How Can Parents Raise Better Kids Using Piaget Theory?

Piaget’s theory of cognitive development suggests that children reach different developmental stages at different times. It encourages independent, hands-on learning and opportunities for discovery. Piaget’s work suggests that children can help with sensory and motor skills, but eventually learn to differentiate the world into self and other, object and person, and gain more mentalistic and reflective skills.

Piaget’s theory of cognitive development is not just a fascinating read but also a practical tool that can be used to support home learning. One hundred years ago, psychologist Jean Piaget identified four stages in cognitive development: sensori-motor, pre-operational, concrete, and formal. Children in the sensori-motor stage, also called pre-operational, learn through their senses and movements.

Piaget’s theory influenced parenting by emphasizing stimulating environments, play, and supporting children’s curiosity. Parents can use Piaget’s stages to have realistic developmental expectations of their children. Practical tips based on Piaget’s theories include providing plenty of opportunities for sensory exploration, as children in the sensorimotor stage learn through their senses and movements.

Piaget’s theory suggests that children move through four different stages of intellectual development, reflecting the increasing sophistication of children’s abilities. By understanding and applying Piaget’s Theory, early childhood educators can create a supportive learning environment that promotes children’s growth and development.

In conclusion, Piaget’s theory of cognitive development offers valuable insights for parents and educators to help their children navigate their developmental stages effectively. By understanding and applying Piaget’s theory, early childhood educators can create a supportive learning environment that promotes children’s growth and development.


📹 What is the most important influence on child development | Tom Weisner | TEDxUCLA

If you could do one thing – the most important thing – to influence the life of a young child, what would that be (it’s likely not what …


What is the cognitive development theory of parenting?

Jean Piaget, a French psychologist, developed the Cognitive Development Theory, which categorized children’s cognitive development into four stages. Engaging in Parentese, a form of speech where adults communicate with babies in exaggerated and repeated ways, can help children develop advanced thought patterns. Using toys as tools, such as mouthing, shaking, stacking, and slotting, can teach children about different objects’ features and help them experiment in a safe environment. Sharing in their excitement at discovering new things can also contribute to their cognitive development.

How does Piaget’s theory benefit children?

Piaget’s theories of learning and development emphasize the importance of child-centered, experience-focused, and culturally appropriate teaching strategies. These principles have influenced educational policies and approaches, such as the Plowden Report in the UK, which emphasized the significance of learning through experience for preschool children. Piaget’s theory has also influenced guidance in teaching nutrition in preschools, emphasizing the need for challenging children’s existing knowledge.

How parenting styles affect child development?

Parenting styles significantly impact children’s academic achievement and mental health. Authoritarian, permissive, or uninvolved parenting styles can lead to increased anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. These parenting styles encompass parents’ behaviors, attitudes, and the emotional environment they raise their children. Developing psychologists have long studied how parents affect child development, but finding cause-and-effect links between specific actions and later behavior is challenging. Children raised in different environments can have similar personalities, while those raised in the same environment can have different personalities.

How does parents influence a child’s cognitive development?

Parents play a crucial role in their children’s cognitive development by encouraging curiosity, monitoring screen time, and assisting in developing effective study habits and time management skills. Curiosity drives cognitive growth, and excessive screen time can hinder cognitive development. Parents can also help their children develop effective study habits and time management skills, which are especially important as they progress through school and face more complex academic challenges.

How do parents impact child development?
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How do parents impact child development?

Children require care that promotes positive emotional health and well-being, supporting their overall mental health. Parents and caregivers play a crucial role in managing emotional arousal, coping, and behavior by providing positive affirmations, conveying love and respect, and engendering a sense of security. This helps minimize the risk of internalizing behaviors associated with anxiety and depression, which can impair children’s adjustment and ability to function well at home, school, and in the community.

Social competence is essential for children to develop and maintain positive relationships with peers and adults. It is intertwined with other areas of development, such as cognitive, physical, emotional, and linguistic. Basic social skills include prosocial behaviors such as empathy, cooperation, sharing, and perspective taking, which are positively associated with children’s success in school and nonacademic settings. These skills are associated with future success across various contexts in adulthood, such as school, work, and family life.

