Expert Analysis of Early Learning Pros and Cons

Updated: December 2023,

As a parent, you have some control over what your baby learns, and at what rate they learn it.

The important factor when it comes to early learning is to teach your child, without pushing or stressing your child, to have the attitude that if now is not the time, we’ll do something else.

If your child sees learning in a negative light, it could damage your bond, and discourage learning in the future, so you do have to be careful here. When you look for early learning advice online, you will find many different views and opinions, from all sorts of sources.

Some experts encourage early learning, saying that is good for both parent and child alike, while others say that early learning is actually damaging, so again, you will have to choose your path.

In the end, the decision is yours to make, so you should take the time to look at all the information you can find from the experts, both good and bad, and then decide what your take on early learning is, and whether or not you want to encourage it for your child.

In doing your research, you will find that many of the early learning “experts” say that you can’t teach a child something until that child is ready to be taught, no matter how intelligent the child is, or what the lesson being taught it.

They believe that until the baby’s brain is developed to such a point that he or she can fully understand what is being taught, they will never be able to learn it. You will also find lots of information that disputes this claim, including stories about miraculous children all over the world who have learned phenomenal things at a very early age, some solving algebraic equations at two years of age!

Other experts say that along these same lines, that even if you are able to get your child to learn at an early age, odds are they won’t remember the information as they grow older, meaning that all of the early learning time you spent together will have been for nothing.

Basically, these experts claim that all early learning is a waste of time, because the child is unable to retain what is being learned for any length of time to make the effort worthwhile.

Many other experts argue, claiming that the reason so many older children have problems with retaining what they learn is because they are better able to do so at a younger age, supporting early learning, and encouraging parents to do all they can to encourage this process with their children.

Another common argument against early learning is that children should be allowed to be children, meaning the same is true for infants and toddlers as well. These young ones should be interested in coloring books, baby dolls, and trucks, rather than reading, or any type of learning activity. Many believe that in this sense, early learning is actually harmful to the child, robbing them of their chance to enjoy life at the various stages as they grow.

Others believe that if lessons are taught in a fun, energetic way, with a parent who is careful to watch for cues that learning time is over, then early learning is actually beneficial, not only stimulating the brain, but helping to forge a stronger bond between parent and child.

It’s your decision to make. Think about your child, and then study all you can about the many different views on early learning and decide which path you believe is best.