Will is nearing eighteen months old, and it’s become increasingly clear that a few things in particular really get my kiddo excited. Things he notices, asks for, and has me asking myself – how do you know when something is an innate talent or when is it a part of normal growth and development? There are all sorts of developmental timelines available, which mark when children learn and progress – but all of the research I’ve done doesn’t point to knowing, at this early age, whether something means ‘talent’ or ‘genius’ or just ‘normal.’

Not that I think Will is a genius. I mean, there are legit baby geniuses out there, speaking full sentences before they’re one – but Will isn’t that. But he is showing signs of some affinity to a few things in particular – namely, music.

music

This kid adores music. Beyond a seemingly normal amount. He asks for it, notices the pause between songs and asks for ‘more’ immediately, and I’m pretty sure the only reason he has any desire for television shows is because they have theme songs and lots of music within them. There’s the typical toddler-music affinity stuff – he loves being sung to before going in his crib at night, and a favorite distraction for the dreaded diaper change is singing “Wheels on the Bus” or the ABCs. And then there’s more. He’s starting to sing along, he actively seeks out music and will choose it over other things. We often stream music through our TV while we play at home, and he’ll stop in the middle of whatever he’s doing when he notices a longer pause between the songs. A dead stop; I hadn’t even noticed the music had ended, but he will!

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Some things tell me it could be a sign – but it could also just be normal at this age, like the love of dancing toddlers have at this age. I mean, what toddler hasn’t loved Adele’s Hello every time it popped on the radio this past year? It sure quiets my kid pretty immediately.

As Will gets older though, I realize that it’s on me to notice and nurture anything that might be more than expected. I am not a musical person by nature – beyond not being able to carry a tune in a bucket, music has never been something that speaks to my soul in the way that other things do. That might be why I notice Will’s love of it so acutely. I want to do anything I can to encourage whatever his talents and loves might be – but I’m also intensely aware that I’m completely over-reading this and any over-attention I show to something he likes could actually create an affinity or inclination. Does Will love trains because he just does and would no matter what, or does he because we showed him some Thomas the Train episodes and expected that, as a little boy, he’d eventually get into trains, cars, and planes? It’s a delicate balance – I’d hate to misread his love of picking up sticks as a sign that he’s going to be an outdoorsy kid and force the kid to go camping for years.

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the kid does LOVE playing outside.

I’d love to hear from other parents – does your kid have a natural affinity for something? Has it turned into a full on talent as they reach school age? If you have a toddler like me, do they LOVE music like Will or something else?