Children and Trust: How Children Decide Who to Trust and Why that is Important

In what ways and at what age do children figure out whether or not to trust someone? This week’s Mom Enough guest has fascinating research that sheds light on this important aspect of development.   We often think of infants and very young children as being naively trusting and ready to believe what any adult tells them. But Melissa Koenig, professor in the University of Minnesota's Institute of Child Development, is part of a team of researchers who are showing that even babies know how to be skeptics. These provocative findings raise important questions about how trust enters in to children’s learning and how parents and teachers can earn the trust of children and help them build their ability to recognize honesty at a time when it’s often hard to come by.   WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST TAKEAWAY ABOUT CHILDREN AND TRUST? What was surprising to you about Melissa Koenig’s findings about young children and trust? Marti & Erin and their guest talked about the need for parents to be “transparent” with their kids and to only make promises they can keep. Give some real-life examples of when this advice could be implemented.   WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ONLINE LEARNING? ❉ Can children save us from the fake news epidemic? Read this fascinating article by this week's Mom Enough guest, Melissa Koenig, and Valerie Tiberius. ❉ Trust Through the Eyes of Children: A Psychologist’s Perspective and How Children Gauge Trustworthiness: Key Findings. Check out these brief videos for more insights on trust from Melissa Koenig. ❉ Early Language and Experience Lab. Melissa Koenig is the Director of the this lab. ❉ Learning a Second Language, Learning Through Language. Check out this link to listen to Melissa Koenig's previous Mom Enough interview on learning a second language.