# Speak up voor de dromen van kinderen | Kelly Verdonk | TEDxDenBosch Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_r1kYJnbDY Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/V_r1kYJnbDY Generated: 2026-03-03T17:34:23.676+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview Kelly Verdonk argues that encouraging children to express themselves authentically, especially through spoken word poetry and writing, is crucial for their development, as the act of speaking up validates their feelings and allows them to claim the space they deserve in the world, moving beyond the fear of not being good enough. **Key Points:** - Verdonk recounts a moment at age five when her aunt told her that her voice did not count, leading to years of silence and self-diminishment. - She advocates for teaching children to value their own voice, emphasizing that true growth occurs when they feel safe to express themselves authentically. - Verdonk shares her personal experience of starting to write poetry and prose for children to help them find their voice, initially using peers as test subjects. - She points out that many children, especially those with dyslexia, hide their voices or talents because they feel they are not good enough or fear judgment, exemplified by the photo of children hugging (01:23:15). - The speaker highlights that activities like rapping, writing stories, singing, or even doing mathematics poorly can be powerful tools for self-expression and building self-trust. - For lasting behavioral change, she stresses that the feeling behind the action (intrinsic motivation) must be present, not just the external performance. - The ultimate goal is to create space for children to feel that their voice matters, enabling them to dare to dream, do, and be who they truly are. ![Screenshot at 00:06: Kelly Verdonk beginning her TEDx talk on stage in front of the 'DEN BOSCH TEDx' sign, holding a notebook.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/V_r1kYJnbDY/00-00-06.jpg) **Context:** Kelly Verdonk delivers a TEDx talk at TEDxDenBosch about the importance of validating children's voices and encouraging authentic self-expression from a young age. She grounds her argument in a personal anecdote from when she was five years old, where she was told her voice didn't matter, leading her to suppress her feelings for years. She introduces her work helping children find their voice through creative outlets like spoken word, especially for those struggling with dyslexia, emphasizing that true change comes from internal motivation rather than external validation. ## Detailed Analysis Kelly Verdonk begins by sharing a formative childhood memory from age five when her aunt told her mother that Kelly's voice didn't count, which resulted in her feeling silent and small for years (00:06). She argues that society needs to teach children that their voice does count, even when learning is difficult or imperfect, referencing the need for emotional safety (00:31). Verdonk developed an experiential writing program, initially testing it on peers, where she encouraged them to write about things they felt but couldn't say, like the feeling of being too big or too small (01:54). She discovered that the key to lasting behavioral change lies not in external validation but in intrinsic motivation, which grows when children feel autonomy and connection (03:59, 05:05). She shows a picture of children hugging (01:23:15) to represent the emotional connection she aims to foster, contrasting it with an image of boys celebrating a perceived success (01:20:10) that might lack true emotional depth. Verdonk concludes that when we teach children to speak from the heart, they learn to connect with themselves and others authentically, allowing them to dare to dream, do, and be themselves, rather than fitting into pre-defined boxes (13:41). ### Childhood Suppression - At age five, a comment from her aunt made Kelly feel her voice didn't count, leading to years of silence and minimizing herself (00:07, 02:25). ### The Power of Spoken Word - Verdonk started leading writing workshops for children, including those with dyslexia, encouraging them to express themselves through poetry and stories (02:41, 05:01). ### Intrinsic Motivation - True change happens when children feel autonomy and connection, not just when they achieve external success or meet expectations (04:03, 09:05). ### The 'T' Poem - She shares an example of a poem she wrote for a nine-year-old, emphasizing the importance of giving children a voice that matters (02:27, 09:27). ### The Core Message - The goal is to help children feel safe to express their emotions and dare to be authentic, rather than hiding their true selves or their struggles (08:17, 11:16). ![Screenshot at 00:00: Establishing shot of Kelly Verdonk walking onto the TEDx stage in Den Bosch.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/V_r1kYJnbDY/00-00-00.jpg) ![Screenshot at 01:23: A slide showing a young girl holding a puppy, illustrating the childhood self she felt unable to express.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/V_r1kYJnbDY/00-01-23.jpg) ![Screenshot at 02:53: Close-up of the speaker holding her notebook while discussing the need to overcome shame.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/V_r1kYJnbDY/00-02-53.jpg) ![Screenshot at 06:01: A slide showing a girl and boy reading together into a microphone, representing the importance of shared expression.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/V_r1kYJnbDY/00-06-01.jpg) ![Screenshot at 12:17: A slide showing two young men standing next to a white limousine, illustrating a superficial form of success.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/V_r1kYJnbDY/00-12-17.jpg)