The Babies.

I went to see The Babies movie last night.
I am about to get all Roger and Ebert on you.

Firstly, it was me and every other mom from a twenty mile radius. I assume dads were home baby sitting.
There was also a 3:1 ratio of pregnant woman.

It is cute - very cute.
It is funny - very funny.

It is also achingly beautiful, scary, shocking, gut churning and frustrating.
I actually physically reached for the screen on more that one occasion in an attempt to pick up a baby.
(It is not in 3D - so I looked especially odd.)

I had read a lot about this movie and what the intention behind it was and what it teaches us.
I have read how it should make us westerners feel embarrassed at our riches.
How it highlights the futility of our parenting styles.

I didn't get that from it.
Sure, the babies in Namibia appeared to be the happiest.
But you can never trust editors - look at what they are doing to Lindsay Lohan - she can't be drunk EVERY night.
OK maybe not a good example but you get my drift.

What I got from it was this;

That children want love and attention - but not too much.
That they want things to play with but a rock can be just as appealing as a ball.
They will learn to rollover, crawl and walk whether you are there to witness it or not,
and that they will hit, bite and tease each other no matter how many times you ask them to play gently with each other.

The developmental stages will occur whether you take classes or not.
They will learn from each other - or a goat - whichever is nearest.

It did seem that the most passive or laid back moms had the most productive and jolly babies.
I am going to take a leaf out of their books.
I am going to park the helicopter for a while and let my children discover the world by themselves.
I will make sure that they are safe but I am going to let them out into the garden to ponder. (A favorite pastime of Einstein apparently.)

As we suspected all along but have always felt too guilty to implement - we can relax a little.
Although I'm not condoning the motorcycle rides......