Great stuff young man! I get it even though I was the oldest of 8! Finally, we need to talk about your Dad’s attention span but not your sainted mother’s! 👊
I think that this post is my favorite, Will. As the youngest in my family, I, too, was unfamiliar with babies and how to deal with them. Your insights were perfect.
Funniest one yet, Will. One advantage of being an only child is your parents have an extensive video library devoted only to you. Hours of 'how cute is he?' which basically is you doing exactly what you noted. Playing with food, baffled expressions at the world, often just staring at the camera for hours.
Aside from the gazillion cliches about babies, they do serve a useful purpose (beyond perpetuating the species): They teach their parents that they are no longer the center of the universe (regardless of how many siblings they had to contend with). Humans are pre-programmed to coo over babies and anything that looks like them (the Winston Churchill paradox): The scientific name for this is neoteny or "baby cuteness" according to Konrad Lorenz, the prominent animal behaviorist. But I digress, sort of: In most cases even the most hardened self indulgent parent succumbs to their programming and becomes a babbling, cooing, poop diaper tolerating caregiver. So relax, enjoy your current liberty, but know that the little bundles are out there, holding the power to abolish your free and easy lifestyle and convert you into a responsible parental unit.
I had this baby once. Watched every thing, hated going to sleep. One night, he wouldn't sleep. I'm up walking him around the house so his mom can get some rest, I put on Van Morrison's Poetic Champions Compose (this is way before the whole anti-vaxx thing) and play the entire thing. It's around 2:30 a.m. This kid is now breathing very quietly and steadily and I think, "Finally! He's finally out." And I take him off my shoulder and look at him and he is staring right at me like, "Oh, Dude, not even close." He made me laugh then. He still makes me laugh.
Very clever and spot on, Will!!!!!
Hi, Nancy!
Great stuff young man! I get it even though I was the oldest of 8! Finally, we need to talk about your Dad’s attention span but not your sainted mother’s! 👊
Wait...what?
I think that this post is my favorite, Will. As the youngest in my family, I, too, was unfamiliar with babies and how to deal with them. Your insights were perfect.
Just wait. 😉
Great insight!! Really liked this one Will!
Funniest one yet, Will. One advantage of being an only child is your parents have an extensive video library devoted only to you. Hours of 'how cute is he?' which basically is you doing exactly what you noted. Playing with food, baffled expressions at the world, often just staring at the camera for hours.
Hilarious.
Aside from the gazillion cliches about babies, they do serve a useful purpose (beyond perpetuating the species): They teach their parents that they are no longer the center of the universe (regardless of how many siblings they had to contend with). Humans are pre-programmed to coo over babies and anything that looks like them (the Winston Churchill paradox): The scientific name for this is neoteny or "baby cuteness" according to Konrad Lorenz, the prominent animal behaviorist. But I digress, sort of: In most cases even the most hardened self indulgent parent succumbs to their programming and becomes a babbling, cooing, poop diaper tolerating caregiver. So relax, enjoy your current liberty, but know that the little bundles are out there, holding the power to abolish your free and easy lifestyle and convert you into a responsible parental unit.
I had this baby once. Watched every thing, hated going to sleep. One night, he wouldn't sleep. I'm up walking him around the house so his mom can get some rest, I put on Van Morrison's Poetic Champions Compose (this is way before the whole anti-vaxx thing) and play the entire thing. It's around 2:30 a.m. This kid is now breathing very quietly and steadily and I think, "Finally! He's finally out." And I take him off my shoulder and look at him and he is staring right at me like, "Oh, Dude, not even close." He made me laugh then. He still makes me laugh.
Exactly! Love you man! Will has the ball and is doing well!
Babies are great. They make few demands of their non-parents. Three-year olds are terrorizers! Beware.
I am also an only child who is extremely awkward around children lol. Love that journey for all my friends though!!