The theory of multiple intelligences as it relates to my boys

Howard Gardner, the noted academician from Harvard, has developed the theory of multiple intelligences. This theory stipulates that there are nine different types of intelligence. The different types of intelligence include linguistic intelligence, mathematical intelligence, spatial intelligence, bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, musical intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, intrapersonal intelligence, naturalistic intelligence, and existential intelligence. During the past couple of weeks, I have been deep in thought regarding multiple intelligences. As a stay-at-home father, I have spent considerable time observing and interacting with my children. I find myself forced to one conclusion. My boys boast extraordinarily high IQs in many of Gardener's intelligences.
Events of the recent past have revealed to me my boys' uncanny deftness regarding musical intelligence, bodily-kinisthetic intelligence, and interpersonal intelligence.
Musical Intelligence:
Musical inteligence "involves skill in the performance, composition, and appreciation of musical patterns." Both my boys had music recitals this past weekend. So, one can deduce that they have musical intelligence. Their "skill in performance" was evident. My older boy's piano recital occurred last Sunday. He created sweet music with rousing renditions of Beethoven's "Fur Elise" and the old classic, "Kum Ba Ya." He was poised and artful in his playing. Certain proof a tremendous musical intelligence. My younger son's choice of music for his violin recital was less complex, yet his performance was exquisite. He absolutely killed the four notes in "Monkey Song." True, many of the other musicians playing violin played more complicated, longer songs, but I would still propose that my boy's musical IQ equals, if not surpasses, many of the others. Why would I make such a bold proposition? My younger boy's musical guide at home is me. I'm the one practicing with him and helping him understand the music. And I have no musical intelligence to speak of (unless the ability to rap counts, and I'm pretty sure it doesn't). Think of the hurdles one would have to overcome if he had to learn to read from an illiterate. My younger boy has done just that. His handling of the Monkey song during his recital led this observer to see a great musical intelligence at work. The ability to perform music is a key component of a high musical IQ. Both my boys meet this standard and ,so, have high musical IQs.
Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence:
Next, I will discuss bodily-kinesthetic intelligence. This involves the "use of mental abilities to coordinate bodily movements." Surgeons, dancers,and athletes all have high bodily-kinesthetic intelligence. My boys are not surgeons or dancers (although my older boy has developed a particularly interesting dance move where he shakes his butt wildly while blowing kisses), but they are athletes. My younger boy's soccer season ended a few weeks ago. We arrived a few minutes late to his first game (he was playing a double-header). At the field, we were greeted by my boy's best friend. "We already lost," he reported, "1-0." This was a tad defeatist as the game was only 7 minutes old. Still, life looked bleak for our squad. Until, that is, my boy entered the game. Forty-five seconds later, my boy's team was ahead 3-1, courtesy of my boy's three goals. Forty-five minutes later, the game ended, 9-1. My boy's seven goals spear-heading the rout. While the game was happening, my older boy was holding a soccer clinic for the members of his brothers team not on the field. My younger boy was schooling the other team while my older boy schooled (in a helpful way) his brother's teammates. After the first game, we broke for lunch. The team had a celebratory pizza lunch. All that pizza must have deadened the competitive drive of the crew. For, as we entered the final quarter of the season, my boy's team trailed 2-1. What happened next should come as no surprise to those keen readers who have deduced that I am declaring my boys to be bodily-kinesthetic geniuses. The final quarter started with a bang as my youngest, with a couple of slick moves, dribbled the length of the field for the tying goal. Later, with about two minutes remaining, my boy stole the ball from an opponent. He raced up the field and scored the go-ahead goal from distance. Surrounded by defenders, my son drove the ball into the far corner for the go-ahead goal. Writing about these events now, some three weeks later, still causes my blood to stir. A great day. My boy scored nine goals in two games (and he wasn't playing the whole time either). I've experienced still more evidence of bodily-kinesthetic intelligence in my children (demonstrated in a completely different sport!). We've started private tennis lessons for the boys. As my older boy was hitting with the tennis pro, he elicited some strong praise. "He is so good, so athletic. If he keeps practicing he'll be playing in tournaments in no time." (You may recall from another posting that a different pro once described a shot of my son's as "total Federer). What can I say? Life is sweet for those with high bodily-kinesthetic IQs.
