Reading Your Baby's Mind

In reading this article on the study of a baby's mind was fascinating. I was brought up to believe that babies would imitate what they saw, but do not have the ability to think. I was told they are like a sponge absorbing their environments constantly, but not necessarily able to interpret it. Yet, the idea of an infant knowing what jealousy, empathy, and frustration really are, has me awe struck. Those seem like such complex emotions for them to have so early in life, truly amazing.

Then how the article goes into describing an infant from time of birth to 3 months old can recognize his or her mother's face even if it is scrambled up in a picture. This must have been a survival instinct that has been developed over the last million years. If babies did not have that innate ability, maybe the human race would not have survived as long as we have.

In my own experiences with pediatricians, they do ask a lot more questions about the emotional state of the infant at every check up. I know with Jasmine, from the moment she was born the Pediatricians in the hospital were already checking her emotional state as well as the physical state. I found that to be pleasant surprise. I was told by one of the Pediatricians that Jasmine was had a very calm and pleasant attitude, even though she was only a couple hours old. I did not know they paid that much attention to the baby's emotional state so soon after birth.

I do believe we have a lot to learn about infants, yet. It looks like to me the future will bring about many more surprises about a baby's abilities with each successful study that is documented.