Can Babies Be Hardwired?

04/18/2007

Curiosity is the wick in the candle of learning.
William Arthur Ward

In a thinkpiece, “Million Dollar Babies: Why Infants Can’t Be Hardwired for Success, “ Sara Mead of EducationSector (www.educationsector.org) argues that early childhood advocates have been overselling the educational opportunities of the first three years of life. She tosses barbs at the manufacturers of educational products such as Baby Einstein and Brainy Baby, saying, “For parents…the money spent on these educational toys might be better off in a college savings account or used to meet other family needs.”

Turning to early childhood advocates, she observes…

“Even if neuroscience evidence did show unequivocally that the years from zero to three are the most important for children’s development — and it does not — that wouldn’t tell us how, or even if, governments can intervene effectively during that time to improve child development or life outcomes….

“In the end, the state of neuroscience research isn’t robust enough to inform the decisions of parents or policymakers — and early childhood proponents shouldn’t extrapolate beyond the evidence to justify new programs and extra funding.”

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