The second part is their idealized parenting manual. Some suggestions were good; some were strange and outdated. The authors seem to comply with the “system” rather than “method” approach. It is very prescriptive, with a lot of “should” and “should not” statements. They do acknowledge that every child develops on his own timeframe, but they imply that every child will turn out wonderfully if parents simply follow everything they say. There are no solutions given for parents who may not have started with this system at birth, nor is there help for dealing with non-robotic children.
Overall, I think it was beneficial to read this book. The second part didn’t really seem to fit well with the first part, although it does a good job of showing how rich an early home education can be.
Quotes:
Page 23
A reason often given for the trend toward early schooling is that such experience gives a child opportunity to learn how to get along with others. Several questions should be raised about this presumed benefit of early schooling. What is the evidence that these children actually do get along better? What kind of socialization should they have? Do we want them simply to make many acquaintances? Or do we expect them to develop concern and consideration for others and respect for older people? What do we really mean by “getting along”? Are these values really best developed in a crowded situation where a child has relatively little attention from an adult who he can use for a pattern? Or will he find more identity of the right kind in a home where his parents can respond to him on a consistent, warm and constructive basis throughout the day, and where youngsters in the neighborhood can challenge his selfish ideas? The so-called preschool socializing process does not necessarily socialism exist ideally.
Page 83
Some parents and teachers confuse learning skills with development. A child should first be free to develop naturally. Then learning skills can be acquired more easily when he is ready. A child tends to absorb knowledge by exploring his world and actively experimenting with real thugs. He learns much more in this way than in being taught passively. And he is less likely to fail. The so-called basic skills of reading, writing and arithmetic must be considered strictly secondary to sound basic development of mind, emotions and body.
Page 38
If the child works and plays and lives warmly and freely with his parents (or parent substitutes), in a one-to-one relationship in the home, he also has a better chance to develop sound character traits systematically: neatness, order, promptness, dependability, honesty, industry, and the graces of kindness and concern for others. These lead to a positive concept of himself. Such a self-concept is the foundation for self-discipline and self-control. Such self-respect and self-control, in turn, are the bases for unselfish sociability and self-discipline. Then when this child goes to school, preferably at age 8 or later, he is equal to most situations. Social problems seldom threaten him. This quality of sociability is more difficult to build into the child who starts school too early.
August 17, 2019
A book that reminds me to take a breath and "chill" when it comes to pushing my 4 year old to do schoolwork. To directly quote the authors: "The so-called basic skills of reading, writing and arithmetic must be considered to be strictly secondary to sound basic development of mind, emotions and body." (pg 82)
The first part of the book cites different studies by various professionals that confirm children are not ready for school until somewhere between the ages of 8-10. Until then, they haven't fully matured in any of the skills necessary for intent studying (their vision isn't fully developed, and neither is their hearing, muscle coordination, or social skills). Research has shown that the ideal child to adult ratio under the age of 8 years old is 5 to 1, yet most preschools and early elementary grades don't come near that ratio, leaving children with less individual attention and care than the age group requires. This, in turn, often causes anxiety in the child, making the already impossible task of study (for which they aren't physically equipped), emotionally challenging as well.
As the preferred route, Moore exhorts parents to keep their children at home until the age of 8-10, when they are completely ready for schooling. At this age, the child can join their peers in the 3rd-4th grade. Any remedial work necessary is usually accomplished in a small matter of weeks. (As a side note here, I can personally attest to this theory. I'm a violin teacher and have seen multiple 9 year old students accomplish easily in one month what 4-6 year old students have struggled with for two years or more!) In all the studies the authors have done, every "late starting" student has easily caught up with and surpassed his peers, leading them to believe that starting schooling early is actually damaging children. "Learning problems become more frequent as children go to school earlier and earlier" (pg 95)
For those who insist preschool actually helps students, it may be beneficial to review the founding case on which this assumption was made: "[In] the famous orphanage study by Dr. Harold Keels...3 and 4 year old orphans were divided into two groups. The children who remained under controlled conditions in standard orphanage care declined in mental ability and later potential. Those children in the experiment who were taken out and given special care made substantial gains and, in most cases, became productive citizens. As quoted in the Report, the latter children attended nursery school and kindergarten. It is therefore inferred that such schooling is good for all. This is like saying, if you can help a child by taking him off the cold street and housing in a warm tent, then warm tents should be provided for all children--when obviously most children already have even more secure housing." (pgs 16-17)
The second part of the book covered specific age groups, their development and needs, and how a loving parent can meet those needs and prepare their child for the world.
