Soulmate Gem
Photo by AV RAW Pexels Logo Photo: AV RAW

Do babies flirt?

And of course babies aren't flirting at all; they are simply enjoying natural parts of their development. "Babies who appear to 'flirt' with you are building brain connections through social interactions,” says Dr. King. That's also the case when babies interact with other tots during playdates.

Why does my 10 year old talk like a baby?
Why does my 10 year old talk like a baby?

It's common for kids to revert to baby talk at one time or another. Preschoolers often regress to using a baby voice as part of their normal...

Read More »
Is a soulmate a boyfriend?
Is a soulmate a boyfriend?

The definition of a soulmate isn't one particular person out there just for you. Nope. A soulmate connection is simply a person who could be your...

Read More »

While on vacation at the beach several years ago, we met up with some old friends and their children. I was tickled to see my then 2-year-old daughter bonding with their 6-year-old son. He got a kick out of making her laugh—she was a relaxed and cheerful audience. I saw how the two kids got along so well, and my brain fast-forwarded 25 years to a daydream of their inevitable fairy tale wedding. I mentioned the fantasy to my friend. I might have even said, "She's in love with him." I may have also giggled when my preschooler told me about her “boy friend” two years later. He was literally a boy and a friend; she didn’t have any intention of romantically bonding with another 4-year-old. She was confused and annoyed by my pressing questions about this boy friend. That’s when I recognized I was saddling her with a connotation she didn’t understand or welcome. I vowed to back off. I realized how little comments like mine snowball into a culture of romantic expectations based on gender. A few years later, I was lost in thought in a busy waiting room, and an unfamiliar pre-school-aged child started inching toward my lap. "He's a flirt," said the adult with him. And then even the Duchess of Sussex herself, Meghan Markle, said her 5-month-old son Archie “likes to flirt” after the tot chuckled with a female human rights activist. Though I might have once made a similar comment, this all sounds incongruent to me now. It also really solidifies my stance on calling kids flirts. Flirtation implies romance or sexuality in a context that is neither cute nor appropriate for children too young to even understand what those words mean. It also supports a notion that is particularly harmful to female children: that attracting a mate will be a primary life objective. Thinking back, I really do feel embarrassed. I had muddied a sweet childhood interaction with my own ingrained expectation that people must be coupled up to be happy. This indoctrination that romance makes life complete is an idea that overshadows any complex emotions my daughter was feeling.

Story continues

Is love a God?
Is love a God?

The Bible states simply that God is Love (1 John 4:8) and “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It...

Read More »
How do know that my soulmate is missing me?
How do know that my soulmate is missing me?

Experiencing déjà vu is a very potent sign from the universe that your soulmate is thinking about you and more so, that they are missing you. The...

Read More »

"Projecting romantic scenarios on young children may become harmful once children begin understanding the comments of adults around them," says Emily W. King, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist in Raleigh, North Carolina, who specializes in working with children of all ages. “While comments about 'flirting' with a playmate might go over the head of a baby or toddler, preschoolers are going to notice. These labels can be confusing when their intention is to just play with a friend, male or female, because they're having fun." Flirtation implies romance or sexuality in a context that is neither cute nor appropriate for children too young to even understand what those words mean. And of course babies aren’t flirting at all; they are simply enjoying natural parts of their development. "Babies who appear to 'flirt' with you are building brain connections through social interactions,” says Dr. King. That’s also the case when babies interact with other tots during playdates. “By this point in development, babies have developed some motor skills so they can turn or move their bodies towards other babies and smile or giggle at one another,” adds Dr. King. I’ve completely stopped tying any romantic language to my daughter’s friendships with other kids her age. I don’t want her to grow up feeling every interaction she has is simply an opportunity for a romantic relationship or make her feel pressured to seek a partner. Instead, I’ll take expert advice and let her take the lead on describing her relationships to me, whenever she's ready. “When talking with our child, just listen and emphasize kindness, fun, and learning,” says Dr. King. “Most children will hear these romantic labels soon enough, opening up the conversation for the difference between friendships and romantic relationships."

At what age girl should marry?
At what age girl should marry?

Now, to bring women on equal footing with men, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government has decided to raise the legal age of marriage of...

Read More »
What kills love in a relationship?
What kills love in a relationship?

Very often, many have found that they have invested too much trust in a relationship, all for it to go to waste. Lack of trust kills love. There...

Read More »
What type of love is best for marriage?
What type of love is best for marriage?

When it comes to marriage bliss, selflessness is the key. Spouses who are selfless in their dealings with each other will not only make their loved...

Read More »
What does God say about thinking about someone?
What does God say about thinking about someone?

As Jesus said in Matthew 15:19, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.” So...

Read More »