Watching a mind grow

One of the fascinating things I've learned about the mind is how scientists used children's mental development to learn how certain mental functions look like from their earliest stages to their mature and adult stage.

Empathy and Self Awareness are one of the things I liked reading about. The classic example is having a kid read you when they don't know the answer and try to make guesses based on your behavior.

With the children of my in laws and friends, I like making simple observations based on what they observe and what they do. Like when i was playing with 6mo boy and he just learned to control his legs. The test was simple: reciprocate apply a counter force to that he applies with his legs. Barely able to control his hands, the baby's facial expresson changes when I give the opposing force. He just learned to use his legs and the resistance is a feedback sensation that its working, despite the fact he is lying down.

I know it can be confusing for the child to note that he is learning to use his legs but not at a direction that will make him mobile on all fours. It was quite exhausting but the baby was happy the whole time till naptime.

There was also the observation if he was able to read faces. My captains daughter was surprising, she was very well developed reading facial expressions that if you were slightly sad she would pic it up and she would start to cry. She sees me and Nkos and she would just smile. It was amazing, she was 8 months then.

The baby boy is around 8 months also and when he hurts himself he looks to his dad's facial expression. If you worry he starts crying, my brother in law noticed that so he would just laugh when the baby hurts himself and the baby just shrugs it.

My kid is still 12 weeks old and his/her life is still touch and go. Sensitive pregnancies, its sucks to know how inductive reasoning works because biology really tests it with all its uncertainties. It will be next year before I meet him or her and I'm worried anything can happen.

I'm curious to meet him/her. Who is he/she? What will be his/her temperament? I bet when she grows up, she will hate it when I explain everything so pedantically. She will notice I've picked up my dad's annoying joking nature of always giving sarcastic bad news. Will she have my visual ability? How dazzling will it be for a kid to have a dad who can draw or who sounds like a scientist like her great grandad.

Oh and the Bullshit detection, the sacrasm, and showing how to read body language or how to provoke some will be an interesting experience. Enough as to know how best to avoid danger and allow her to know her true worth. I'm day dreaming, anyway. Its just so anticipated, while so much crap is going on.