I devoured this book, and completely agree with most of what is presented, with one small caveat: several times the authors mention that federal money needs to be redirected from universal pre-k to universal parenting and family care. As a Libertarian, I don't believe the government should be involved in any of my business.
The first part of the book cites different studies by various professionals that confirm children are not ready for school until somewhere between the ages of 8-10. Until then, they haven't fully matured in any of the skills necessary for intent studying (their vision isn't fully developed, and neither is their hearing, muscle coordination, or social skills). Research has shown that the ideal child to adult ratio under the age of 8 years old is 5 to 1, yet most preschools and early elementary grades don't come near that ratio, leaving children with less individual attention and care than the age group requires. This, in turn, often causes anxiety in the child, making the already impossible task of study (for which they aren't physically equipped), emotionally challenging as well.
As the preferred route, Moore exhorts parents to keep their children at home until the age of 8-10, when they are completely ready for schooling. At this age, the child can join their peers in the 3rd-4th grade. Any remedial work necessary is usually accomplished in a small matter of weeks. (As a side note here, I can personally attest to this theory. I'm a violin teacher and have seen multiple 9 year old students accomplish easily in one month what 4-6 year old students have struggled with for two years or more!) In all the studies the authors have done, every "late starting" student has easily caught up with and surpassed his peers, leading them to believe that starting schooling early is actually damaging children. "Learning problems become more frequent as children go to school earlier and earlier" (pg 95)
For those who insist preschool actually helps students, it may be beneficial to review the founding case on which this assumption was made: "[In] the famous orphanage study by Dr. Harold Keels...3 and 4 year old orphans were divided into two groups. The children who remained under controlled conditions in standard orphanage care declined in mental ability and later potential. Those children in the experiment who were taken out and given special care made substantial gains and, in most cases, became productive citizens. As quoted in the Report, the latter children attended nursery school and kindergarten. It is therefore inferred that such schooling is good for all. This is like saying, if you can help a child by taking him off the cold street and housing in a warm tent, then warm tents should be provided for all children--when obviously most children already have even more secure housing." (pgs 16-17)
The second part of the book covered specific age groups, their development and needs, and how a loving parent can meet those needs and prepare their child for the world.
I devoured this book, and completely agree with most of what is presented, with one small caveat: several times the authors mention that federal money needs to be redirected from universal pre-k to universal parenting and family care. As a Libertarian, I don't believe the government should be involved in any of my business.
January 5, 2022
I wish there was a more modern edition! This book is an interesting and thought-provoking read, filled with up-to-date research. Up-to-date, that is, to its copyright date in 1975. (Keep in mind that, due to its publication date, there is a fair amount of dated language that other reviewers have mentioned.)
The book is divided into two halves. The first, which contains most of the research, is an argument that children should be kept from formal schooling until they reach their IML (Integrated Maturity Level). An individual child's IML is defined as the point at which all aspects of their physical, intellectual, emotional, and social development are ready to participate in a formal school setting (meaning sitting at a desk all day, learning to read, and doing abstract math). The authors believe that this occurs between the ages of 8 and 10 or 11 for most children. Until then, the authors argue that children are much better off being kept in a home environment, learning from the life they live with their families. The research offered to support this view is compelling, and I would love to see more modern research on the same topics to see if their conclusions still hold.
The second half of the book is a parenting manual of sorts, divided into chapters based on a child's age and designed to guide parents who want to keep children at home until their IML is reached. Each chapter outlines growth and development during the specified time period and advises the parent on needs, discipline, appropriate chores, and ideas for play and learning activities. Some of the ideas in this section are incredibly dated, especially in the chapters relating to babies and toddlers. However, for every paragraph I found vaguely horrifying, there was another I thought was spot on, and I found myself agreeing with the authors more and more as they moved on to higher age groups. (I only have a 4.5 year old, so I reserve the right to change my mind as she ages.) Their suggestions for play and activities are both plentiful and cheap (if not free), and they are certainly things my child would enjoy. If you need easy and cheap (and even educational) entertainment ideas for kids, this book has a wealth of them.
