American psychologist, Howard Gardner, proposed the Theory of Multiple Intelligences, pointing to the depth of talents not recognized by conventional IQ tests or SAT scores. Gardner’s theory encourages parents to recognize and support their children’s preferences to help them build upon their strengths.

Developmental Implications
Gardner disagrees with the classical view of intelligence, which suggests, “Once you know how well a person performs in one sphere, you should be able to predict that person’s performance in other spheres. Smart in one thing, smart across the board; limited in one sphere, limited in all.”

Today, many psychologists view this classical view of intelligence as not only antiquated—it is downright false. Each human has his or her unique configuration of intelligence. Fathers should take these tendencies into account when mentoring and nurturing—teaching children in ways most conducive to how they learn. Some kids learn best from reading, some from getting hands-on, some from acting out a story, etc. By taking different approaches to teaching new concepts, we’re also more likely to nourish breadth and depth: to fully understand something, a learner should be able to think of it in several ways.

The Multiple Intelligences
As children inevitably grow and develop, fathers are responsible for adopting teaching approaches to accommodate how they learn best. The better we know our children—their tendencies, dispositions, and inclinations—the more intuitively we can help them tap into things like their innermost creativity, authentic self-confidence, and moral excellence—giving them the support they need to align with success.

Gardner identified eight, distinct intelligences: spatial, linguistic, logical-mathematical, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic. Every human mind is somewhere on the spectrum between well-equipped and less equipped with every one of these intelligences. How can dad capitalize on this awareness to best support every child’s growth and development?

Summary
Humans excel in so many different areas; sole reliance on standardized tests cannot account for all aspects of intelligence. Each child offers their own unique and special gifts to the world. By understanding and appreciating different types of intelligence, fathers can rely on a more child-centered approach to raising children, helping them learn in ways that build upon the foundation of their natural core competencies.