Cognitive competence encompasses the skills and capacities needed at each age and stage of development to succeed in school and the world at large. Children’s cognitive competence is defined by skills in language, communication, reading, writing, mathematics, and problem-solving. Stimulating, challenging, and supportive environments are essential for children to develop these skills, which serve as a foundation for healthy self-regulatory practices and modes of persistence required for academic success.

How can parents help cognitive development?

To promote healthy adolescent cognitive development, it is crucial to provide adequate sleep, hydration, and nutrition, encourage discussions about various topics, encourage independent thinking, set goals, and consider future possibilities. Accomplishing well-thought-out decisions and reviewing poorly made ones can also contribute to positive cognitive development. Cincinnati Children’s offers primary care services in Greater Cincinnati, ensuring a comprehensive approach to fostering healthy adolescent growth.

How can you apply Piaget’s theory?

Jean Piaget’s theories of cognitive development emphasize the importance of every interaction in early childhood development. In the classroom, it is crucial to use concrete props and visual aids, make instructions short, and avoid expecting students to see the world from someone else’s perspective. Piaget’s theories impact learning in various ways, but it is essential to consider the curriculum and teaching methods when applying them to the essentials of child development. For more information on child development stages and influential factors, visit the Funderstanding article.

How is Piaget’s theory used in practice today?

The cognitive development theory posits that a child’s environment plays a pivotal role in their acquisition of new knowledge. This theory is frequently employed by parents and educators to identify suitable activities for children of diverse ages and developmental stages.

How does Piaget’s theory apply to life?

Piaget’s theory of cognitive development provides a valuable contribution to our understanding of children’s intellectual growth. It emphasises that children are not passive recipients of knowledge; rather, they actively investigate and experiment in order to gain an understanding of the world around them.

Why is Jean Piaget important to child development?
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Why is Jean Piaget important to child development?

Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development outlines four stages of development in children. The first stage, the sensorimotor stage, occurs from birth to around age 2, where children primarily understand the world through their senses and movements. The second stage, the preoperational stage, occurs from age 2 to 7, characterized by the development of language and symbolic play. The third stage, the concrete operational stage, occurs from age 7 to 11, where logical thought emerges but abstract and theoretical thinking struggles.

The final stage, the formal operational stage, occurs from age 12 to adulthood, where children become more adept at abstract thought and deductive reasoning. Piaget’s theory provides a comprehensive framework for understanding children’s cognitive development.

How can parents apply Piaget's ideas?
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

How can parents apply Piaget’s ideas?

Jean Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development is a fundamental framework in child psychology and education, describing how children’s cognitive abilities develop from infancy to adolescence. It consists of four primary stages: the sensorimotor stage (birth to around age 2), the preoperational stage (age 2 to 7), the concrete operational stage (age 7 to 11), and the formal operational stage (age 11 to adulthood).

These stages are characterized by the development of motor skills, language, symbolic thinking, egocentrism, logical thinking about concrete objects and events, and abstract thinking and hypothetical reasoning.

The theory is used in early years to provide age-appropriate materials and activities that challenge children’s thinking and encourage exploration, while also encouraging active learning through play, experimentation, and problem-solving.


📹 Child Psychology – Developing Empathy


How Can Parents Raise Better Kids Using Piaget Theory?
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Rae Fairbanks Mosher

I’m a mother, teacher, and writer who has found immense joy in the journey of motherhood. Through my blog, I share my experiences, lessons, and reflections on balancing life as a parent and a professional. My passion for teaching extends beyond the classroom as I write about the challenges and blessings of raising children. Join me as I explore the beautiful chaos of motherhood and share insights that inspire and uplift.

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53 comments

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  • Lily (little blond girl) is so mature and empathetic. Using caring / kind words. She has good emotional awareness, with good filter on what to say/what not to say. Like when asked if she liked the paintings, she used friendly passive words so not to upset or offend. Also she was caring to Ruth at the end of article, being supportive. I know of some adults who are missing these social cues

  • I think the reason she’s upset is because she realized she’s the odd one out and feels a bit responsible for Alfie not being able to portray her properly. He even said he wanted to be on the other team, she said “but I wouldn’t have a partner” and when Alfie pointed at the other boy even he said “No”. I can’t help but feel sad for that little girl.

