Why youngest ever TED Talker got a standing ovation
A seven-year-old Australian girl has delivered a TED Talk on parenting that has seen her become an internet sensation.
Molly Wright took the stage, telling adults how they had better interact with their children.
She’s the youngest person to give a TED Talk, and the video of her talk has since received more than 100,000 views.
“My talk today is about things grown-ups can do to shape us as children,” the young Queenslander said in the talk.
Molly is the new spokesperson for the Mindaroo Foundation’s “Thrive by Five” campaign, run by Andrew “Twiggy” and Nicola Forrest.
The campaign says the first 1,000 days of a child’s life are crucial for their development.
“If we don’t take charge and look after our early years, then everything we do later is just a patch-up,” Nicola Forrest said.
In her talk, Molly says simple interactive games like Peek-a-Boo can be literally life-changing.
“Every moment is an opportunity to connect, talk and play,” she said.
“Imagine the difference we could make if everyone, everywhere did this.”
The young speaker also chastised parents for an over-reliance on technology, arguing it could have harmful effects on kids in the long term.
During her talk, she showed a dad using his iPad and ignoring his one-year-old child who was reaching out for attention.
“Kids are hardwired to seek out meaningful connections and not receiving them causes confusion and stress,” she said.
“Interactions early and often matter.
“Take it from me, the seven-year-old up here talking about brain science.”
Molly’s talk brought the audience to a standing ovation, and has already been shown in maternity wards across Australia.
The film will also be placed in 1,400 doctor’s waiting rooms throughout the country.
Image: TED