27/08/2026
A child who interrupts, argues over whose turn it is, or insists “but everyone knows that!” may not be trying to be difficult.
They may still be learning a big social skill: understanding that other people can think, feel, know and want different things.
It can be hard to imagine that Mum didn’t see what you saw. Or that a friend is upset even when they say “I’m fine”. Or that someone believes the biscuits are still in the cupboard because they didn’t see them being moved.
This is often called theory of mind or perspective taking. It develops over time, and children need lots of calm, real-life practice.
A helpful pause can sound like:
“Hmm, what do you think they know?”
“Can they see what you can see?”
“How might that have felt for them?”
“What could they be thinking right now?”
Tiredness, anxiety, impulsivity, autism, ADHD and language differences can all make social understanding harder in the moment too. Patience matters. So does remembering that behaviour is often communication.
FREE THEORY OF MIND EXPLANATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
LIKE the photo and comment "MIND" and we will send you a message with a link to a free PDF of this resource.