  • I think we need to delve a little more into why the little girl cried. We, as adults, project our social values and personal experiences onto the children, but we really didn’t get an answer as to why she cried. Was it bc she felt bad for Alfie not drawing well, was it bc she blamed herself for Alfie not drawing her portrait well, was it bc she realized that she was the “odd one out”, or was it bc she didn’t win. The reasons that children do what they do is always surprising and unexpected bc we forget what it was like to experience situations without bias.

  • This is actually a very multi-layered experiment because they’re painting each other – so not only does the kid’s ability/skill with painting influence how it looks, but also how they perceive the other kid, and if a picture doesn’t turn out right, I think both the painter and the subject must feel bad about it. And I can see a yellow outline on the painting of Ruth, so I’m pretty sure he only realised after that that he’s gonna have to change her skin colour. This also makes me wonder how much experience these kids have producing portraits of kids from other races and stuff .. anyway I think they should have focused a bit more on Ruth and her thought process as well, because she probably went through the same insecure cycle. He wanted to be on the other team – he didn’t want to paint her, because it was too difficult for him to paint her, and she also had to acknowledge that the picture of her wasn’t the best … It’s just all-round a sensitive situation. Some might say I analyse this too much, but it’s really important to take all the factors into account. Identity as much as empathy is important here.

  • I think Ruth was hurt when alfie wanted to be on the other team.. basically blaming his unliked painting on her and he wanted to switch places with the other boy and draw the other girl to win.. or she was hurt because he bailed on her and didn’t mind that she’ll be without a partner while she worked hard on drawing him (I mean her painting is pretty good and pretty realistic).. but I’m also thinking that she was hurt because she was blaming herself that alfie’s painting wasn’t liked because she thinks she’s ugly.. I hope it’s not the last one because the thought itself breaks my heart.. but I’m not blaming alfie obviously he didn’t want to hurt anyone he just wanted to win and when he saw that she’s sad he felt bad he tried to understand he sat next to her at the end and tried to comfort her by basically saying “don’t feel bad for me because I cried I was just washing my eyes” they’re all very sweet, gentle and honest but I’m trying to say that the reason can be something more complex than the commentary because she wasn’t able to say it or put it in words and she was trying so hard to keep it in but she couldn’t and cried multiple times.. obviously the episode is about empathy so that’s what they’re focusing on but in ruth’s case I feel other factors are playing

  • I think unfortunately beautiful Ruth was experiencing the deep pain of being an outsider due to the different coloring of her skin and in combo of his inability to draw a face. And then to add a cherry on top, Alfie sorta blamed her for it by saying he wished he were on another team. There is no other way to interpret that comment but self blame. She was humiliated, and frankly it was really hard to watch. She didn’t have the words to express these complex feelings. How these adults missed that, I don’t know. We all want to belong, it feels like death to some people to be pushed out.

  • From a preschool art teacher here. I would say that the question itself is flawed. It would have been more appropriate to ask which picture was the Child’s favorite not which was the “better picture” or “best picture”. Art is subjective and should be taught as such. I have to say I don’t think there is very much sensitivity for Ruth being the only child of color and already perhaps feeling alienated because of the racial bias in media and society as a whole, that even these very young children are exposed to.

  • As a mixed kid growing up in a predominantly white area, there was literally no escaping this kind of hurt when I was their age. The humiliation, the self-hate and resentment is all too familiar, and the adults ignoring that side of the situation and handling it extremely poorly is not an uncommon occurence either. Seeing Ruth’s reaction brings back painful memories and I seriously hope that didn’t traumatize her. She’s a beautiful girl with a lot of empathy and emotional intelligence and the circumstances of the experiment were just plain unfair.

  • Ruth is quite perceptive. Although the situation makes us focus on Alfie, Alfie’s situation directly affects Ruth because they are in the same group. If we focus on Ruth we can find ourselves in the situation that most of us are in. (Being in a group in which the other person does not want to be, for different reasons, we represent a disadvantage, we do not know each other well, etc.) Anyway, she was very empathetic to Alfie. ♡ Excellent Ruth ♡ (♡ Congratulations to the children who were part of this article They are great♡)

  • I would’ve wanted to give Ruth a hug…poor girl. there’s a way it could’ve been done without making Ruth feel bad because Alfie wasn’t confident in how to paint non light skinned people. He should’ve been told wanting to switch teams and give up on her was hurtful. she’s genuinely the one most affected by the experiment, because any of the kids could’ve gotten a confidence boost or chances at empathizing with others elsewhere, but Ruth would be permanently reminded of the fact that her race and skin color would be seen as an inconvenience to others in certain situations.

