When I was
pregnant with my first child, my mailbox swelled with unsolicited parenting
magazines, ads and baby life insurance offers.
Just open your pocketbook, the ads implied, and you can procure all the
items your unborn baby needs to get ahead in the word she hasn't even seen
yet. You can teach her to read, or
better yet, put her in front of the
television and she'll morph into Einstein himself. There are contraptions that claim to teach
your baby to crawl, walk, grasp and roll-over.
And, many more that seek to provide parents with the ultimate sense of
security. The car seats that transform
into strollers, chair and rockers assure that your baby will be safe as long as
he is securely harnessed into his little, plastic cocoon. Baby video monitors, kid leashes, toilet seat
locks, wipes warmers, lullaby CD's, walkers, bouncers, vibrating chairs, swings
and toys that “stimulate” your baby's mind with bright lights and loud “music”
are marketed as necessities. Parenting
magazines offer checklists of must have items that expecting parents
need to prepare for their new baby. Yet,
most of the recommendations are for luxurious clutter that offer little for the
new family.
It seems to
me that newborns really do not need much stuff.
Warmth, love, nourishment, a nurturing environment to explore are the
essentials to foster healthy development.
Babies learn on their own and do not need corporate stimulation. Experiential learning through their budding
senses comes naturally. It is what they
were born to do. Baby's own fingers and
toes, mom's hair and dad's mustache are
the perfect toys for a little one discovering the world. The leaves dancing in the treetops make a
fine mobile. The arms of a loving caregiver
are the greatest carrier - the car seat belongs in the car. A cozy spot on the floor or in the yard gives
the baby plenty of freedom to move (a real necessity!) and watching parents
work around the house or siblings play is much more interesting and stimulating
than a disco-like baby gym. The natural,
unpolished, live and loving song that a mother shares with her child nurtures,
comforts, enfolds and educates in a wholesome, tangible way that digital media could
never match.
Watching
our youngest, Mira, gain control of her body has been fascinating. For some babies it is such a gradual
unfolding that you just might miss it.
But, for Mira each development seemed like a momentous occasion, and no
one was more aware and proud of her accomplishment than Mira herself. After much striving, she gracefully sat up on
her own using tufts of grass to aid her ascent.
Eventually, she crawled and pulled up to a stand with natural confidence
and ease. How would these experiences
been different for her if she had been propped in a baby seat or stood up in a
walker before she did it herself? She
has recently taken to walking along furniture or moving the furniture herself
to travel throughout the house. Would
her eventual first steps be as meaningful if she had been tearing through the
house is a saucer all along? How do
these devices impact the physical organism by artificially putting an infant in
a position their limbs cannot yet themselves achieve? Could she possibly still be so confident,
determined and secure if she wasn't allowed to master her budding skills
naturally and independently?
Of course
my little ones, like most American kids, have plenty of stuff. The pram, the sling, woolen caps and
underclothes, are all luxuries that I enjoy.
Some of the “things” do make parenting and care-giving easier for
me. The pram, for example, is great for
strolling through the neighborhood and seeing baby's face. I love that the baby lies flat and is not
contorted and restrained in an unnatural position for an extended period of
time. The pram also serves as a lovely
portable, crib allowing the baby to sleep outdoors or be rolled into a quieter
space as needed. I love to put babies in
the sling if they are fussy or just want to be held while I serve the older
children their snack, or take a hike or go to the co-op. And my own children are blessed with a bounty
of lovely organic and hand-made toys.
But, I can't help but smile when our baby abandons her fancy, organic
playthings in favor of magazines and junk mail.
No comments:
Post a Comment