Nature vs. Nurture

Amen.

You can see this in families with more than one child. My two are night and day in some ways that have nothing to do with their environment … they came out that way!

But I love what you said about shaping them. God made them this way for a reason. I have to keep reminding myself that they weren’t given to me to change but to teach and grow. Hard. Hard. Hard.
.-= Joanna´s last blog ..A Crazy Beautiful Weekend =-.

I firmly believe that everything is a combination of nature and nurture – especially as a teacher. Kids may have certain tendencies, but if I don’t believe that I can teach them – nurture them – then there is no hope for most of the children I work with. Humans may be inclined to do, or not do, certain things, but the environment around them influences those things too.

I think it is both. I don’t have children, but many of my friends do and I’ve babysat a lot. I think children come with distinct personalities. Sure, the parents (and others) influence them, as you said, which is why children raised in the same home are similar but it’s not dependent only on nurturing.
.-= Natasha´s last blog ..Greater Blessings and More Happiness… =-.

I just stumbled upon this blog but this question is very interesting so I thought I’d do something I never, ever do and comment : )

Have you ever seen the Discovery channel documentary about separated identical twins?

There are maybe 6 pairs of identical twins who were separated at birth around the world and the Discovery channel made a study of your same question by bringing them together and exploring their differences. Some of the twins had grown up in orphanages/foster homes while others had been adopted as babies into new families. Their ages ranged from 18 to I think mid 60′s. But all had just met the week before.

It was amazing how the twins actually dressed almost exactly alike, and no they didn’t plan it. And of course they physically looked the same but they also all had almost identical hair styles – some of the girls even chose to wear their hair up in the same way.

Their love lives were uncannily identical too. One set had even met their loves in the same month and had married them within a week of eachother the same year and had their first child in the same year too. Others had divorced at the same age and what not. So odd.

The only real difference they found was health-wise in the older twins. One pair of 50-yr old men was the best example: the one from the orphanage was in peak physical health while his twin who had been adopted had high blood pressure and was over weight.

But health really was the only difference. They all did almost the same academically and worked in the same fields too. So, unless something drastic happens, I think nature is an inescapable force in development, moreso than any of us would care to believe. You really are acting on the capabilities and tendencies and perceptions you’re born with.

And, as a side note, I think this is a great thing. …that all the creativity and great kindness and passion in the world is in us from the very start, from in the womb, and is our natural avenue and not some odd mutation resulting from a chain of events. It’s a great thing to know. None of this world and nothing we do was by chance or whimsy.

I would agree that it’s a mixture of both, even though I would tend to the nature side. My sister and I are so different, I’m the elder one – and I’m rather quiet and serieous, while my siter is outgoing and always fun. We were brought up the same way (even though I think parents do make a difference – depending on the personality of the child), so it has to be nature somehow.

But on the other hand, a friend of mine, who is adopted is so similar to his adoptive father in his behaviour! That also has to come from somewhere…

So I think it’s both

I believe we come with certain traits and a personality, but… how our lives affect those traits can make all the difference. A person with a propensity with violence who grows up in a violent home probably will be a violent person. A violent person who learns to channel that desire for physicality may learn to channel that aggression in sports, for example.

Don’t underestimate the role that parents, teachers, family, church, etc., play in the nurturing and upbringing of a child.

My sister’s twins are day and night apart, and that was obvious at about the four month mark when their personalities started coming out. The younger twin couldn’t stand my sister to be out of the room ever, the older one was fine with it. And they are even more different now at six (girls). Each different in unique and special ways. I adore them.

Good post.

Jules
.-= sparkly jules´s last blog ..Found Something I Didn’t Even Know I Was Looking For =-.

I truly believe that each of us “comes” to this life with definite traits and personality – it’s all a part of us as much as our DNA that identifies us and makes us each so individual. The nurture part of life plays a tremendously important role in shaping and helping develop each individual to be the best they can become – a wonderful individual with potential to live their dreams.

Mothers play such an important role in partnering with Heavenly Father to be inspired to learn the personality of each child and how best to nurture each child to learn, grow and develop into a well balanced mature adult. What a task – but we as Mother’s are given the gifts to handle it.

Oh yes – they definitely come packed full of personality! And if you have more than one you find that each one’s package is completely different so you have to start from scratch each time.
.-= Mindee@ourfrontdoor´s last blog ..The Answers You’ve Been Waiting For. Or Not. =-.