The Cabrera Lab Podcast #95: Think It Through: Teaching Your Kids to Love Reality
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Nov 26, 2025 This discussion dives into how a boy's fear of monsters opens up a pathway to teaching critical thinking skills. The hosts explain the role of mental models in shaping fears and behaviors. They share practical strategies for helping kids test their beliefs against reality, like reenacting scary moments in daylight. Emphasis is placed on fostering evidence-based confidence and avoiding adult projections of fear. Ultimately, the conversation highlights the importance of raising children who can navigate misinformation with critical thinking.
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Mental Models Drive Real Behavior
- Mental models drive behavior and emotion, so wrong beliefs cause real avoidance and fear.
- Treat the belief (model) as the lever to change actions and feelings.
Daytime 'Is/Is Not' Conversation
- Start daytime conversations when the child is calm to map what 'monster' means and differentiate 'is' vs 'is not'.
- Use the 'is / is not' method to clarify boundaries of the mental model.
Define And Test The Claim
- Ask the child to define what a 'monster' is and where they see it before imposing your definition.
- Reenact the moment and use light/evidence to test the claim rather than arguing with them.