Childhood is not merely the beginning of our lives; it continues to accompany us throughout. A game we played, the environment we were in, or a brief dialogue with our parents becomes a clue for the rest of our lives. This is because the construction of the self begins in childhood, and childhood is where the first collision and the first questioning of existence emerge (Erikson, 1963).
According to Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, during childhood we actively construct knowledge. This theory is primarily built upon the processes of schema, assimilation, accommodation, and equilibration, and it explains how children make sense of their environment (Piaget, 1952, 1970). In other words, childhood is a critical period in which we gain our first experiences and, through them, shape the direction of our lives. This process influences not only cognitive abilities but also the individual’s emotional and social world (Vygotsky, 1978).
For Piaget, the human mind is shaped through interactions with the environment starting from birth. At the core lies the concept of schema, the structures of knowledge that allow the individual to classify and interpret the world. These schemas function like mental folders, organizing newly acquired information. Assimilation, the process of fitting new information into existing schemas, follows. For example, when a child first encounters a cat, they may assimilate it into the schema of “dog” because it is four-legged and furry. However, when the new information does not fit existing schemas, accommodation occurs, requiring the reorganization of schemas. As the child learns the differences between cats and dogs, a distinct schema for “cat” is formed. The balance between assimilation and accommodation is maintained through equilibration. The cognitive structures formed through these processes constitute the individual’s perception of reality (Piaget, 1970).
The Beginning of Existential Questioning
A child’s cognitive development also lays the foundation of their existential questioning. Each stage in Piaget’s theory opens a new door where the perception of existence deepens. In the preoperational stage, which spans ages 2 to 7, the child is egocentric and struggles to take the perspective of others (Piaget, 1952). This is a challenging turning point. At this stage, the child faces the realization that they are not at the center of everything, and that each person is the center of their own life. This realization often brings emotional ruptures. For instance, refusing to share a toy or discovering that the mother is a separate individual can break down egocentrism. Such moments may trigger a child’s first feelings of loss, disappointment, or exclusion.
These emotional experiences help the child perceive themselves as a being distinct from the external world. The formal operational stage, beginning at age 11, marks the point at which the child begins to think about and grasp abstract concepts such as justice, freedom, death, and love (Piaget, 1970). This period resembles a mental awakening. The child now not only interprets the concrete world but also questions abstract ideas. Sensitivity to injustice grows, the meaning of death is contemplated, and the complexity of love is explored. At this stage, the child begins to consider not only themselves but also others, opening the curtain to existential questioning. Seeds of fundamental questions such as “Who am I?”, “What is my purpose in this life?”, and “Why do I exist?” are planted (Sartre, 1943/1993).
Childhood is not only a period of learning and making sense of the world, but also the first confrontation with the burden of existence. Experiences such as loss, neglect, or bullying lead the child to question their own existence and search for their identity (Bonanno, 2004). As the child perceives the difference between their inner world and the external world, they accept themselves as a small part of the vast whole. Every positive or negative experience during this process leaves a mark on the individual. These marks directly influence future choices, relationships, self-perception, and the meaning attached to life. From the moment the child can cognitively separate their inner and outer worlds, existential questioning begins to emerge.
Traces That Last a Lifetime
Piaget’s formal operational stage is closely related to the first connections with existence. Concepts such as justice, death, goodness, and freedom are not only products of cognitive development but also carry existential weight. Cognitive development determines the capacity for thought and reasoning, while existential philosophy examines the choices made with that capacity (Frankl, 1946/2006). In other words, cognitive development shows what questions an individual can ask, while existentialism examines how the answers to those questions shape one’s unique existence.
In summary, our existence in adulthood carries traces of our childhood. The events we experience, our search for meaning, and our life purpose are mirrors that reflect back to childhood. The schemas, assimilations, and accommodations we develop in childhood form the foundation of our worldview in adulthood. This is why the wounds from childhood are the ones that hurt the most when touched: they are the earliest and most sensitive points of our existential questioning. Childhood is not merely a developmental stage but the beginning of a lifelong process of construction in which we start to understand ourselves and our place in the world.
References
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Bonanno, G. A. (2004). Loss, trauma, and human resilience: Have we underestimated the human capacity to thrive after extremely aversive events? American Psychologist, 59(1), 20–28.
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Erikson, E. H. (1963). Childhood and society (2nd ed.). W. W. Norton.
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Frankl, V. E. (2006). Man’s search for meaning (I. Lasch, Trans.). Beacon Press. (Original work published 1946)
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Piaget, J. (1952). The origins of intelligence in children. International Universities Press.
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Piaget, J. (1970). Piaget’s theory. In P. H. Mussen (Ed.), Carmichael’s manual of child psychology (Vol. 1, pp. 703–732). Wiley.
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Sartre, J. P. (1993). Being and nothingness (H. E. Barnes, Trans.). Washington Square Press. (Original work published 1943)
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Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.