  • I wish I could hug Ruth. First of all, the professionals were completely ignoring why Ruth could’ve been feeling sad. I’m not sure if it’s on accident since they aren’t people of color but it rlly pissed me off. I feel that she was sad at the end because she knew she was different, and the paintings didn’t help that. To make it worse Alfie wanted to be on the other kids team which made her feel even more left out. I hated perusal her go through that because ik most poc know that terrible feeling. I wish I could’ve hugged her

  • I feel like this whole experiment/activity was a terrible idea.. why does there have to be a “best” painting? When I volunteered in a kindergarten class, it saddened me to see the kids so insecure with their art work and asking me if their pumpkin paintings were “right, correct or good enough.” There was no joy- there was an uncomfortable vibe .. and sure enough the teacher swooped in and criticized their work.

  • I hate how the white psychologists complete disregard how traumatising this must’ve been for Ruth and how bad she must’ve felt. All they analysed from Ruth’s reaction was about Alfie and not wanting to hurt his feelings. Did they not think that she must’ve been really upset that no one said a painting of her was the best? She must’ve felt like she was different and also recognised she was different as well bc all the other kids were yellow paint and she was brown paint. She must’ve felt horrible I feel so bad for her. This experiment was extremely flawed

  • Omg this makes me shed tears haha. I’m Alphie because I’m so sensitive about my art and it hurts when people don’t approve of it. I’m also Ruth because I feel bad for people whose egos have been hurt and I have trouble telling them the truth if I know it’s gonna hurt them more. And then I’m like Alphie again because I can also tell when others are holding themselves back in order to spare my feelings. So crazy.

  • Has nobody realised the covert racial dynamics at play here…or am I the only one because I know what it is to attend a British school at that age and be the only Blackie in the classroom? Just wondering how long we’re going to continue to ignore the obvious. Ruth’s experience in this scene is COMPLETELY different than the other children…and Alfie by being her partner has a different experience by default. To simplify and dumb down Ruth’s feelings and response, and to base them purely upon the fact that Alfie doesn’t like his own drawing and “wants to be on the other team,” lacks discernment and empathy on the part of these so-called experts. Just because adults want to pretend that we’re all “the same” to avoid difficult conversations doesn’t mean that children are the same way. Her differences were pointed out to HER…even if that was not the intention of the project, and then her feelings were dismissed purely as being a reaction to Alfie not liking his picture as opposed to dealing with the fact that maybe Alfie wanted to be in another group or didn’t like his picture because of Ruth’s obvious differences to him…which is fine too because that is also an opportunity to learn about embracing one another’s differences. This was a very surface-level interpretation of this scene that only served the interests of the experts wanting to prove a point while bypassing an opportunity to better understand the complexities that a child like Ruth faces constantly in situations like the one set up for our “education.

  • Judging from the comments it is very clear that people live in their own reality. I would say it’s shocking, but I’m not surprised. From one brown person to another, baby girl, I feel you. I’ve experienced this as a child, and to have these so called professionals not understand nor speak on the experience of what she endured is a clear and blatant statement. Like I said, we all live in different realities.

  • Ruth seems like an absolute angel, she didn’t deserve to be treated that way. Yes, I get that they are kids and kids say stupid things sometimes without realizing, but couldn’t the teacher at least try to do something about the “want to change teams” part? An adult should have said that even if things don’t go our way we shouldn’t blame others and we should try our best to support our team? Idk, I feel really bad for Ruth. She is so sweet and clearly took that to heart. Even as an adult I would be heartbroken if a teammate blamed their shortcomings on me and told to my face that they wish they had another partner. She didn’t deserve that.

