ZhuaZhou

Some Chinese friends taught us this little experiment to predict a baby’s future career. When a toddler turns one year old, household items are collected and spread out before the baby to choose. The items represent future careers.

For example:
pen = a writer
toothbrush = a dentist
strawberry stethoscope = a doctor
toy airplane = airplane pilot
Bible = ministry
globe ball = athlete or world traveler
calculator = engineer or accountant
money = make a lot of money (This one is always popular for parents, but the baby has little interest.)

I don’t know the percentage of accuracy for the ZhuaZhou experiment. It does show my children’s two different personalities. Caleb walked through all the items. At his one year old birthday party ZhuaZhou, he stepped right on the Bible, kicked a baseball making it spin and considered it for a second, and finally grabbed the toy airplane. All our friends clapped as Caleb held the airplane high in the air and took a victory lap around the room. Joy chose the first item she came to, a calculator. Then she smiled sweetly and sat contently enjoying the clapping audience.