Nature & nurture

Intelligence is a complex mix of genetic and environmental factors, or nature and nurture. Your baby is born with genes inherited from both parents, which to some extent set potential. Not every child has the potential to be an Olympic gymnast or a concert cellist or a Nobel scientist, no matter how many extra lessons you drive her to! Similarly, a child with great mathematical potential who grows up with no schooling and no support will not have the environmental opportunities to develop that talent. The environment in which your baby grows up – what she experiences, her toys and books, her diet, her siblings, an illness or accident, her school and many more contributing factors – will influence how she grows up intellectually, physically and emotionally. Genetic and environmental factors influence each other in subtle and complex ways.

Today it is recognised that there are different ways to learn and be clever. Harvard professor Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences changed the way we think about intelligence. As a result, we are asking not just, “Is my child clever?” but, “What sort of clever is my child?” It’s not just about school smarts – your child may display linguistic, mathematical, kinesthetic, or other kinds of intelligence. Encourage your child to explore her unique gifts and talents. ●