  • I am so into child psychology. I so want to cut down on cut down on family dysfunction. Raise children to be a better future for tomorrow. I taught my daughter to identify with her emotions at toddler stage. I taught her empathy as well. She turned out to be a fine young lady with heart by strong, so she’s not an easy push over. I think this is a wonderful idea! I am definitely looking forward to more. Oh, and I love toddlers, they are my favorites!

  • For those who think it’s cruel that they put the kids in teams where there would be a winner (despite the purpose of the experiment): The reality of life isn’t “everybody wins”. They need to learn that that’s ok but still have belief, confidence, and drive in themselves while still having the capacity to be happy for others’ accomplishments. These are more valuable lessons when young because then they’ll go forward in life with the understanding that even if things don’t go according to plan they still have value and they have the ability to improve.

  • From a time (not very long ago) when there was no comfortable or known language to acknowledge the elephant in the room. People might get sick and tired of “woke PC culture”, but as with anything else progressive – women’s rights, gay rights, worker’s rights etc. it will level out and find an equilibrium and become a given with time. I find that fascinating and encouraging. All the comments here mentioning Ruth as the most natural thing. But fifteen years ago, many, even the ‘experts’, would have conveniently chosen to ignore it when perusal this on television.

  • I feel so bad for Alfie, because he reminds me of myself when I was his age. Trying to fit in and anxious of other peers opinion & approval. And then getting hurt by other people‘s comments, but its important for own self-development and developing empathy. But still, just want to give Alfie a big hug and tell him its going to be alright!

  • 2:17 I’ve watched this article over three different times and never knew that they were drawing each other. I thought they were drawing chickens, and that the best chicken drawing would win. After looking at the comments section, my view of this has changed. Why did no one console the black girl? I don’t mean the kids, I mean the testing administrators. They were right there noting the changes and developments of Alfie, while simultaneously ignoring how this situation affected Ruth. What the heck?!

  • A few years ago I went along to a kids camp with my aunt, uncle, and (at the time) 9 years old cousin, her 2 friends and their families. As the 18 year old big cousin, both her friends warmed up to me really fast. The four of us would go around all day together, and accompanying that was a lot of little girl fights. My cousin is an extremely emotionally intense person (as I always have been too) and she was constantly feeling left out by her friends. One day she yelled at them and stormed off to cry by her tent. I talked to the other two and asked them why they thought Diana was feeling that way, they said “well, I guess she feels left out, but we love her, and we aren’t trying to make her feel that way at all.” I was amazed by their emotional awareness at 9 years old. I then asked them to walk with me to Diana and tell them exactly what they told me, and then to give her a hug. So we walked to Diana, I said, “Diana your friends have something they want to tell you.” They both gave her a big hug and said, “Diana we’re sorry you feel left out. We aren’t trying to make you feel that way, and we’ll try not to. We love you!” I was definitely crying lol. It was such a beautiful and rewarding moment. I never expected kids that young to have that much emotional intelligence. Not a lot of kids when I was that age did.

  • i remember that when i cried as a kid, my mom would say “don’t cry”, or laugh, or scold me… and then when I was 16 my grandfather (her dad) died. She came to my room and she started crying… and I did not know what to do. She then was angry with me for not comforting her in a way that she liked. That moment is still so weird to me.

  • The idea of choosing which is better is toxic. Choosing to see who has more of a better quality in something can make the other feel inadequate and ignore in improving their skills depending on the person. Now having each of the children explain what they like about each other pictures is really more ideal, because you’re building more of a bonding relationship with them with the likes they found in each of their pictures.

  • I just love how Alphie is so blunt with his questions. “Who do you think the best painting is? Lily do you think my best painting’s good? Take a look.” He opens himself up to judgement right away. It’s brave and adorable 🥺 Not to mention when he knew exactly why Ruth wouldn’t answer the question when asked, and said it out loud for her so she wouldn’t have to.

  • These experts were so focussed on their empathy-topic that they missed the reality. I think Ruth is just sad because Alfie didn’t want to be in her team and begged the two others to change seats, but both of them refused to switch to Ruth’s team either. She was completely cast out and that’s why she was hiding behind her drawing. “Ohh, she wants to please Alfie…” Why would she? He didn’t care for her feelings at all.