The book is divided into two halves. The first, which contains most of the research, is an argument that children should be kept from formal schooling until they reach their IML (Integrated Maturity Level). An individual child's IML is defined as the point at which all aspects of their physical, intellectual, emotional, and social development are ready to participate in a formal school setting (meaning sitting at a desk all day, learning to read, and doing abstract math). The authors believe that this occurs between the ages of 8 and 10 or 11 for most children. Until then, the authors argue that children are much better off being kept in a home environment, learning from the life they live with their families. The research offered to support this view is compelling, and I would love to see more modern research on the same topics to see if their conclusions still hold.
The second half of the book is a parenting manual of sorts, divided into chapters based on a child's age and designed to guide parents who want to keep children at home until their IML is reached. Each chapter outlines growth and development during the specified time period and advises the parent on needs, discipline, appropriate chores, and ideas for play and learning activities. Some of the ideas in this section are incredibly dated, especially in the chapters relating to babies and toddlers. However, for every paragraph I found vaguely horrifying, there was another I thought was spot on, and I found myself agreeing with the authors more and more as they moved on to higher age groups. (I only have a 4.5 year old, so I reserve the right to change my mind as she ages.) Their suggestions for play and activities are both plentiful and cheap (if not free), and they are certainly things my child would enjoy. If you need easy and cheap (and even educational) entertainment ideas for kids, this book has a wealth of them.
March 29, 2023
Radical and amazing. I get so fired up about this stuff that I had to stop reading this during MOTN nursing sessions because I couldn’t get back to sleep afterward! This book is difficult to review because the first half is thought-provoking, but the second half is very much a product of his time.
First half of the book describes research that explains why the best place for your young child to develop properly academically AND socially is in the home with loving parent figures. This book is old and I would like to read more about if current research aligns with the research in this book. But I think it makes a lot of sense that the home is where children were designed to grow and thrive. True socialization happens in a real world atmosphere around people of all ages in authentic situations. The current definition of socialization is this bizarre atmosphere filled with peers all the same age and one or two teachers assigned to them all. But this is a review and not an essay on my opinions about school and socialization. :)
He argues for how delaying schooling benefits more than just socialization: it better aligns with their mental, emotional, physical, academic, relational maturity; he discusses how academic work too early affects brains, hearing, vision (this I would like to see some current thoughts on); attachment to parents; many other aspects of childhood that are affected by early childhood education (leadership maturity, curiosity, play, comparisons to peers).
He discusses what started this whole “kids need preschool” idea and why it shouldn’t apply to all kids. He compares how kids who start early and start late end up adjusting overall. Would like to see current information about this as well.
This book is old and there are some outdated and offensive terms used.
Second half of the book is essentially parenting advice for each age group. Some of it just shockingly bad. Especially for babies. Also, he says not to let young children look at books for more than 15 minutes a day and if he’s correct, my kids are in trouble. ;)
First half of the book describes research that explains why the best place for your young child to develop properly academically AND socially is in the home with loving parent figures. This book is old and I would like to read more about if current research aligns with the research in this book. But I think it makes a lot of sense that the home is where children were designed to grow and thrive. True socialization happens in a real world atmosphere around people of all ages in authentic situations. The current definition of socialization is this bizarre atmosphere filled with peers all the same age and one or two teachers assigned to them all. But this is a review and not an essay on my opinions about school and socialization. :)
He argues for how delaying schooling benefits more than just socialization: it better aligns with their mental, emotional, physical, academic, relational maturity; he discusses how academic work too early affects brains, hearing, vision (this I would like to see some current thoughts on); attachment to parents; many other aspects of childhood that are affected by early childhood education (leadership maturity, curiosity, play, comparisons to peers).
He discusses what started this whole “kids need preschool” idea and why it shouldn’t apply to all kids. He compares how kids who start early and start late end up adjusting overall. Would like to see current information about this as well.
This book is old and there are some outdated and offensive terms used.
Second half of the book is essentially parenting advice for each age group. Some of it just shockingly bad. Especially for babies. Also, he says not to let young children look at books for more than 15 minutes a day and if he’s correct, my kids are in trouble. ;)
September 7, 2015
372.12 MOO
My comment: Children is hyperopia, reading is not good for them until 7 or 8
pxv ..normal child's brain is not ready for sustained learning programs - until he is 8 or 10 years of age. Some specialists doubts even then he should be forced into school.
pxix We have conclusion
(1) The home is the primary institution for young children
(2) We doubt the need for preschool for larger segment for population
.....
