Parents ponder academics vs. character.

• Position: Sociology

While most of us claim our children to be of good character, when push comes to shove, more emphasis is placed on academics than character development for the very young, suggests a nationwide survey by the market research firm Synovate for Pausitive Programs.

In response to the question, "With all the focus on academic testing at an early age, do you think society places enough emphasis on character development in our kids, including preschoolers?," 37% of respondents endorsed the need for more emphasis on intellectual pursuits, while 31% contend that there already is too much importance placed on academics at the expense of character development. Twenty-two percent said the balance between the two is satisfactory.

The Pausitive Programs/TOT survey affirms other recent research on parenting issues. According to the Parents Survey on Discipline, 93% of schools say kindergartners today have more emotional and behavioral problems than were seen just five years ago. Moreover, "incidents of rage and anger" in young children have increased over the last three years. A separate Fairfield Research study, commissioned by Child Magazine, revealed that 21% of parents reported having offspring with a discipline problem.

"No one would dispute that both cognitive development and social development are vital to the growth of young children, but, as our survey suggests, we need to find a better balance," indicates Ann R. Brazil of Pausitive Programs. "We don't want to turn out 'braniacs' who lack social skills. Society places enormous academic pressure on children, often at the expense of character development. Sadly, if parents don't have their child on a wait list while the mom is pregnant, they find themselves pressured to prep their young children with interview rehearsals and practice tests for the preschool entrance exam.

"Based on the survey, I'm hopeful that we're seeing the beginning of a backlash against a strictly academic focus in child-rearing," Brazil adds. "A substantial portion of the population does care about developing character in our children, even from the...