Couldn't Have Said it Better Myself

I love it when I come across writing that makes me scream, “that is exactly what I’m trying to say!”  It is satisfying to read my thoughts in concise and articulate language, but it also makes me strive to improve my writing to such a level.  This is an introduction to a paper titled, “Diverse Contexts of Human Infancy” by Barry Hewlett which summarizes the ideas I was struggling to convey in the previous two “Going with your Gut” posts.

American parents are unique cross-culturally in that they usually do not know very much about infancy until they have their own baby. In many parts of the world, individuals grow up with infants around them because of high fertility or living with an extended family. Children in many parts of the world are expected to assist their mothers or female relatives with infant care, so by the time they become parents they are aware of basic needs of infants and know how to respond appropriately to them. American mothers and fathers, on the other hand, seldom, if ever, have had the opportunity to care for a baby until they have their own. First-time parents are often overwhelmed because babies take an enormous amount of knowledge and time. How many hours should an infant sleep, when is a good time to introduce solid foods, and should parents sleep with their infants are common questions. Since first-time American parents do not have this knowledge and do not live with someone who has the information, they often turn to “experts” for guidance. A handful of infant books and regular visits to the pediatrician are common.

One limitation to expert advice is that it is provided in the context of American culture. The expert usually does not have the time to read about infancy in other parts of the world, but gives the impression that the advice is based upon studies of infants around the world. This is seldom the case and can lead to inaccurate views of the abilities or development of human infants.

This chapter examines American and Western European biases in descriptions and characterizations of infants by examining infancy cross-culturally and placing infant care-giving practices in their cultural contexts. This approach to human infancy provides a broader understanding of human infancy. Understanding the diversity of cultural contexts of infancy can possibly develop a greater tolerance and respect for variability in baby care beliefs and practices, as well as identify options that might be available for enhancing infant development.

Here is a link to the full paper.

I have also come across another source of parenting information, “Parenting Science”, which is in sync with my own concepts of how to approach raising children in our culture.  The author, Gwen Dewar, is an anthropologist, but not one who recommends that we return to the lifestyle of hunters and gatherers.  She takes a more empirical approach to controversial parenting issues that is based on scientific studies, but where those studies are vague or absent she looks to case-studies from traditional cultures that shed light on humans natural development grounded in our evolutionary past. It is interested reading – give it a look!