Imagine a long ass flight, say 8 hours, with a full on hardcore metal song titled "a baby's cry."
Pretty stressing, I know. You'd probably think about jumping out the window to end your misery right then and there, but look at how the parents/guardian reacts. Do they soothe the baby or do they try to sush it with all their might.
Being a parent isn't easy. You can argue with me but try to picture a life with a random alarm clock that goes off whenever and wherever, not easy at all. but enough parent talk, back to the baby topic.
I can't quite remember my baby phases in life, but I do observe a lot of babies (not in a creepy way). I grew up surrounded by family members having visit dates bringing their babies to my house or i'd go to their house. Enough to understand how baby world works. I assume that the experiences this babies are experiencing might very well be close to my own infant adventures.
As a baby, our internal thoughts are divided into 4;
1. I'm Hungry!
2. I pooped myself!
3. I'm tired!
4. Where are my parents? I need to see them.
Wow, life problems were so simple back then huh. WRONG, we might think that way but lets cosplay as a baby for a bit.
You just woke up from a 9 months nap, suddenly the comfy water filled chamber is gone, suddenly you don't get food right on time through this wobbly long string of flesh attached to your body, and the first thing you see is weird looking people using surgical mask and a bright ass lamp. What will your initial response be? Yes of course, cry.
See? we are getting there, we are slowly understanding why these crying machines cry.
As annoying as coercive ear drum piercing cries are, there is always a reason for it. Babies are still confused about the world, at least I assume so. So, it is very natural for them to cry as it is their first ever language. Goo Goo Ga Gas and HUUUUAAAA are the two basic vocabulary they adopted in order to survive.
As parents or guardians, it could be so annoying and tiring to hear a coercive cry but, know and understand that this is all a baby could think of. They don't understand the world and everything is a first. In this situation you would beg for anyone to give you attention and to be there for you through out your journey of figuring out what the hell "yellow" is or why you have to sleep when the sun is down.
I'd like to give baby world experience a metaphor. You're in a dark forest with just a candle. The forest is filled with unknown things and unknown possibilities, you can't quite understand where you are going or what you are seeing because everything is so unfamiliar. Once you shove the candle in front of said thing or direction is when you'd understand what you are seeing or where you are going. This process will go on and on until you figure out a certain shape is for instance is a tree or certain path leads to certain directions until you are confident enough navigating through the said dark room and internalize what you see and begin to understand what is dangerous in the room and what is not dangerous in the room. But, you need the candle you want the candle and the candle is the only way you can survive and begin to understand your surroundings.
The forest is the world and the candle is the parents/guardian. Everything needs to be internalized for a baby to feel secure. Then, the cries will gradually become less and less frequent over time. So, bear with the journey of being the guardian of a little being going through a dark forest. They need you, they really really do and the only thing they know of is to cry to light the candle back up.
Next time when you see a baby cry, please be much much more understanding..
YOU ARE READING
What Life Feels Like
Non-FictionThis is an online e-book (sort of..) meant to remind us all what life feels like at a certain age. Suitable for those who often dismisses their children's problems and a reminder for my future self of how the world was as we all grew older. You are...
