A baby soon begins to discover his or her body, express tastes and preferences, reach out to a toy that becomes a favourite - and become identifiable as a person distinct from parents or siblings. We hear it referred to all the time: Johnny dislikes vegetables and prefers puddings, but his brother never ate anything sweet; Susie loves to have her back washed with a soft sponge, whereas Jess wanted to be left to splash in the bath without interference.
Parents make these observations and distinctions very early on, noticing the particular traits of each child and fine-tuning their responses. The effect is to give the child a place and an identity in the family, to recognise characteristics and peculiarities that are the individual stamp of each particular family member.
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