Dear Carrie,
I saw your query about schooling and wanted to tell you about my experiences. I went to a Steiner Kindergarten and school myself in Germany and still have fond memories of my time there. I didn't go to a Steiner school the whole time, as we moved and there wasn't one. I found the transition from Steiner to mainstream difficult but only because the teaching styles are so different. They do do Maths in Steiners schools even in the early years, just differently. It's all tied in with the 7 year cycles. Someone suggested the Steiner store in Kew, have a look there, they have great books about all aspects relating to Steiner education. My daughter is already going to playgroup at a Steiner school and will head on into primary there with kids in her current playgroup. I guess you need to ask yourself, do children really need stimulation from an early age, inparticular when they demand it? Isn't it up to us parents to set boundaries and realise what the child's needs are? My experiences of being a Steiner student: try not to switch around too much, leaving a Steiner school can be a big upheaval for the child, trying to reintegrate as well. Hope you find the right thing for you. there are also open days at Steiner schools where you can see work students are doing and ask questions, well worth going to.