Is my child selfish?

Is my child selfish?

From Let's Reconnect with Breanna Jayne Sada by Breanna Jayne Sada

May 17, 2026 · 19 min · Season 1 · Episode 24

About this episode

This episode explores the common parental concern of whether a child is selfish, explaining it as a normal developmental stage called egocentrism.

In this episode of Let's Reconnect with Breanna Jayne Sada, we explore one of the most common worries parents have about their children and teenagers: “Is my child selfish?” If you’ve ever felt frustrated that your child only talks about themselves, struggles to consider other people’s feelings, or seems unaware of the emotional needs of those around them, this episode will reassure you that what you’re seeing is often not selfishness at all, it’s a normal developmental stage called egocentrism. Drawing on developmental psychology and the work of Jean Piaget, Breanna explains why children and adolescents naturally see the world through their own perspective and how parents can stop fighting against this stage and instead use it to build stronger connection, trust and emotional understanding. This episode explores: What egocentrism in child development actually means Why egocentrism is not the same as narcissism or selfishness Why children and teens struggle with perspective-taking The adolescent brain and emotional development Why teens often feel like “everyone is watching them” How unrealistic parental expectations can create conflict The impact of repeatedly calling children…

People in this episode

Host: Breanna Jayne Sada

Topics covered

  • child development
  • egocentrism
  • parenting
  • empathy
  • adolescent brain
  • emotional understanding

Keywords

  • selfishness
  • egocentrism
  • narcissism
  • perspective-taking
  • emotional development
  • parenting strategies
  • empathy

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