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Every parent wants their child to be brilliant. You want your children to have the best quality of life and one way to achieve that is by being clever. And although it’s hard to say how successful your little one is going to be when they are just a baby, there are some babies that show certain signs of intelligence which parents should nurture so that they can reach their full potential. These early signs can tell you if you have a mini genius on your hands. How exciting! The trick is to learn what these signs are and to look out for them. When your baby indicates that they may be intelligent, encourage them and motivate them to reach their full potential.
Here are a few signs that you may have a highly intelligent baby on your hands:
1. Your Baby Has Great Focus
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We all know that babies and children in general have the attention span of a goldfish, give or take 10 minutes and they are onto the next interesting task. So, you know that your baby is special if they can stay focused on a particular task for a long period of time, that is, more than 15 minutes. This is a sure sign of intelligence, especially if your baby exhibits this behavior before 6 months of age.
For example, if your baby naturally gravitates towards puzzles and blocks and spends long durations of time figuring them out, motivate them. Encourage them when they show interest in pictures in bedtime storybooks. Let them be as involved as possible.
2. Your Baby Likes Problem Solving
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If your little one is already displaying signs of intelligence then don’t expect them to give up easily! Along with their ability to focus comes some exceptional problem solving skills. This means that if you’ve kept the cookie jar on a high shelf and figured that they’d be safe, your little one is going to find a clever way to get them down at all costs. However, you can always redirect their need to solve problems by setting them some easy challenges to solve throughout the day.
For example, you can make a mini maze out of pillows or make a pillow fort that they need to get out of. You could place a toy in the middle of a maze and ask them to find it as fast as they can. Make sure to cheer them on as they navigate through the maze. It is important to note that all children exhibit problem solving skills as a result of reaching developmental milestones. However, an advanced child will show these skills much earlier than their peers.
3. They Enjoy Alone Time
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If solitude is your baby’s best friend, chances are they might be intelligent. This is contrary to how children usually are. Kids are social beings too and most of them rarely want to be left alone. But you’ll notice that intelligent babies are often happily playing by themselves. Or they might prefer the company of adults or older kids to that of their peers. They usually do this for slightly more advanced emotional and intellectual stimulation. Allow your kids to interact with whoever they’d like as long as they are in safe company. But make sure to encourage them to play alongside their peers as well but don’t push them to interact with people if they really don’t want to.
4. They Have A Good Sense Of Humor
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If you have a kid who knows how to have a good laugh, life is going to be easier for them regardless of their IQ. But did you know that a sense of humor also reveals intelligence? A person’s ability to understand jokes and make jokes in return is associated with abstract thinking. So the next time your little one is trying to make you laugh by joking around, don’t get upset.
5. They Are Alert
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This is one of the earliest signs that your baby might be intelligent. Intelligent babies display high levels of alertness. They are also very aware of their environment and loved ones. They have the ability to recognise and bond with family members and close friends or anyone they come in contact with on a regular basis. If your baby likes prolonged eye contact it means that they are observant of their surroundings. For babies who are only a couple of months old, it means that they have learnt to coordinate their eyes. So unwavering eye contact at a very young age is also a sign of intelligence.
Having an intelligent child who is one step ahead of their peers can be exciting but remember that they are just kids. They need the freedom to play and explore just like everyone else. Give them the space and nurture they need to unlock their potential in whatever field they choose. Are there any other signs of intelligence that we’ve left out on your list? Let us know in the comments section!
