Racing the Moon - How Your Kids See the World
Imagine you're driving along with your family on a cloudless night, watching the streetlights and dark silhouettes of trees flash by your windows.
You eyes begin to wander upward, taking in the beautiful sky.
High above the chaos and stress below, the moon hovers and shines down brightly, looking as if it has chosen your particular car to shine for and to follow throughout your drive.
Of course we as adults realize that the moon is not actually following us, but we can certainly appreciate the poetry and peacefulness of the moment.
Children, however, often take this illusion as bona fide reality.
From the back seat, parents often hear, "Mommy, Daddy! The moon is following us! Go faster!" The active imaginations of children are met with knowing smiles by their parents, who wistfully remember the simpler days of childhood.
But what exactly brings your child to these sorts of amusing conclusions? In this endearing display of imagination, your child is using what developmental psychologists refer to as 'animism'.
This way of thinking is a part of the Piagetian 'Pre-operational' stage of child development, which occurs between the years of two and seven.
Children of this age tend to see things from an egocentric perspective, and give human-like characteristics to inanimate objects they encounter in order to make meaning of their world.
For example, children of this age may claim that the trees are whispering, or that a rock decided to jump up and trip them.
Adults may remember examples of their own thinking at this stage that they now find humorous, but even while knowing the science behind how the brain works, there is something about the magic of childhood that stays with the memory years later.
Enjoy this phase of your child's life while it lasts.
Soon enough, he or she will be entering the adult world of worry and stress.
Although there is a benefit to the mature, logical thinking of the adult mind, take a lesson from your child.
You are never to old to pretend, and you should never become so bogged down in anxiety that you forget how to let your imagination soar a little.
The next time your child makes an "over-imaginative" comment, try and exercise your brain by going along with the game! Your child will benefit from the conversation and attention, and you will benefit from taking the time to play.
You eyes begin to wander upward, taking in the beautiful sky.
High above the chaos and stress below, the moon hovers and shines down brightly, looking as if it has chosen your particular car to shine for and to follow throughout your drive.
Of course we as adults realize that the moon is not actually following us, but we can certainly appreciate the poetry and peacefulness of the moment.
Children, however, often take this illusion as bona fide reality.
From the back seat, parents often hear, "Mommy, Daddy! The moon is following us! Go faster!" The active imaginations of children are met with knowing smiles by their parents, who wistfully remember the simpler days of childhood.
But what exactly brings your child to these sorts of amusing conclusions? In this endearing display of imagination, your child is using what developmental psychologists refer to as 'animism'.
This way of thinking is a part of the Piagetian 'Pre-operational' stage of child development, which occurs between the years of two and seven.
Children of this age tend to see things from an egocentric perspective, and give human-like characteristics to inanimate objects they encounter in order to make meaning of their world.
For example, children of this age may claim that the trees are whispering, or that a rock decided to jump up and trip them.
Adults may remember examples of their own thinking at this stage that they now find humorous, but even while knowing the science behind how the brain works, there is something about the magic of childhood that stays with the memory years later.
Enjoy this phase of your child's life while it lasts.
Soon enough, he or she will be entering the adult world of worry and stress.
Although there is a benefit to the mature, logical thinking of the adult mind, take a lesson from your child.
You are never to old to pretend, and you should never become so bogged down in anxiety that you forget how to let your imagination soar a little.
The next time your child makes an "over-imaginative" comment, try and exercise your brain by going along with the game! Your child will benefit from the conversation and attention, and you will benefit from taking the time to play.
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