If you’re a parent or a teacher, you’ve probably wondered how to balance play and safety for the kids in your care. You don’t want to put children in danger, but you also don’t want to rob them of the joy of exploration. This week, we revisit a favorite conversation with psychologist Peter Gray. We'll talk about why independent play is so important to a child's development, and answer listeners' questions about the role parents, schools, and neighborhoods can play in giving kids more autonomy.

In this episode, you'll learn:

*The skills that children develop when they play without parental involvement.

*Why American culture has shifted away from independence for children in recent decades.

*The role of independent play in helping children to learn key lessons and thrive developmentally.

*The simple question that parents can ask their kids to create space for more unstructured play.

*How to know what's age-appropriate when it comes to independent play.

*How to foster independent play in your neighborhood or community.

*What schools can do to encourage unstructured opportunities for kids.

Episode photo by Aisiri Iyengar on Unsplash

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For many of us, navigating the conclusion of a relationship is one of the hardest things we'll ever do. This week, we conclude our Love 2.0 series with psychologist Antonio Pascual-Leone, who shares the most common mistakes we make when it comes to splitting up, and techniques that can help us ease the pain. Then, our latest edition of Your Questions Answered. Cognitive scientist Phil Fernbach returns to respond to listeners' thoughts and questions about the "illusion of knowledge."

Do you have questions for Antonio Pascual-Leone about breakups? Are there losses that have left you feeling stuck? Have you discovered techniques to move on when a relationship ends? If you'd be willing to share your question or comment with the Hidden Brain audience, please record a voice memo on your phone and email it to us at ideas@hiddenbrain.org. Two or three minutes is plenty. Use the subject line "breakups." Thanks!

Image by Yana Kravchuk for Unsplash+

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There’s a tradition around many Thanksgiving dinner tables that’s as consistent as pumpkin pie: the family stories that get told year after year. Sometimes these stories are funny; sometimes they make us roll our eyes. No matter how we feel about them, we rarely pause to consider how these stories shape who we are and how we view the world. This week, we revisit a favorite 2024 conversation about family storytelling with psychologist Robyn Fivush. Then, in a new installment of "Your Questions Answered," Massimo Pigliucci answers listener questions about Stoicism, and why this ancient philosophy continues to resonate today.

The Los Angeles stop on our live tour is almost here! Join Shankar November 22 as he shares seven key psychological insights from the show's first decade. And we're excited to share new dates for 2026. We'll be in Philadelphia on March 21 and New York City on March 25. More info and tickets here: https://www.hiddenbrain.org/tour/

Episode illustration by Anna Kutukova for Unsplash+

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