Is this a thing? Or is my friend deluded about her dc?

[in183]

Friend has a one year old, who will grab your arm/hand to make you press a button or point to something. Friend is ADAMANT that after having five children that she knows it is a sign of extreme intelligence. I’ve recently had a child and I’m being asked almost every few days if they’ve started to do it. Maybe I’m just sleep deprived but I think it’s absolutely crazy (and bloody annoying to be asked all the time). She is smart generally but I honestly can’t get my head around why she feels so strongly about it!!! Is this a thing?

I think lots of 1yos do this? Mine does, and I wouldn’t have thought he was exceptionally intelligent. Just seems normal.

Ummmm my nephews both communicate like this. One is completely non verbal and the other barely speaks. Not saying they aren't intelligent but they are both autistic and the non verbal one has global developmental delay 🤷🏻‍♀️

It's not neuro diverse or intelligence - it's simply your child learning.

Watching you press buttons/switches etc and wanting to do the same but are unable to yet. Once they've watched you for a while, that's when you need to baby proof your home.

PLEASE explain that to your friend 🤦‍♀️😂

It’s threads like this that remind you how poor the reading comprehension skills are of your average MNer…

@Emotionalsupportviper Yes, dogs and horses, the animals domesticated the longest and closest, both use and understand pointing. Someone did some studies in which they got horses to point to a diagram on a chart if they wanted to wear a rug. Personally, I find it easier to wait until the weather is filthy, go to the field, hold the rug up and shout 'do you want to wear this or not?', but that's me.

My 3 year old DS has speech delay and he does the hand leading thing, it’s how he gets us to get him what he wants. I don’t think it’s a sign of ultra intelligence although he can read a few books already despite not being able to use communicative language very well.

Neither of my kids understand pointing at all (it's honestly bizarre - they're tweens now, and I generally don't point to things, but if I do, I have to tell them to look where I'm pointing, because they just don't understand the concept, and have never pointed themselves!)

Both are bright kids.

Am I missing something here. Surely by 1yr old the child should be pressing the butting them selves not getting you to do it. I'd have thought by this age they would be able to feed themselves never mind press a button

My cat grabs my hand with his paw and pulls it towards him so I can tickle him under the chin.

He's bright, but also as mad as a box of frogs.

<misses point of thread>