  • Children are very perceptive and pick up on societal ques about things like race and and racism. Ruth very likely felt badly represented by the painting and also was hurt that no one wanted to be on her team because they likely did not want to be responsible for painting her with colours they have never personally associated with using for skin. As the only Black child in this experiment it’s obvious she was already feeling set apart and vulnerable. This entire experiment was flawed… white psychologists are lazy and don’t control for racist bias in their research. How annoying

  • I think the pain and trauma for Ruth was so deep that it only begins to come out towards the end, when the children have had a chance to mentally process what was really going on. Ruth was the undesirable partner, which resulted in the undesirable painting. Alfie opens up towards the end begins he realizes that he’s actually not the one feeling the most rejection, but Ruth. Ruth starts to realize this, feels humiliated, and that’s the real reason she completely shuts down towards the end. By the end, it’s clear that she’s more distraught that anyone else. I’m disappointed in the adults. I think they tried their best to ignore what was really going on, or their internalized racism allowed them to take for granted Ruth’s experience.

  • I find this test disturbing from a more reasons. First: the competition is a part of life, but: why to encourage it? Isn’t it the most stresfull, traumatic, separating part of modern society? Second: a black girl is the only one in the group, so she already feels she’s different. Third: recording and releasing very intimate moments of little kids. Test for empaty (is it really this?!) should be different, more gentle kind. Its not empatic, simple as that! If I was a parent of this kids, they couldn’t get my permission. Seems to me more as a training in undestanding of class, colour and success differences. Empaty!? C’moon…I feel sorry for this kids, they are innocent, beautifull souls…How long, with this kind of raising?

  • Honestly Ruth had the deepest psychological trauma of all the kids. She was already the odd one out cause Alfie didn’t want to be her partner after he feared he might not win and buzz cut kid wasn’t going to swap with him because he didn’t want to be Ruth’s partner either. You noticed how she stopped talking after that; at that moment was when she realized she was the odd one out. Additionally, Alfie’s depiction of her was disoriented compared to the other children so she probably felt like he thought she was ugly compared to the other girl, but she still felt obligated to compromise her feelings to pick his. She wouldn’t dare vocalize any of it either because as black children, a lot of us are taught to contain our emotions from others almost as a precautionary measure to not make everybody feel uncomfortable or receive a negative reaction. And these are supposed to be psychologist….?

  • I know why ruth is crying Shes a black girl in a class of white people trying to be liked. She sees that Alfie is sweet but his painting of her made her feel like the odd one out, perhaps ugly. But even so Ruth wanted to spare Alfies feelings, shes so sweet and alfie is too. It’s a missed opportunity that they didnt go into that. Every black British girl goes through well intentioned microaggressive stuff like this.

  • This is bs. Alfie drew the little girl as a black and brown blob. Meanwhile, she took the time to actually draw what she could make as a human. Alfie then said he wished he were on the other team, obviously racially motivated. That litle girls feeling were crushed staring at those photos. Where is the REAL teaching of empathy.

  • This was a racial experience. Alfie didn’t want to be on the team with the little black girl he wanted to be on the other team despite knowing it would leave Ruth with out a team member. Ruth them felt bad because she is the only black girl and she knows on some level that she isn’t valued between the kids that she is different and consequently because she is black her team mate suffered and she felt responsible that no one liked Alfies drawing. It’s just crazy how no one noticed that micro aggressions and they are so damn blatant he literally said he wanted to be on a different team and every time he looks at his painting he doesn’t like it. Then he looks at Ruth and complains that he’s stuck on her team. The other white boy rejects him saying no you don’t get to be on my team. Ruth cries multiple times yet no adult was able to console her or get her to speak about her pain. Clearly she was in pain about something she didn’t know how to articulate. No one liked the drawing of her. How do you think that made her feel about herself? This is so sad.

  • i don’t think I developed empathy until much later in life. being around kids my age in school I was just picked on or bullied. I didn’t have any genuine interactions with other people until I left school and realized that I’m not going to be bullied by everyone I meet. It was just this assumption I made from past experiences that made me recoil from other people, afraid that I’ll have to relive the same thing over and over again.

