When Baby first arrives, most of us spend a lot of time just looking, thoughtfully, at our newborn and wondering “Who are you going to look like?” or more importantly, “Who are you going to act like?”  We definitely spend a fair amount of time wondering and waiting for our babies to show us who they are.  Let’s just say we let nature reveal itself.

It doesn’t take long before we start thinking more about our plans for Baby rather than Baby’s designs on us.  We make plans for our personal contributions to Baby’s self-concept, social development, and learning.  Some parents I have interviewed have very specific goals in mind for their infants (Brown University—Class of 2030!), while others are more general (good, kind, generous), or religious (at one with God, faithful to morals and ethics). (more…)