06/27/2026
Can you hear me now?" asked the child.
I have learned that children have a great deal to say. They are far more observant, capable, and insightful than we often give them credit for.
Perhaps my journey began with my father.
He was a wonderful listener. He often told my three siblings and me, "Never believe something simply because someone is older or supposed to be wiser. First, check it against your own heart, your intuition, and your internal compass."
That lesson stayed with me.
When I became a mother, I shared a similar thought with my two young sons. I told them that inside every child lives a little adult, and inside every adult lives a small child. Somewhere along the way, many adults forget what it felt like to be children. They forget their observations, their questions, and the quiet wisdom they once carried.
Children know much more than they can always express.
Over the past twenty years, I have had the privilege of listening to children in hospitals, schools, and everyday life—from young cancer patients to preschoolers, elementary students, and teenagers. Again and again, they have challenged my assumptions, deepened my understanding, and reminded me that children deserve more credit than we often give them.
This SUBSTACK publication is my invitation to you.
Come along and listen.
You may discover, as I have, that children have been trying to tell us something important all along.
Warmly,
Constance Douglas
The Shnoogy Lady
Lessons Learned by Listening to Children