  • no i dont agree w/this testing teaching method. This makes kids competitive and insecure about themselves in fact these kids may be the future people pleasers ..you wont be able to get the truth out of them. We as adults know art is a personal journey not to be judged or compared by others. This is another useless reality show demonstrating how seriously messed up our value system is and how distorted the individualistic culture is. Kids need to learn that healthy human beings function best when cooperating with each other for the benefit of all rather than competing against each for personal gains and approvals. Empathy is not feeling sorry for someone.

  • The other sad component is that little girl blames herself for Alfie not painting well, thats why she’s crying. She is also the only one in that group that looks different so she will probably associate that with her looks/race. It’s interest to see the different perspectives of each child. It was also sweet how they comforted each other.

  • Guys….this was an experiment. Not a normal class. Thats why they asked them to choose the “best”. Also, children need to learn about this stuff, thats why so many kids grow up to feel the world revolves around them. Its doesn’t, and sometimes someone is better than you in a particular area. Alfie needs to be taught to lift his fellow peers up when they excel, and then others will lift him when he excels. Its the whole getting a trophy just for taking part. People wonder why with every new generation people become emotionally driven more and more….

  • Don’t underestimate 5 year olds. i once had to sub on 1 minutes notice for a kindergarten class without a team teacher or a lesson plan, but they came up with a good one that was consistant with what the regular teacher was doing. If it wasn’t for those kids, their principal would have been fired long ago!

  • I was such an evil manipulative child. In third grade i overheard a boy at my table say his parents were divorced. So i tucked that away in my head. And later on he said something that displeased me, he was whiney or something. So i maliciously said THAT WHY YOUR PARENTS DONT LOVE YOU RICHIE, THATS WHY YOUR PARENTS DIVORCED… He literally had an emotional meltdown in front of me and the school nurse had to come fetch him. I was questioned, why would i say that and how did i know that? I said…. idk… hes just being dramatic. I was an unloved child and i took out my frustrations on my school mates lol Im only slightly evil now, im on meds

  • It’s crazy looking back now and remember what it was like to be that young, it really is a crazy thing turning a baby into a functioning member of society, so much social IQ to build up and maturity to grow into. I’m 31 and I think I only I’m only really starting to get the gravity of things like that now.

  • Alfie felt alienated and by trying to solve that he made Ruth feel alienated “can I change teammates”. She really felt bad for Alfie and much worse that he was blaming her. I dont think Ruth was struggling with a dilemma like was suspected but rather she had too much emotion to speak at all; she was in shut-down mode.

  • Psychology is such a beautiful thing. Its a shame we become so desensitized and or hurt throughout our lives to where we have personal grievances for people trying to understand how to interact with us in more positive manners. Negativity is the worst thing for humanity, Negate -ivity is literally negating possibility with wrong attitude. Positivity is the only way for creativity to manifest and expand into beautiful results.

  • Oh. Honestly, this is a little triggering for me as a 19 year old boy…I have Complex PTSD….which is a childhood PTSD formed from months or years of trauma, rather than just once in PTSD. I just started to develop this.. when I was 4-6 which was about 13 years ago; The time the traumas of emotional neglect, emotional abuse, and sometimes humiliation, were inescapable. I’m 19 now and I had no idea of my trauma because little me blocked it out somehow but the flashbacks of just emotion remind me how much I suffered without showing me the truth. I have some physical symptoms like throat closing up and then extreme feelings of humiliation sadness betrayal in my stomach and bursting into tears… flashbacks of just emotion, no visuals…because it was so prevalent in my mind, little me couldn’t handle it, and blacked it out…and I feel like something in the emotion is making fun of me and I oddly get words in my head saying “I’m sorry mom I’m so sorry” and it is confusing and scary…. and I know I was that age when I was feeling this way from my mother and humiliation too..and let me tell you, child you’s feelings are stronger than adult you’s…they are seriously forming their skills in social, emotional regulation, outlook of life, and more. And this just makes me feel really sad especially since I felt my parents never understood me and these people are intrigued by his understanding rather than knowing he might be experiencing trauma and helping him. I feel my throat getting tight.

  • Just epic in seeing ourselves before becoming adults as children in our innocence…not jaded by life experience or learned prejudice…may we always recognize the value in keeping our children protected and allowing to live a life of innocence..not rushing them to be small adults..or pushing them to recognize things about the world they aren’t ready for.. or no need of..

