The first time a woman holds her baby, she becomes a different person. She goes from thinking only about herself (and possibly her spouse or partner) to thinking first about someone else -- her baby. These helpless creatures who need us for everything also teach us an enormous amount. And now some schools are starting to catch on to the amazing emotional learning opportunity babies provide.
Primary schools in England are using babies to teach emotional literacy and help curb bullying. The landmark program involves moms who volunteer to bring their babies into classrooms and would-be bullies learning to empathize from these tiny teachers.
I love this idea for so many reasons, but mostly because I think it's the truth. We learn so very much from babies in terms of compassion, kindness, empathy, and community.
Anyone who spends any time around a baby knows it's too large a task to care for one all alone. Under the right circumstances, babies help build community and partnerships and moving toward a common goal as one.
There are so many life lessons for older kids that can come from holding and caring for a baby, and not being a bully is certainly one of them. It's hard to care for a helpless infant and then turn around and be mean to another person. After all, weren't we all once that little and helpless?
Truly, motherhood changed me fundamentally. I am still the same person in some ways, but my core is different. Having a baby made me care about everyone's baby just a little more. I could no longer picture hurting someone's feelings or being quite so flip because anyone could be my baby.
It isn't that I was selfish before, but I had never had to really put anyone's needs before my own because I had mostly only ever spent time with people who could care for themselves. I adore my husband but he is a grown-up with his own thoughts and feelings. My feelings are my own, too. But with a baby, all that changes. They need us for everything. Without us, their little worlds would fall apart.
It opens a mom's heart and it could open anyone's if they let it. And while these kids aren't "moms," per se, they are being charged with the care of an infant for that period of time.
It's a great program and one I imagine will be quite successful. The idea of children helping other children is a good one and many older kids will greatly benefit.
Did your baby teach you more compassion?