Interpersonal Intelligence:
Interpersonal intelligence is "concerned with the capacity to understand the intentions, motivations, and desires of other people." One can deduce that a person with high interpersonal intelligence should have many friends as he knows how to act to get along with/please/understand others. I observed this intelligence in my children. Starting when they were very young, I've advised my boys, 'be nice to people because if you're nice to others, they want to be nice to you.' With this basic piece of information concerning interpersonal relations, my children have somehow formed a mountain of useful interpersonal knowledge. They've used this aresenal of know-how to their advantage as they have made many good friends. My younger son's store of interpersonal knowledge consists mainly of playground songs and jokes about bodily functions (simple, but real crowd-pleasers). He has taught me the versions of the "I hate Barney" song [the Purple Dinosaur) that he chants with his friends at recess. He has a litany of fart jokes that his friends find hysterical. He has given his friends charming nicknames that they respond to and like. Perhaps not rocket science interpersonally, but age-appropriate for a kindergartener (and effective as evidenced by my boy's many friends). For a more nuanced view of interpersonal intelligence we must turn to my older son who is an ace. A field trip to Northwest Trek, a really cool zoo celebrating the Northwest's animals, was an excellent example of his interpersonal acumen. Within moments, he had organized a game that seemed truly enjoyable to the eight-year olds surrounding us. My son played "the richest, smartest man in the world," and the game consisted of his giving away huge sums of money to his friends. For his friend C, a cute, big-cheeked blonde girl, he had a present of 30 quadrillion dollars. She was over the moon with happiness. For A, another of my son's friends, he promised a castle with a stocked moat (filled, I can only assume, with dolphins- A's favorite animal). This game went on for longer than I would have thought possible. It included eight children, faces aglow. They simply couldn't get enough. Only then did I realize something that my boy, with his keen interpersonal intellect, had grasped instantly. People love getting things. The more expensive and lavish, the better. What, then, could be a more enticing game than "I'm the super-rich guy giving you money"? That my son was a crowd-pleaser seemed sure. My belief was solidified when C took out her digital camera (presumably given her to photograph animals) and began to snap shot after shot of my boy. The camera was out for about twenty minutes and C had it aimed at my boy the whole time (I feel for C's parents who will have had to delete hundreds of pictures of my boy smiling, growling, looking pensive, looking goofy, etc.). Almost lost among all the photographic hubbub was the fact that my boy had proven, once again, his interpersonal expertise.If someone whips out a camera following a make-believe game in which you are the magnaminous, ultra-rich star, they aren't looking for candids. No, he knew that C was seeking some formidable poses and that's what she got.
Once we'd arrived at Northwest Trek, we were divided into smaller groups. It was in this setting that my son took his interpersonal intelligence to the next level. He abandoned words as he and his friend T began to relate (for lack of a better word) completely through action. There we were, walking toward the wolf exhibit when T turned to my boy. With a big smile on her face, she said, "booty block," and preceeded to bend quickly thrusting her bottom into my son's side. A tricky move, and one I'd not seen before. Nor, I later learned had my son. One would never have known this, however, as he mirrored T's smile. "Booty block," he retored, and so it began. The majority of the rest of the field trip was spent in gleeful booty-blocking. With or without words, my eldest demonstrates a deep understanding of what motivates others and appeals to them. His advanced interpersonal skills have made him very likable as evidenced by the positive reactions to his game, his photo session, and his booty blocking.
And my boy knows the how to use his interpersonal skills to his advantage. An examination of his letter to Santa makes this clear:
Dear Santa,
Hello. How are you? I hope that you had a good Halloween, Thanksgiving, and summer.
Tell Mrs.Claus I hope that she had a good Halloween, Thanksgiving, and summer,too.

He then goes on to ask for his gifts. Millions of children send Christmas lists to Santa. But how many how them ask about his Thanksgiving? his Halloween? As if that weren't enough, he butters Santa up a little more by his endearing mention of Mrs. Clause. What will motivate Santa more? A succint, business-like list or a warm letter from a caring child? The interpersonal genius knows. Ask him.
As I love my boys more than anything, I could most certainly find ample proof to support their being geniuses in all of Gardener's multiple intelligences. But I limited myself to intelligences most seen recently. One can't know if their intelligences will take them to carreers as professional musicians, athletes, or the richest-smartest man in the world, but it's nice to have options.