While sitting in his high-chair, your baby drops the spoon. You get up, pick it up from the floor, give it back to Baby - only for him to throw it away on purpose.
If this scene sounds familiar to you, you might wonder why he does that. Is he rebellious and tries to upset you on purpose? Does he have a really silly kind of humor? No and no. In fact, your baby is busy conducting his very first scientific experiments. His brain is starting to understand two important concepts.
The first one is called “Cause and Effect”: When i throw away the spoon, mom picks it up. When i do it again, she does it again. Oh, yay!
The second is called “Object permanence”: When i throw away the spoon, it disappears - No, it doesn’t, mom picks it up! It’s still there, even when i can’t see it!
To fully grasp these concepts, your baby needs to repeat those experiments again and again and again. That’s annoying to you - but try to smile at your little scientist!
another cognitive thing they’re learning is “when i drop something, it will fall down every time!” - boom, gravity
also, as important, they’re learning social emotional skills like trust. “every time i lose something, mom, helps me. even if it makes her mad.”
always pick up the spoon - you’re teaching the kid that they can depend on other people
Important information for people who get annoyed/mad when kids “act out”
they’re just learning, fam, give it time