Another thought about which way babies should travel
A tv series about child development, from a good few years ago now, showed one sequence which has stuck in my memory
It demonstrated research which had been undertaken at one of the Ivy League universities, with babies no more than 6 months old
Mum came in carrying junior in one of those small portable seats – I do not think the babies were old enough to sit unsupported anyway
After a bit of a chat with the professor, they went out to observe through a two-way mirror, seemingly leaving baby alone
Except that behind the chair was a young woman assistant with something like a bamboo fishing pole from which dangled a mobile. She gently moved this so that it was in the baby’s line of vision, though he could not see the girl
The first baby showed clear signs of surprise, then shock – arms & legs went rigid & he started to whimper. The film showed the professor put his hand on mothers arm when she automatically moved to go to comfort her baby – Just leave it a moment, he said
The baby almost immediately started to cry, in real distress, but all was well as soon as he got a cuddle
The second baby stayed completely relaxed, eyes watching the mobile, saying (in coo) Oh isn’t that pretty! Look at the colours! See how it moves!
The professor said that if those babies came back in 2 or 3 years time, when they were old enough for personality testing, he could almost guarantee that the first baby would show as introverted, the second as an extrovert
Any parent who wished to test the personality of their young baby could get one of those buggies which can be set up so that the baby faces either forwards or backwards. If the baby exhibits distress at facing forwards, intoversion can be assumed, & the buggy changed round so as not to inflict lifelong psychological damage
