So . . . I thought I'd copy from local news reports and ask a provocative question as the title ("The snack food that will destroy your stomach lining is in your pantry . . . we'll tell you which one it is at eleven!). Or maybe you thought this was the tagline of Christopher Lloyd's latest cinematic triumph. Alas, no. It's just an example of our blindness to our own behaviour and how it may be perceived by others (huh? you lost me there . . .). I'll try to add clarity to infant clairvoyance after the jump.
We've all had people in our lives about whom we think "what they hell are they thinking?" Like people baldly self-promoting or engaging in horribly self-interested behaviour (think of people sucking up to a dying rich relative, or being patently false to get a job) or people just generally behaving like children (think grown men and women lecturing their peers on why they should be nicer to them, or talking badly behind people's back only to flee when coming face-to-face). When I observe or think about this kind of behaviour, I often wonder (as I assume we all do) whether they realize how they are coming across, and aren't they in enough control of their words and actions to try to quell these kinds of attitudes. And, inevitably, the next set of thoughts that occur are whether I am viewed the same way by others (no, I don't want your answers to this question).
Case in point: I fairly frequently mention this blog to, well, anyone who will listen. My motivation for doing so, I think, is because I am in a conversation about a topic that I have recently written about. I am fully aware, however, that it may be perceived as me trying to raise my readership (not that I get any money for increased readership). Would I be upset if more people read this blog? Of course not. Am I mentioning the blog to that end? I don't think so. Do I seem like a loser/egoist/prick when I do it? I hope not, but who knows (well, some of you do, I guess, but I'm blissful in my ignorance).
Which brings us to mind-reading babies. When my son was still an infant and sleeping in a crib, I remember having a routine wherein I would get him to sleep, place him in the crib, and then stand there quietly for a minute or two to make sure he was really asleep. As part of this routine I would count (in my head) to a somewhat random number (usually between 50 and 100) before leaving. And I remember that it seemed like regardless of the number, he always would stir when I was within 5 of reaching the end of my count. Now that I have an infant daughter, the same thing is happening again.
There are only three explanations I can come up with for this. First, my children can read my inner thoughts. I think this is probably unlikely, and if it is in fact true, I'm going to have a lot of parenting problems when they get older. The second explanation is confirmation bias; I am remembering the instances when this situation occurred, and discounting the times it didn't. Certainly possible, but not necessarily so. The third, and most likely explanation, is that I am doing something as I reach the end of the count without realizing it. From my perspective I am still as a statue, not moving or making a sound, not taking any steps to leave the room until the count is concluded. Given that (as I perceive it) the baby always wakes up at the same point, I must be doing something to make that happen (either that or confirmation bias, or extraordinary coincidence, or clairvoyance).
The thing is, though, now that I am aware of it, I am trying even harder not to do anything at that point. But if the problem is that I am doing something that I am not even aware of, how can I correct it? Maybe I'll follow up this post with an answer, if I can develop one. And I hope I didn't come across badly in this post without realizing it.
By the way, the deadly snack food referred to in the intro is Ruffles potato chips.
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