Chap1 Behind the early childhood scene.
p5 Such reasoning has results largely form Dr.Benjamin Bloom's famed conclusion.... Yet Bloom's misleading conclusion constitutes one of the most frequent bases of recent preschool planning
p9 A sound body and stable emotions provide foundation for mental and social maturity. Without this soundness and stability, the child will not realize his greatest potential.
Chap3 Some Common fears and questions
Chap4 When they are ready for school IML (integrated maturity level)
Chap5 Opportunity for parents
p54 One of young child's great needs is for solitude... In general, distraction is something he needs least during these years... His need to be alone is certainly as great, and sometimes greater, than his need to be socialized, especially in a school setting...Martin Engel, note that "...kids learn from parents and teacher very little of what is intentionally, consciously taught. What kids do in fact learn is modeled upon what we are, not what we preach; not what we say, but how we say it; not what we ask of children, but what we ourselves do." more parents come to understand this basic learning process, the less likely they will be to delegate it to someone over whom they they themselves have the little control. And the brighter the child, the greater will be his need for solitude.
Chap 7 Time and senses
p69 children's eyes are made primarily for distant vision or for looking at large objects...Suggested caution placing demands on young eyes for reading and arithmetic...until they are at least 7 or 8 years old...p71 between the ages of 8 and 12, far-sightness or hyperopia, is normal. (my comment: I don't know children is hyperopia)
Chap8 Learning to reason
cognitive vs. affective p77
p80 Parents need not fear that they are wasting their children's early years if they do not send them to school.On the contrary, the children left to invent or work things out for themselves in a relatively free environment will probably become more creative persons and better at solving problem.
p83 Some parents and teachers confuse learning skills with development. A child should first be free to develop naturally. Then learning skills can be acquired more easily when he is ready...The so-called basic skills of reading, writing and arithmetic must be considered to be strictly secondary to sound basic development of mind, emotions and body.
p87 It is difficult not to conclude that the young child need the early years for a normal blossoming period before he is ready for any serious approach to the skills of reading,writing, and arithmetic. There is little evidence to support the effective of even the normal skills readiness programs in preschools.
Chap 9 Comparing Early and later Starters
p90 A Few Buttons Missing / autobiography James T.Fisher Dean of American Psychiatrists, out of school until
p92 We read a clear lesson here for those parents who believe that sending their children to school early tends to socialize them. ..In fact, the child who remains at home with a mother and shares the tasks of home appears to develop self-respect and a sense of responsibility and values not shared by the child who started school earlier.
Chap10 Comparing Home and school cost
p100 Jerome Bruner has been heralded widely for insisting that any subject maybe taught to anybody at any age in some form. (My comment: I agree).
p105 The careperson must be mother, nurse, arbiter, nutritionist and playmatehow difficult it is to find such teachers. (My comment: only loving mother has the motivation try to be all persons at the same time)
Part II
p109 Whether at home or out of home, a child will learn. It is what he learns, how he learns and when he learn that become crucial questions.
Chap11 Birth to 18 months
Chap12 1 year to age 3
Chap13 Age 2 1/2 to age 5
p152 No matter how well trained, conscientious or skillful a preschool teacher may be, she can never have as deep attachment or interested in a child as a wise, loving parent.
During this period, your child begins to sense a great deal of what goes on around him. He still may not understand the whys of things, but he see what is going on. There is very little that is said or done that escapes his attention...Thus he begins to form lifelong attitudes about race, religion, government, education and even politics.
Because he is an imitator, you will find yourself reflected in his language, manners,tastes and habits.
