Jean Piaget Meets Pete the Cat
One of my favorite early education theorists has always been Jean Piaget. I have written about him in a previous post to talk about his views on the importance of play in children's development. Today, I would like to address his theories on emotional self regulation in young children.
Let's start with a definition of emotional self regulation: it is the ability to respond to the ongoing demands of experience with the range of emotions in a manner that is socially tolerable and sufficiently flexible to permit spontaneous reactions as well as the ability to delay spontaneous reactions as needed. Wikipedia
In other words, it is helping children develop the tools they need to respond to situations in their life in an appropriate way. This might include times of sadness, anger, frustration, anxiety, disappointment as well as excitement.
Babies learn to soothe their upsets by being soothed by parents or care givers. Toddlers and preschoolers can learn to self regulate by being made to feel safe enough to feel their emotions, even while having their actions limited. For example, " you may be angry, but you may not hit." When adults acknowledge a child's feelings and provide empathy, children are much more likely to begin to develop empathy as well.
Although Piaget focused much of his work on the development of knowledge, he also spoke about social factors when speaking about development. According to Piaget, peer interactions are crucial to the child's construction of social and moral feelings, values, and social and intellectual competence.
As you may have noticed in the title of this post, Pete the Cat is mentioned. You may very well be asking right about now ( and I don't blame you), what in the heck does Pete the Cat have to do with Piaget or emotional self regulation in young children?
I first came across Pete the Cat about 5 years ago. While visiting classrooms, I heard the story of Pete and his white shoes numerous times. I loved that story! Pete the Cat was telling children it's okay when things don't go exactly as planned and when it happens you just need to chill and "keep walking along and singing your song----because it's all good." Wow, how great is it for young children to hear that?
Pete is also a strong believer that peer interactions are important in children's lives and in aiding their development of emotional self regulation. We see this in the book, Pete the Cat and His Magic Sunglasses. Pete is given a pair of "magic" sunglasses by Grumpy Frog on a day when he (Pete) is having trouble navigating through his day. The glasses are designed to help him see things in a whole new way. Sure enough, Pete's mood improves and he spends the rest of the day helping his friends who are feeling mad, frustrated, and sad regulate their feelings and find the good in the day. They all end up feeling "alright."
In the story, Pete the Cat and The New Guy, Pete helps a new friend who is having feelings of sadness over not being able to do what all the other animals in Pete's crowd can do. As it turns out, Gus, the new guy, can play the drums and one of the favorite activities for Pete and his friends is playing music together. Moral of the story: everyone is special in their own way and there is something everyone can do!
Piaget believed that children are more easily able to think and act autonomously with other children than with most adults. This seems to align with Pete the Cat's philosophy as well, don't you think?
If you haven't already read Pete the Cat's Groovy Guide to Life, by Kimberly and James Dean, I strongly recommend it. It gives great insight into the thinking of philosophers, authors, artists, and inventors and Pete the Cat.
I'll close with two of my favorite quotes from the book and leave you with a little "food for thought."
Check back later!
Let's start with a definition of emotional self regulation: it is the ability to respond to the ongoing demands of experience with the range of emotions in a manner that is socially tolerable and sufficiently flexible to permit spontaneous reactions as well as the ability to delay spontaneous reactions as needed. Wikipedia
In other words, it is helping children develop the tools they need to respond to situations in their life in an appropriate way. This might include times of sadness, anger, frustration, anxiety, disappointment as well as excitement.
Babies learn to soothe their upsets by being soothed by parents or care givers. Toddlers and preschoolers can learn to self regulate by being made to feel safe enough to feel their emotions, even while having their actions limited. For example, " you may be angry, but you may not hit." When adults acknowledge a child's feelings and provide empathy, children are much more likely to begin to develop empathy as well.
Although Piaget focused much of his work on the development of knowledge, he also spoke about social factors when speaking about development. According to Piaget, peer interactions are crucial to the child's construction of social and moral feelings, values, and social and intellectual competence.
As you may have noticed in the title of this post, Pete the Cat is mentioned. You may very well be asking right about now ( and I don't blame you), what in the heck does Pete the Cat have to do with Piaget or emotional self regulation in young children?
I first came across Pete the Cat about 5 years ago. While visiting classrooms, I heard the story of Pete and his white shoes numerous times. I loved that story! Pete the Cat was telling children it's okay when things don't go exactly as planned and when it happens you just need to chill and "keep walking along and singing your song----because it's all good." Wow, how great is it for young children to hear that?
Pete is also a strong believer that peer interactions are important in children's lives and in aiding their development of emotional self regulation. We see this in the book, Pete the Cat and His Magic Sunglasses. Pete is given a pair of "magic" sunglasses by Grumpy Frog on a day when he (Pete) is having trouble navigating through his day. The glasses are designed to help him see things in a whole new way. Sure enough, Pete's mood improves and he spends the rest of the day helping his friends who are feeling mad, frustrated, and sad regulate their feelings and find the good in the day. They all end up feeling "alright."
In the story, Pete the Cat and The New Guy, Pete helps a new friend who is having feelings of sadness over not being able to do what all the other animals in Pete's crowd can do. As it turns out, Gus, the new guy, can play the drums and one of the favorite activities for Pete and his friends is playing music together. Moral of the story: everyone is special in their own way and there is something everyone can do!
Piaget believed that children are more easily able to think and act autonomously with other children than with most adults. This seems to align with Pete the Cat's philosophy as well, don't you think?
If you haven't already read Pete the Cat's Groovy Guide to Life, by Kimberly and James Dean, I strongly recommend it. It gives great insight into the thinking of philosophers, authors, artists, and inventors and Pete the Cat.
I'll close with two of my favorite quotes from the book and leave you with a little "food for thought."
" Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken." Oscar Wilde
" If you want to be cool, just be you!" PeteAnd:
" I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." Thomas Edison
" There are no failures, just lessons." PeteThat's it for now.
Check back later!
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