An Exercise in Social Engineering

Hey, try this for some fun.

Have trouble talking to strangers? A little insecure around the opposite sex? Want to appear more confident and charasmatic?

Borrow a baby, head to the nearest grocery store, and practice these tactics.

• Smile, pick up a product, and explain its color, size, and/or function to the child. Lift your eyebrows when you talk.
• Everytime the child smiles, for whatever reason, lean down and nuzzle his or her nose.
• While interacting with your child, make an aside comment to the people who pass you. For example, "Jimmy, you like this lady's bonnet, don't you?" Or, in baby's voice (a high-pitched kind of nasal version of your own), "That's my favorite brand of butter, too!"
• If the child isn't smiling at a person you'd like to interact with, tickle his foot or underarm. Make baby talk noises. Blow raspberries. A child's smile is worth more than you know.

If you're still not achieving social success, pick another baby; ensure this baby has dimples and not colic.

These tactics often works with small animals, too, but those aren't often allowed in places where you can easily sneak a baby.

hln