Isabelle Hau, author of the book, Love to Learn: The Transformative Power of Care and Connection in Early Childhood, joins Mike Palmer in a conversation about the importance of relationships in early education and what it means to our understanding of intelligence and human development. Hau highlights the concept of “relational intelligence” or “RQ” and its increasing importance in a world dominated by artificial intelligence. Isabelle is the Executive Director of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning.

The two discuss the role of parents, and the give and take of "serve-and-return" interactions with early learners in fostering relational intelligence and building synaptic connections early in life. Hau emphasizes the importance of play in early childhood development and offers advice for parents on how to encourage healthy social and emotional growth in their children while avoiding the risks of over-parenting and over-structuring children's lives.

Key takeaways from the episode include:

• Relational intelligence (RQ) is a critical skill that is becoming increasingly important in a world dominated by artificial intelligence.
• RQ is developed through early childhood experiences, particularly through interactions with parents and caregivers.
• Parents can foster RQ in their children by being present and engaged with them, and by providing opportunities for unstructured play.
• RQ is not just important for early childhood development, but for success throughout life.

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