Critics of early schooling cite research that questions whether 4-year-old children are ready to take on formal learning. Educators find that older toddlers are more likely to succeed during their school careers, whereas their younger counterparts are more likely to fail. Kindergarten children who turn five during the latter half of the year seem to be at a disadvantage when it comes to physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development. Additionally, children who are nearly six when they enter kindergarten tend to receive better grades and score higher on achievement tests throughout their schooling experience than do those who begin kindergarten having just turned five. Being bright and verbally skillful and being ready for school do not seem to be the same thing. It is easy to confuse the superficial poise and sophistication of many of today’s children with inner maturity. Indeed, evidence suggests that early schooling boomerangs: Youngsters whose parents push them to attain academic success in preschool are less creative, have more anxiety about tests, and, by the end of kindergarten, fail to maintain their initial academic advantage over their less-pressured peers.