Every new parent believes their baby is the smartest and most talented baby in the world. True, isn’t it?! Well, that’s as it should be. But, did you know that you can actually tell – even from the earliest ages – where your baby’s talents and interests lie?
You see, every time your baby makes a leap forward in his mental development, a new kind of perception emerges. This enables him to develop many new skills. It is your baby’s own choice, though not deliberate, as to what skill he wants to master first. Those things that he selects to focus on first tells you something about his interests and talents and, therefore, his personality.
Once your baby has made a few mental leaps, you’ll notice that he always takes an interest in the same kind of skills. For one child, this may be "locomotion" skills (bodily kinetic), and for another it might be inter-personal interests and the related games. Because your baby has more development still to come, it is much too early to draw far-reaching conclusions about future directions.
With that in mind, it is important to take note of what interests your child. While we know it is imperative to pay attention to everything that concerns your baby, you can keep some interest you have noticed he’s taken in mind and proceed by playing games that correspond to that particular curiosity.
In the first year, you are getting to know your baby and he is getting to know you. His personality is becoming clearer and this is, without a doubt, something you are paying close attention to. One very important aspect of his developing personality is your baby’s interests, as they also determine how he develops, how he deals with mental leaps, how he masters skills and what he demands from life. Yes, already at this very young age.
In short: the interests of your baby are certainly among the most important things to attend to, since his interests determine a large part of his development. Always keep in mind that your baby has his own interests and these are not necessarily the same as yours. It is important that you let him indicate his interests and what holds his attention, and not urge your own interests onto him. While that may seem obvious, sometimes it is one of the hardest things to do when bringing up your child.
