Someone Asked Parents What Made Them See Their Kids Inherited Their Quirks, And They Got 43 Replies

Kids are weird, aren’t they? But what else should we expect from them – they’re just small beings trying to figure out life that they were born into not that long ago. In fact, some argue that we should encourage “weirdness” in children. 

Apparently, not shaming an eccentric kid can lead them to great things. By feeling free to embrace their individuality, a kid also embraces their unique strengths and passions, which can lead to interesting career paths, the ability to think outside the box, and a unique perspective on the world.

But where does that weirdness come from? Well, we probably won’t surprise anyone by saying that a big chunk of our identity is formed by our early experiences, meaning by people who surround us when we’re little – our family. 

As the saying goes, “monkey see, monkey do” – little kids naturally tend to mimic the behavior they observe in their environment, which is a process called observational learning. Of course, the kids are more likely to mimic the behaviors they get positive reinforcement from, even if that’s a negative behavior. 

For instance, if a kid hears swearing, it doesn’t mean they will mimic it, but if they get some kind of encouragement to do so, they might. And so, if they see the negative consequences of such behavior, like getting scolded for swearing, they’re less likely to do it again. 

At the same time, not every single personality detail is picked up from observational learning. Interestingly, some of it is just genetic. It just depends on person to person how much it is. For example, some studies show that around 30% to 60% of our personality can be inherited. 

That’s what today’s list is all about. Well, kind of. To be more specific, it’s about instances when folks witnessed their kids acting rather odd and concluded that it must be “in their genes” to be this way. You know, a silly thought we all sometimes have about other someone's personalities. 

The thing about the whole discussion about what makes a person’s personality and what does not is kind of a slippery one, and that’s because of how much it is dependent on a variety of factors, including environment and genetics. 

While some people don’t really care for being defined, others love to put their personality under a label. That’s where various tests like MBTI or the Enneagram system come into play. 

In some places, tests like that are taken even a little too seriously. Like in South Korea, where certain workplaces asked people to provide their MBTIs and other personality categorizations, like a blood type or a zodiac sign. Then folks, who had the types that are “frowned upon,” were rejected from positions. 

And while there’s no official requirement for workplaces to use this, it’s still pretty daunting that some do. After all, these tests tend to be accurate, but not all of them are scientifically based. Doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy them in a casual way. 

Do you know your personality type? What is it – please share in the comments!