Nature vs Nurture

I've always been intrigued by the concept when I was teaching children. What was nature, what was nurture that creates our behavioral and personality traits. IT was hard to determine when I was teaching, I didn't know the child's background until the parent stepped in for conferences and then oh so many things could be explained. 😏

But this is what I have loved when playing with and observing my grandchildren. I can detect what traits that have that are similar to their parents and what I observed when they were teeny teeny babies. One of my granddaughters was so sensitive. I said that when she was just a few months old. And yup, she still is. Straight out of the womb, so I assume that is nature.

Another of my granddaughters just loved being active. I just knew she would be physical and hopefully coordinated and sure enough, that's just how she is.

Then I've been doing some reading on genetics (written for the non-medical type) and I read recently that genes only create 10% of our disease or health issues. The other 90% of what causes our chronic situations is lifestyle and environmental choices. Boy, doesn't that pack a punch? So I really can't blame my mom or dad for certain things. It was MY fault. Darn.

And I'm watching how my children nurture their children. I'm observing the way they discipline and what they say around their children and most importantly what their kids are saying about their life with their parents and their interpretations. It's all so very, very intriguing. It's easy to see how kids can misinterpret information and if they don't share that misinterpretation it can stay in their head for years.

As always communication is a key.

To everything. For everyone.

So part of my joy when being with my grandchildren is observation. I use my education background, my accumulated life knowledge and my love for these darling children to take notes and wonder what is nature, what is nurture and how will they all combine in their future.

It's all so delightful.