You many feel sometimes that it is too much trouble to provide a sound example in all thing. Yet this is the price of parenthood...If you learn to avoid angry words and control your speech and manners, you will have a better-controlled child. The challenge of a child should make parents better people. This is part of the miracle and blessing of their birth.
p155 A child usually lives up to what is expected of him. With Proper parental encouragement, the child will try hard to do right or to be right.
p155 Even though you are naturally and justifiably proud of your child, you will be doing him a disservice if you put him on exhibition before visitors to show off his cleverness. It is seldom wise to discuss his clever behavoir in his bearing. This common practice tends to give more notice and praise than he is able to bear. He may become forward, bold and impertinent, or he may withdraw or react in some other unattractive way. This is especially true if more than simple appreciation is shown, especially for things he should be expected to do. As far as possible he should be allowed to maintain the simplicity and innocence of childhood without unnecessary pressures.
p159 Your child's attitude toward learning will reflect your own. If you find learning to be exciting and worthwhile, he is likely to feel the same way.
p170 Foresights is one of parents' finest tools...Your child wants your approval and will strive to deserve it if you encourage him by your smiles and words. And he will actually learn self-respect as he learns to respect you.
Chap14 Age 4 to Age 7
Chpa15 Age 6 to Age 8 or 9
My comment: Children is hyperopia, reading is not good for them until 7 or 8
pxv ..normal child's brain is not ready for sustained learning programs - until he is 8 or 10 years of age. Some specialists doubts even then he should be forced into school.
pxix We have conclusion
(1) The home is the primary institution for young children
(2) We doubt the need for preschool for larger segment for population
.....
Chap1 Behind the early childhood scene.
p5 Such reasoning has results largely form Dr.Benjamin Bloom's famed conclusion.... Yet Bloom's misleading conclusion constitutes one of the most frequent bases of recent preschool planning
p9 A sound body and stable emotions provide foundation for mental and social maturity. Without this soundness and stability, the child will not realize his greatest potential.
Chap3 Some Common fears and questions
Chap4 When they are ready for school IML (integrated maturity level)
Chap5 Opportunity for parents
p54 One of young child's great needs is for solitude... In general, distraction is something he needs least during these years... His need to be alone is certainly as great, and sometimes greater, than his need to be socialized, especially in a school setting...Martin Engel, note that "...kids learn from parents and teacher very little of what is intentionally, consciously taught. What kids do in fact learn is modeled upon what we are, not what we preach; not what we say, but how we say it; not what we ask of children, but what we ourselves do." more parents come to understand this basic learning process, the less likely they will be to delegate it to someone over whom they they themselves have the little control. And the brighter the child, the greater will be his need for solitude.
Chap 7 Time and senses
p69 children's eyes are made primarily for distant vision or for looking at large objects...Suggested caution placing demands on young eyes for reading and arithmetic...until they are at least 7 or 8 years old...p71 between the ages of 8 and 12, far-sightness or hyperopia, is normal. (my comment: I don't know children is hyperopia)
Chap8 Learning to reason
cognitive vs. affective p77
p80 Parents need not fear that they are wasting their children's early years if they do not send them to school.On the contrary, the children left to invent or work things out for themselves in a relatively free environment will probably become more creative persons and better at solving problem.
p83 Some parents and teachers confuse learning skills with development. A child should first be free to develop naturally. Then learning skills can be acquired more easily when he is ready...The so-called basic skills of reading, writing and arithmetic must be considered to be strictly secondary to sound basic development of mind, emotions and body.
p87 It is difficult not to conclude that the young child need the early years for a normal blossoming period before he is ready for any serious approach to the skills of reading,writing, and arithmetic. There is little evidence to support the effective of even the normal skills readiness programs in preschools.
Chap 9 Comparing Early and later Starters
p90 A Few Buttons Missing / autobiography James T.Fisher Dean of American Psychiatrists, out of school until
p92 We read a clear lesson here for those parents who believe that sending their children to school early tends to socialize them. ..In fact, the child who remains at home with a mother and shares the tasks of home appears to develop self-respect and a sense of responsibility and values not shared by the child who started school earlier.
Chap10 Comparing Home and school cost
p100 Jerome Bruner has been heralded widely for insisting that any subject maybe taught to anybody at any age in some form. (My comment: I agree).
p105 The careperson must be mother, nurse, arbiter, nutritionist and playmatehow difficult it is to find such teachers. (My comment: only loving mother has the motivation try to be all persons at the same time)
Part II
p109 Whether at home or out of home, a child will learn. It is what he learns, how he learns and when he learn that become crucial questions.
Chap11 Birth to 18 months
Chap12 1 year to age 3
Chap13 Age 2 1/2 to age 5
p152 No matter how well trained, conscientious or skillful a preschool teacher may be, she can never have as deep attachment or interested in a child as a wise, loving parent.
