Assignment #7:Babies!

A fellow classmate of ours recently mentioned a film, Babies, that she found to be relevant to our class. I decided to also watch the film, and thought that it was a great example of what we had studied at the start of our class, as she had said.

The film's focus is on the lives of four babies; one that lives in San Francisco, one that lives in Mongolia, one that lives in Namibia, and one that lives in Japan. Although we assume these places to be so different, as I watched the film I realized that there are similarities just as there are differences. The film demonstrates that babies are babies, and no matter where they come from, they do the exact same things. Although, I appreciated the way in which the film demonstrated how there are a variety of ways that adults choose to behave in regards to babies. For example, some of us take our babies to music classes and get the latest toys, while others clap with their children and make toys out of the things they have already. This contrast made me question what is best, and if in the end, the newest and greatest classes and toys aren't so great. Do fancy toys help our children become better people?

Although there are a plethora of parenting strategies to consider while watching the film, one common thread seen throughout the film is how every place and every group of people have a rhythm. Every group of people raises their children differently, and because of this certain behaviors, toys, technology, and ways of teaching, will all be different. I do not know what is best, as I have never been a parent. However, I have to wonder if all of these "have to's" are really necessary.