  • She didn’t seem bothered when Alfie asked if he has the best painting and they refuse to say he does. She didn’t seem bothered when Alfie asked if he can change teams. But when she saw him cry that’s when she seemed bothered and it worsen when she had to choose the best painting. I think sometimes for some kids her age who are put in uncomfortable situations they shrink and get sadden. I remember the first time I had to write a paper in 2nd grade and read it out loud in front of the class. I didn’t know how to write a certain animal’s name in english so I wrote it in spanish. When I read my paper and got to that word my teacher kept asking me to repeat the word because he didn’t understand it. The whole class was trying to figure out what I was trying to say. He said to continue reading so when I was done reading my paper I got really sad like Ruth and the teacher and every student were confused why I got sad.

  • Alfie just see that he can’t win without the ones that are stronger. What he doesn’t know yet his observation of the others is stronger then them. He is really observant. And at the end he even tried to give his new found insight to the other and console her. He will have a lot of pain and lost in his life because of all of these things.

  • If anyone is interested to see more and learn more, this is part of a full TV series called “The Secret Life of…” The show follows young children as they develop in multiple stages of life, and it’s much more “clinical” than most people realize. It’s interesting to see the differences between how we would analyze a situation, and how the scholars of this area think. Who’s right? Who knows? As long as it works and you’ve learned something I suppose

  • O alfie! I want to hug him!! N Damn it! This is something I’m seeing every where today. People saying n doing things they don’t really believe in because they are worried about the response. Sometimes it’s because they are kind. Sometimes because they are manipulative shit but damn it sure has made a mess of things today. This was so interesting and sweet. I wish we would start focusing more on devolping children and less on fixing broken adults. Well, if we did the former the latter wouldn’t be an issue.

  • This is also why it’s important to lose. When we lose we learn a lot.just think about the people who are lost empathetic you know, where they bullied? Did they ever lose, abused? Did they grow up a bit poor? Some of the warmest people are not wealthy.. and u always see.. the angels during disasters. – loses house, goes and donates their remaining items and volunteers to help other. It’s never the rich.

  • I like it how people who do those experiments have probably chosen this field because they love children, but then the experiment consists in making them cry and not comfort them. When the girl did not want to vote I don’t get why she didn’t tell her she was allowed not to vote if she didn’t want to and then only ask her to explain. It felt like she was being pushed to answer something.

  • So, you’re leaving, aren’t you? I knew it when you said just then when you told me you were leaving That’s when I definitely knew But if you’re trying to break my heart Your plan is flawed from the start You can’t break my heart, it’s liquid It melted when I met you And as you turn around to leave Don’t’ turn back to me Don’t turn around and see if I’m crying I’m not crying I’m not crying It’s just been raining On my face And if you think you see some tear tracks down my cheeks Please please, don’t tell my mates I’m not crying No, I’m not crying And if I am crying It’s not because of you It’s because I’m thinking about a friend of mine who you don’t know who is dying That’s right, dying These aren’t tears of sadness because you’re leaving me I’ve just been cutting onions I’m making a lasagna For one Oh, I’m not crying No There’s just a little bit of dust in my eye That’s from the path that you made when you said your goodbye I’m not weeping because you won’t be here to hold my hand For your information there’s an inflammation in my tear gland I’m not upset because you left me this way My eyes are just a little sweaty today They’ve been looking around They’re like searching for you They’ve been looking for you Even though I told them not to These aren’t tears of sadness They’re tears of joy I’m just laughing Ha ha ha-ha ha I’m sitting at this table called love Staring down at the irony of life How come we’ve reached this fork in the road And yet it cuts like a knife? I’m not crying I’m not crying I’m not crying

  • Alfie is an adorable sensitive child.The fact that he wanted to switch teams because drawing Lilly was more possible.I wish i could jump through the screen to hug Ruth,because Alfie wants to switch teams so that he could draw a light skinned person which he thinks is easy.And George is probably the one to start a fight in a groupchat.I can tell cause he said everyone will vote Alfie because hes crying,he probably has some good humor as he grows up.And the kid Lilly seems to be a cute intelligent child with good manners,her parents raised her right👏

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