During this period, your child begins to sense a great deal of what goes on around him. He still may not understand the whys of things, but he see what is going on. There is very little that is said or done that escapes his attention...Thus he begins to form lifelong attitudes about race, religion, government, education and even politics.
Because he is an imitator, you will find yourself reflected in his language, manners,tastes and habits.
You many feel sometimes that it is too much trouble to provide a sound example in all thing. Yet this is the price of parenthood...If you learn to avoid angry words and control your speech and manners, you will have a better-controlled child. The challenge of a child should make parents better people. This is part of the miracle and blessing of their birth.
p155 A child usually lives up to what is expected of him. With Proper parental encouragement, the child will try hard to do right or to be right.
p155 Even though you are naturally and justifiably proud of your child, you will be doing him a disservice if you put him on exhibition before visitors to show off his cleverness. It is seldom wise to discuss his clever behavoir in his bearing. This common practice tends to give more notice and praise than he is able to bear. He may become forward, bold and impertinent, or he may withdraw or react in some other unattractive way. This is especially true if more than simple appreciation is shown, especially for things he should be expected to do. As far as possible he should be allowed to maintain the simplicity and innocence of childhood without unnecessary pressures.
p159 Your child's attitude toward learning will reflect your own. If you find learning to be exciting and worthwhile, he is likely to feel the same way.
p170 Foresights is one of parents' finest tools...Your child wants your approval and will strive to deserve it if you encourage him by your smiles and words. And he will actually learn self-respect as he learns to respect you.
Chap14 Age 4 to Age 7
Chpa15 Age 6 to Age 8 or 9
August 13, 2024
While I understand other reviewers concerns pertaining to the second half of the book which attempts to give practical, day-to-day examples for various age groups that seems antiquated, I do not agree with dismissing the book entirely because of this. Throwing the "baby out with the bathwater" approach does more harm than good. The first half of the book is a wonderful reminder and encouragement to hold onto your children, which may mean making some hard choices and sacrifices temporarily by living on one income rather than two, for example, and staying home with your child, to give them the best start in life emotionally, intellectually and so forth. A loving parent is what a child craves and needs more than any other adult or peer. No school, teacher or caregiver can replace loving, caring parents. And I found this book especially uplifting as a homeschooling mother for now 6 years. I wish I had read this sooner and it would have taken a lot of pressure that I had placed on myself and my child in those early years. This book holds a lot of truths and commonsense we have forgotten. No book is perfect. There will always be aspects and ideas someone will not like, such as spanking or not, but to gain wisdom is to look at both sides and weigh what each is saying. "Hold onto your kids" by Gabor and Neufeld, a more recent book, speak of the same concepts of a parent's role in those first 8-10 years as this book does when it was published in the 70s. So if you want more evidence, I highly recommend that book too.
June 29, 2019
I really wanted to give this book 5 stars based on the first half. The research on starting school early vs later is astounding! And it's maddening that legislation completely ignores it.
BUT the second half of the book is full of really outdated parenting advice. I mostly just skimmed it, because I have 2 kids, have read plenty of parenting books, and know how I want to raise my kids. I ran into advice like don't respond to an infant's cries if it is fed and changed. (Responding to an infant's cries is not going to result in a spoiled child.) And splashing cold water in a toddler's face if they're having a tantrum. And isolating them if they're unreasonably upset. And spanking as long as you're not doing it in anger.
While there may not be more current research on early schooling and I don't believe the first half of the book to be outdated, there is a lot of current research regarding child discipline and development that I would take over the parenting advice in this book. My personal favorites to refer to now are:
Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids by Laura Markham
Raising An Emotionally Intelligent Child by John Gottman
How To Talk So Kids Will Listen by Adele Faber
BUT the second half of the book is full of really outdated parenting advice. I mostly just skimmed it, because I have 2 kids, have read plenty of parenting books, and know how I want to raise my kids. I ran into advice like don't respond to an infant's cries if it is fed and changed. (Responding to an infant's cries is not going to result in a spoiled child.) And splashing cold water in a toddler's face if they're having a tantrum. And isolating them if they're unreasonably upset. And spanking as long as you're not doing it in anger.
