Kids, Philosophy, And Patience

Human beings are not in a patient place right now, are we? We want it all, we want it immediately, and we want it delivered. We’re quick with reactions and judgements, and quick to reject anyone or anything that doesn’t meet our standards. We’re quick to complain that our kids don’t know how to wait for anything, or how to pace themselves (although, to be honest, we’re not so great at these things either). It’s all somewhat understandable, seeing how our lifestyles don’t exactly leave room to slow down and pause, but it isn’t irreparable.

There is no one magic solution to our perpetually being in a hurry, but there are some practices that can help, and doing philosophy with our kids is one of them. There are several aspects of philosophy itself that encourage a less frantic pace:

·        Philosophy doesn’t present just one answer to questions. There’s less of a need to hurry to the end of a query if you know there isn’t going to be one, at least not for a while.

·        Philosophy encourages conversation, which is something that often goes much better at when not rushed. Along these lines, philosophical conversation requires participants to wait their turn, and to listen while others are sharing.

·        Philosophy has been in practice for thousands of years, and we’re still batting around a lot of the same questions. That in itself is an invitation to be patient.

·        Philosophical questions are incredibly complex. That’s not to say that little thinkers can’t handle them (they’re quite brilliant at it, in fact), but it requires an investment of time and effort.

·        Philosophy is fascinating and fun, and aren’t those key ingredients in any activity that requires time and patience?

This isn’t to say that parents and teachers can or should expect long, drawn-out conversations with their little thinkers over philosophy. Even the most focused, methodical young learner is likely to need to break big questions down into a series of chats and activities. However, philosophy questions tend to come back again and again over time, with new ideas and perspectives being added with each iteration. It’s likely that the pondering will continue in your child’s head in between talks with you.

There are so many reasons why we should be doing philosophy with our kids. Through philosophy, they become more aware of the world around them, more connected to others, and more understanding of themselves. Philosophy encourages the development of many 21st century skills and promotes social-emotional learning. The development of patience is a benefit that shouldn’t be overlooked. Whose kid couldn’t use a few moments to sit and reflect now and then? Whose kid wouldn’t benefit from a break from the frantic speed of their current lifestyle? What adult, for that matter, wouldn’t like to take a breath and slow down every so often?