At MERGA, I presented a paper entitled "Mathematics in the Pre-School," which was a summary of tentative ventures into this emerging field. The role of the prior-to-school years in children's mathematics learning was not yet under serious consideration but an understanding of the importance of play in children's experiences was building. Forty years on, early childhood mathematics education is perceived as a critical frontier for mathematics education and other (e.g., psychology, sociology, childhood and family studies) research. Early intervention is seen as the Holy Grail. In this brief paper, I identify some of the achievements and some of the side effects of this changing context.