While there may not be more current research on early schooling and I don't believe the first half of the book to be outdated, there is a lot of current research regarding child discipline and development that I would take over the parenting advice in this book. My personal favorites to refer to now are:
Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids by Laura Markham
Raising An Emotionally Intelligent Child by John Gottman
How To Talk So Kids Will Listen by Adele Faber
June 9, 2017
This is a VERY important work highlighting significant research on topics that are, unbelievably, still being debated today because some groups and individuals won't let go of their personal agendas and look instead at the actual needs of children and what is and what isn't working in the realm of early childhood education.
This from page 211 (a summary chapter) sticks in my mind :
"The larger issue, then, is not, 'Shall my child go to nursery school?' but, 'Who shall control the mind and thoughts of my developing child? Shall the family remain as the basic unit of our society? How long will our culture survive without the family?' It is time for citizens to demand education in parenting and family care more than early schooling. They should insist on responsible school-entrance-age legislation that recognizes the facts of child development and provides latitude for family convictions. They should see that services are provided for the poor, the deprived and the handicapped without insisting on those services for themselves."
This from page 211 (a summary chapter) sticks in my mind :
"The larger issue, then, is not, 'Shall my child go to nursery school?' but, 'Who shall control the mind and thoughts of my developing child? Shall the family remain as the basic unit of our society? How long will our culture survive without the family?' It is time for citizens to demand education in parenting and family care more than early schooling. They should insist on responsible school-entrance-age legislation that recognizes the facts of child development and provides latitude for family convictions. They should see that services are provided for the poor, the deprived and the handicapped without insisting on those services for themselves."
September 9, 2025
I’d probably actually give it a 4.5, but I love that this book doesn’t just give the studies that support their stance but also some practical ways to apply living out delayed formal schooling. I will add that they do seem to be hyper critical of moms who don’t stay home with their kids - they do give provisions of situations that don’t allow a mom to do so but I would understand any parent who has made other decisions feeling attacked by this book. Another criticism I’ve seen is that it gives parents an “excuse” not to seek help for a child who has a developmental need, but serval times throughout this book they have indicated that children with such needs may be in the group that would benefit from early formal education.
Overall, this book is a good balance of going over studies and giving practical guidance. I don’t agree with every single parenting tactic- but I can choose to adapt those strategies to what fits our family.
Overall, this book is a good balance of going over studies and giving practical guidance. I don’t agree with every single parenting tactic- but I can choose to adapt those strategies to what fits our family.
September 25, 2024
This book provides clear and methodical approaches to early childhood development and education using sound reasoning and quality research, pushing back against the relatively recent trend to keep lowering the entrance age to school over the last 100 years and showing the negative effects (anxiety, learning disorders). Part 2 goes nicely through early developmental stages well established by Piaget and others and gives practical steps to take during each stage. Development of the human body cannot be rushed without deleterious effects, such as inducing myopia at young ages from tasks requiring prolonged close vision work (modern day people groups who primarily live outdoors have no vision problems). Overall, a refreshing and calm approach to ECE in contrast to the typically rushed and caffeinated American mindset.
October 17, 2023
This book had a lot of countercultural information about thriving in early childhood, reporting from a lot of different studies and busting myths, especially in part 1. Part 2 gives descriptions and advice for each age group in terms of sleep, nutrition, behavior, and activities, and some of the advice in this section was so out of touch with my instincts or more current advice, it cast doubt on other parts I wasn’t so sure about, especially with the book being almost 50 years old. But I don’t doubt a lot of the research about the benefits of young children being in a home environment, and I know there is additional, newer supporting research.
August 18, 2020
Packed with research that would be a tremendous encouragement to families that are concerned about their preschool or early elementary-aged kids missing out on academic instruction because of covid. It opened my eyes to a lot of aspects of child development that I hadn't considered. I appreciated the authors' research-based approach; the book was not a summary of their personal opinions or philosophies about child development but was entirely rooted in studies. I would love to see what more current research says about early childhood education. Lots to think about here.
January 6, 2017
I felt like this would have been a good book had I been on the fence about homeschool or had I needed reasoning to keep my kids at home. It was full of statistics, which I wasn't terribly interested in and I feel like it dared the book. I would need an updated version if I was looking for an argument for homeschool. I was a good reminder to let kids be kids and to not push and pressure them academically too early.
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