It is amazing how parents defend educational systems dependent on their own experience,rather than on objective analysis of the various successful regimes.
I have always argued that if the American system was so lineant,and the British system so easy,how come the two nations boast the best universities in the world?
One should tread prudently when evaluating educational systems,and try to highlight the weakness and strength of each.The obvious answer would be:choose what you are comfortable with and hope for the best.
I have my boys in an American private school and my daughter in the French American School in SD. It was just because of convenience that I put her at the French school when she was two. She was too young to start at the boys school and the French school happens to be five minutes from my house. So I thought, this will be great...she will attend for half the year (she had to start in Dec. because of her age)then the following year she will join the boys. I have to say that I have been amazed with the French system thus far. My daughter is now almost 5 and she is in Kindergaten. The French system is by far much more academic in these early years. I am still trying to convince my husband about the French system but for now I am keeping her at the French school.