Study Links Baby Traits to Future Intelligence

TOP OF MIND

That baby ain't never gonna be an astronaut!
A new study from CU Boulder claims you might be able to predict the future intelligence of your baby at as early as 7-months-old.

Researchers followed 500 sets of twins from infancy into adulthood to understand how genes and environment shape intelligence. By comparing identical and fraternal twins, they found that early environments, like home, school, and neighborhood, can influence IQ later in life, particularly before age three.

So should you be worried if your 3-year-old is still trying to jam things into the electrical outlet? Not quite.

The important bits
While genes do contribute significantly to our IQ, the super smart doctors running the study want you to know: “heritability doesn’t mean we can’t change who we’re going to become."

Research clearly shows environmental factors matter as well, especially at an early age.

That’s why nurturing cognitive growth is essential. How can you do that? There are several effective ways (see here), but one of the most important is providing your child one-on-one interaction. Studies show that simple, routine actions such as reading, talking, and playing can have a powerful impact on brain development.

Also, remember not everyone learns the same way. Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences suggests there are nine different intelligence styles.

What's it all mean?
The human brain is incredibly complex. If your child seems to struggle in one area, it may simply mean they haven’t discovered the type of learning or activity that clicks for them yet.

For example, the person writing this still can't properly place a comforter inside a duvet.

DID YOU HEAR

📍 Do you live in a state of despair?
Posh Peanut decided to take a break from designing clothes to conduct a study on how happy parents are across the country. By analyzing statistics in family-related costs and divorce rates, they determined that Utah, New Hampshire, and Massachuesetts are the happiest states. You can see the full list here. We'd like to note that just because your parents aren't divorced doesn’t mean they're happy together. We’re just saying!

🥲 Yes, men can hear the sounds of a baby crying
You know how for decades it's been said that women are biologically primed to respond to a crying baby? And that men are able to sleep right through the madness? Well, to absolutely no one's surprise, that's a load of you-know-what. A new study has determined that men no longer have an excuse to ignore their crying baby in the middle of the night.

🧠 How to make your kid read real good
According to 2024 test scores, kids' reading skills are on the decline. In fact, 40% of 4th graders' reading skills are below average. Thankfully, we can change this by reading together as a family, reading before bed, creating rewards for reading, and so much more.

🏥 Planned C-sections could increase certain childhood cancers
A study in the International Journal of Cancer looked at 2.5 million children born in Sweden between 1982–1989 and 1999–2015. About 15.5% were born via C-section. Of the group, 1,495 later developed leukemia. Researchers found that children born by planned C-section had a higher risk of leukemia—especially acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Their risk of ALL was 21% higher compared to those born vaginally. Find out why doctors believe this is happening.

😎 What's the '90s kids summer trend all about?
And is it even plausible these days?

🛒 Psst! Amazon Prime Day starts today
It's a great time to stock up on next year’s school supplies and mid-summer goodies. See all the deals here.

DOSE OF GOOD

@smileyriley3322

Godspeed John

BITES WITH KIYAH

Don’t talk to me until I’ve had my second cup of coffee
Parents of toddlers, we have good news! That second cappuccino you grabbed this morning (after your little one jumped in bed at 5am) may just help you live a little longer.

Researchers recently reported a correlation between drinking more caffeine (mostly from coffee) and a higher likelihood of healthy aging (into your 70s)!

The bad news? Drinking cola, another potential source of caffeine, was associated with significantly decreased odds of healthy aging.

Too hot for a hot cup ‘o joe where you live? Here’s the best way to make an iced coffee at home.

HERE’S A QUESTION

Last week, we asked you how you felt about Labubu Dolls, and a little over 50% of you said, "They creep me out!" while "Meh" came in a close second. La-boohoo!

RECALLS

Turkey Bacon
Over 350,000 pounds of fully cooked Oscar Mayer Original Turkey Bacon is being recalled after testing positive for Listeria.

The recalled turkey bacon was produced between April 24 and June 11, 2025, in packages weighing 12 oz, 36 oz, and 48 oz, each bearing specific UPCs, lot codes, and “use-by” dates from July 18 to September 4, 2025.

Get all the information you need to keep your family safe here.