There’s no greater joy in a parent’s life than the moment they hear their baby speak for the first time. This is one of the biggest milestones in any child’s development. Many parents erroneously believe that if their child takes longer than others to say his or her first word it means that there’s something developmentally wrong with them.
One couple in the UK, Tom and Laura Webster, were utterly surprised when their baby Jenson repeated the word “hello” back to his father –– at only three-months-old! Luckily, they managed to capture the moment on video, and Tom’s surprised face says it all.
Pediatricians and early childhood development experts are all in agreement that the time it takes for a baby to say their first word isn’t a predictor of future intellect. While some babies might take longer than others to say their first word, some babies completely shock their parents and family members by seemingly saying their first word fantastically early.
Meet Tom and Laura Webster, two young parents living in the United Kingdom who recently welcomed their little bundle of joy, Jenson, into the world. At three-months-old, Jenson is a source of light and happiness to everyone he encounters. This is why Tom and Laura practically always have their cameras rolling, hoping to capture each and every one of Jenson’s magical little moments.
One day, Tom was reclining on his bed with Jenson by his side while Laura lovingly filmed her husband and son. Tom was repeatedly saying “hello” to Jenson, slowly sounding out the syllables. Neither Tom or Laura thought that their infant son would actually be capable of repeating the word back to his father.
In a moment that’s shocked people all over the globe, Jenson clearly articulates the word “hello” back to his dad. Some might think that this child will grow up to be a genius, but remember, the time it takes a baby to say his or her first word isn’t a predictor of intelligence. However, it’s hard not to think that Jenson might be one smart cookie!
In the video, Tom himself can’t believe what he just heard. “[It’s got to be] a fluke!” the flabbergasted young father exclaims. Laura urges him to try to get Jenson to “do it again.” The young couple spoke with The Daily Mail, explaining their word choice: “It was the first word we asked him to repeat, as a joke we would say ‘mummy’ or ‘daddy’ but he started to sound out the letter ‘L’ so we changed it to ‘hello.'”
While we hate to put a damper on things or burst anyone’s bubble, most pediatricians and childrearing experts tend to think that babies’ early vocalizations are simply babble. And many commenters on Jenson’s story tend to agree, that the infant was simply repeating sounds from his father rather than talking. Nevertheless, the moment captured in the video is clearly a personal one for the family, with Tom telling The Daily Mail, “It was a moment to treasure, and I was delighted I got it on film.”
While many skeptics and experts have declared that there’s no way Jenson is intentionally saying “hello,” Tom strongly disagrees. “He has said it a few more times since!” he explained in the same interview. Tom asserts that Jenson is advanced for his age and that he also shows an awareness for when he’s being filmed.
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