Redefining Childhood

Hiya Conscious Community!

We don’t take childhood seriously enough.

Recently, I had the best doctor's visit I’ve ever experienced. I had an appointment with a new doctor for a general check-up, and what stood out to me was how she communicated throughout the visit. She let me know exactly what she was doing and explained what was coming up next. I’m a big routine kind of girl—if left to my own devices, I’d have the same breakfast every day. I LOVE knowing what to expect, especially in new situations with new people. This doctor didn’t just explain what she was doing; she also told me why, giving me valuable information about what to expect.

Okay, so what? Well, most of my doctor appointments involve a stranger being closer to my body than I generally allow, and I’ve had multiple experiences where my voice wasn’t heard or valued by medical professionals. I felt less like a human being and more like an object being manipulated, then handed a sheet of paper with some generic advice on it. Often, this is how children are treated. They are either underestimated and undervalued or vastly overestimated and burdened with unrealistic expectations.

Children aren’t seen as competent, fully conscious human beings. I can’t even begin to tell you the number of times I’ve heard children described as “small drunk adults.” Don’t get me wrong, it’s a funny phrase—I’ve even used my preschool teacher voice on a number of intoxicated men at a bar. But this really underscores the problem with how we choose to view children.

When I was in the classroom, I remember feeling utterly offended when anyone described my job as “playing with kids all day.” Play is the child’s job. My role as the adult is to facilitate learning opportunities, to use my understanding of how children learn. Sometimes that means I get to play the role of a play partner, helping students understand how to integrate into play and navigate social-emotional experiences.

This skewed perception is due to the image of the child and the lack of developmentally appropriate expectations. But what if we chose to see children as competent, capable, observant, inquisitive, intelligent, brave, and bold? How would that change the conversations we have with them?

The more I learn about children and their development, the more in awe I am of them. I recently watched a video about infant and toddler care, and what stood out to me was the respect shown to the infant throughout the entire process. Did you know that simply narrating your actions and intentions with infants allows them to be partners in their care? For example, saying, “I’m about to change your diaper. I’m going to pick you up now,” gives the child a chance to prepare their body to be picked up. While diaper changing isn’t necessarily a choice, involving the infant in the process helps them develop a sense of bodily autonomy and an understanding that their caregiver respects their body.

We often underestimate the capacity of children to engage, understand, and contribute to their own experiences. By shifting our perception and respecting their voices and perspectives, we can begin to foster a generation that is more confident, self-aware, and socially conscious. If we see children as they truly are—competent, capable, and deserving of respect—we can transform our interactions with them, creating a more just and compassionate world.

For more on how we can empower children through representation and social justice, check out my podcast episode with children's book author and researcher Gwendolyn Wallace, titled Empowering Young Minds: Representation and Social Justice in Children’s Literature. Also, take a look at my blog post on The Power of Children’s Literature in Shaping a Just World. Let’s continue this conversation and re-imagine how we see and engage with the youngest members of our society.

Until next time,

Brittney