Protective Optimism in Early Childhood: Why Overconfidence Isn’t a Problem

Carly Andrews, Executive Director for The Alliance for Early Childhood

When I was a young child, my grandmother—a people person who loved music—hosted an annual “Holiday Sing.” She invited friends, family, and neighbors to gather for an evening of musical performances. The night featured sets of vocal and instrumental pieces, along with readings for those who were less musically inclined. Joyful and convivial, the event became a beloved holiday tradition in my family.

I remember, as a kindergartener, signing up for four performances at the Holiday Sing: a piano piece, two vocal numbers, and a memorized poem. Looking back, four slots in an evening made up mostly of adult performances was a lot—an early overestimation of my own musical and performance abilities. I remember my aunt gently trying to persuade me to choose just two pieces, but I wouldn’t hear of it.

I feel a deep sense of nostalgia when I think about those evenings and the way my grandmother intentionally created community. I’m also struck by my own confidence during that period of early childhood.

Do you remember moments of bold confidence from your own early childhood?

One of the hallmarks of preschool development is a tendency to overestimate one’s abilities—physically, cognitively, and, in my case, musically. While this overestimation is sometimes viewed as a deficit, it actually serves as an important protective factor. It supports young children’s persistence in challenging tasks and helps build an early sense of self-efficacy, or the belief that one can be effective in the world.

Research shows that young children often believe they can remember more, communicate better, and perform tasks more skillfully than they actually can (Bjorklund, 2023). This belief—known as protective optimism—can motivate children to attempt things they might otherwise avoid if they had a more accurate sense of their abilities. At a developmental stage when children are learning language, social norms, and physical coordination, this optimism plays a critical role. 

As children move into first grade and beyond, protective optimism begins to diminish with the development of metacognition—the ability to think about one’s own thinking. For older children, the benefits of overestimating one’s abilities are less positive. Over time, most children (and adults) develop a more realistic sense of what they can and cannot do.

Because protective optimism plays such an important role early on, it’s essential that we design environments that “maintain their optimism and eagerness” (Stipek, 1984, p. 54). While it can be tempting to help young children “right-size” their beliefs, this developmental phase is both brief and foundational.

Eventually, I learned that while I enjoy singing and playing the piano, my skills are fairly middle of the road. I can carry a tune, but my vocal range is limited. And while I enjoy singing throughout the day, I won’t be auditioning for the Grant Park Chorus anytime soon. Still, I benefited deeply from my grandmother’s early encouragement and the protective optimism she fostered—as all preschool and kindergarten children do—while learning social rules, language, and testing the limits of my growing abilities.

References: 

Bjorklund, D. F. (2022). Children′ s thinking: Cognitive development and individual differences. Sage publications.

Stipek, D. J. (1984). Young children's performance expectations: Logical analysis or wishful thinking. Advances in motivation and achievement, 3, 33-56.