Do your kids do things like you that you wonder: "How can this be passed to them?"

Semper Fidelis · #1 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 08:37 AM

I was just looking at pics of my son James (6) running today and I thought: "He's holding his hands the way I do when I run."

I remember looking at pics of Calvin when born and he's got certain physical "tells" that Sonya and I giggle about because she gives me a hard time about.

Do you guys ever see your kids doing things at a young age that absolutely cannot be a result of imitation and wonder: "How is it possible that this way of holding his hand was passed from father to son?" (or as appropriate)

North Jersey Baptist · #2 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 09:00 AM

Rich,

My daughter developed my facial expressions at a very young age. It actually freaked me out when she would respond the way I did to certain stimuli. During a particular scolding I asked her, "Where did you learn to speak that way?" She shot back, "From you!" I cringed and realized it wasn't just mannerisms she picked up but character.

Semper Fidelis · #3 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 09:06 AM

I know. My daughter makes these faces at four years old that just crack me up. My brothers will see pics of her and say: "That's Rich".

Vonnie Dee · #4 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 09:18 AM

Actually, I am the child that performs the oddity. I know that I learned it from my dad. He has this habit of rubbing his hands together in times in stillness and thought. I didn't realize I did it too until a sibling said, "You do the same things with your hands as Daddy does."

Now that I am aware of it, it brings him to mind when I catch myself doing it. It appears that even if I go all the way to Okinawa, Japan, I can't get away from my dad.

kvanlaan · #5 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 10:24 AM

I actually see it skipping a generation (I may just be blind to my own mannerisms in this). Our Hannah has a lot of expressions and a number of mannerisms that were her Beppe's (grandmother's). The other part of it is that they look quite alike. I don't see these mannerisms in myself but this is probably due to a lack of attention on my part. It may very well be that they are indeed something that has passed down through three generations. I know I have certain mannerisms that I have gained from my father. That both parents' habits are in there is a great comfort to me as I have great respect for both of them.

Pergamum · #6 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 10:25 AM

The answer is Lamarkian evolution.

If you keep stretching your neck higher and higher maybe your great great great kids will become giraffes!

Seriously, I am perplexed too because I see many untaught character prints in my son that are unleared but appear to be hard-wired into the DNA. But how much can personality be hardwired in little things like this?

Poimen · #7 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Semper Fidelis

I was just looking at pics of my son James (6) running today and I thought: "He's holding his hands the way I do when I run."

Have you ever wondered: "Why do I hold my hands when I am running?"

toddpedlar · #8 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by North Jersey Baptist

Rich,

My daughter developed my facial expressions at a very young age. It actually freaked me out when she would respond the way I did to certain stimuli. During a particular scolding I asked her, "Where did you learn to speak that way?" She shot back, "From you!" I cringed and realized it wasn't just mannerisms she picked up but character.

My infant daughters, all but one, before the age of 6 months developed the "classic Pedlar quizzical look", i.e. one eyebrow up, one down, that my wife cannot do. I suspect that this is something they must have developed on their own and not due to imitation, since (while my students ALL know this look) I doubt my daughters at age 4 mo. had seen it often enough to imitate it.

toddpedlar · #9 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poimen

Quote:

Originally Posted by Semper Fidelis

I was just looking at pics of my son James (6) running today and I thought: "He's holding his hands the way I do when I run."

Have you ever wondered: "Why do I hold my hands when I am running?"

Yeah, you can run a lot more easily if you pry your fingers apart from each other and have each elbow bent about 90 degrees, your arms at the appropriate sides of your body, Rich...

ChristopherPaul · #10 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poimen

Quote:

Originally Posted by Semper Fidelis

I was just looking at pics of my son James (6) running today and I thought: "He's holding his hands the way I do when I run."

Have you ever wondered: "Why do I hold my hands when I am running?"

ChristopherPaul · #11 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 12:21 PM

I spastically shake my leg which drives my wife crazy. None of my parents do this (it drove them nuts as well), but they say my uncle was notorious for it.

I notice a lot of oddities that my kids seem to pick up. Some are character traits that they learn from observation (good and bad) and others are the unexplainable things that have been mentioned in this thread.

For instance, I am quite stoic and "hard to read" as my wife would say whereas my wife is extremely extroverted, photogenic, and loud. We are quite the opposites in these areas. Some of my kids, my oldest daughter especially, are more like me in that they look serious more often than not and are quieter, but then there are some who show traits like mom - ESPECIALLY my four year old who is a splitting image of her mother. She has one volume and no such thing as an "inside voice." Her countenance is always a clear indicator of her state of mind.

Semper Fidelis · #12 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poimen

Quote:

Originally Posted by Semper Fidelis

I was just looking at pics of my son James (6) running today and I thought: "He's holding his hands the way I do when I run."

Have you ever wondered: "Why do I hold my hands when I am running?"

hold

- To carry or support (the body or a bodily part) in a certain position: Can the baby hold herself up yet? Hold up your leg.