The American Question

Jean Piaget is one of the most influential developmental psychologists of the 20th century. He spoke with people all over the world about how and when children learn certain skills. He began to notice a trend among his American audiences, something he called the American Question. After he would present his framework, Americans would notoriously ask him, “But how can we get them to do it faster?”

Why do we feel that we need to push kids to do things faster, sooner?

Why is childhood a race?

There’s a constant pushdown of content, of milestones, kids “falling behind.” Falling behind what? Our kids were not made to do these things faster and sooner than they do. We have to push back against all of these ideas and preserve our kiddos’ childhoods for the sacred time that it is.