The Happiest Baby on the Block and The Happiest Toddler on the Block 2-Book Bundle pdfdrive com

Nature Versus Nurture: What Determines Your Baby’s
Personality?
There’s an old story that as a boy handed his father a report card of all
F’s, he lowered his head and asked quietly, “Father, do you think my
trouble is my heredity … or my upbringing?”
For generations, people have debated what predicts a child’s
temperament. Is it determined by his hereditary gifts (nature) or is
personality gradually molded by one’s upbringing (nurture)?
A thousand years ago, baby experts believed temperament was
transferred to babies in the milk they were fed. That’s why ancient
experts warned parents never to give their baby milk from an animal or
from a wet nurse with a weak mind, poor scruples, or a crazy family.
Today it is widely accepted that many personality traits are direct
genetic hand-me-downs from our parents. For this reason, shy parents
usually have shy children, and passionate parents tend to have babies
who are little chili peppers.
Andrea was the spirited baby of Zoran, a former race-
car driver, and Yelena, a mile-a-minute research
psychiatrist. A real handful from the moment she was
born, by two months of age Andrea shrieked her
complaints almost twenty-four hours a day. As Zoran
noted, “She’s as tough as nails, but what else would you
expect? Two Dobermans just don’t give birth to a cocker
spaniel!”

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Let’s take a closer look at temperament and see why, even though it
may contribute to colic, it’s not the main cause.
Temperament: The Sea Your Child Sails On
People are wrong when they think that quiet babies are
good and fussy babies are bad. The truth is that some
gracious and softhearted babies fuss a lot because they