Film Reflection Paper: Babies Documentary Link to movie: https://vimeo.com/36656985 ) Culture and Child Rearing It is the job of parents to guide and educate children to become functioning members of society. There are many different approaches to child rearing but research in this area has shown that there are six common goals of child rearing. Consider the following while watching the film “Babies”. 1. Following instructions – the ability to follow parental and adult direction. 2. Responsibility – completing daily household tasks. 3. Achievement – meeting life’s milestones. 4. Self-reliance – becoming responsible for oneself. 5. Independence – developing self-motivation and direction. 6. Nurturance – caring for others including family, friends and pets. Meet the Babies from Babies! Ponijao* Ponijao lives in Namibia with her family, including her parents and eight older brothers and sisters. Ponijao’s family is part of the Himba tribe, and lives in a small village with other families. Opuwao, Namibia is located in Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa. Mari* Mari lives with her mother and father in Shibuya, a busy metropolitan area within Tokyo, at the center of all the city’s noise and excitement. Mari is an only child and lives a contemporary urban lifestyle. Bayarjargal* Born in Mongolia, Bayarjargal, usually called “Bayar” for short, lives with his mother, father and older brother Delgerjargal (“Degi”) on their small family farm. Bayanchandmani, Mongolia is located in Northern Asia, between China and Russia. Hattie* Hattie lives in San Francisco, born to very ecological, “green” parents. Both of Hattie’s parent are equally involved in her day-to-day life, fixing her meals, taking her to play groups and spending time with her around the house. Parenthood Babies provides an in-depth look at the ways babies are raised by their mothers across different cultures. There is a lot to learn in the film simply by watching the mothers interact with their children. QUESTIONS 1. What the filmmakers capture on film provides a unique perspective on the upbringing of each of the babies. While each story is unique, what are some universal themes that run through each child’s story? 2. Identify main differences between rural and urban area babies experiences in their childhood: sanitation and safety, healthcare, housing, education, feeding (food) and bathing, toys and play and family structure. 3. In what way did this movie most impact you? What is the central theme you walked away with after viewing this film? 4. Beyond exploring the remarkable early stages of life for four babies, what did this movie help you explore and understand about all humans? 5. What about the place of men or siblings in the different households? How did you see their roles within the family? 6. Can you draw any conclusions about culture affecting development in the first year of life from this movie? Explain. 7. What are the most important aspects in nurturing an infant? 8. Did you feel the lack of dialogue enhanced or detracted from the story? 9. How have societal developments in the Western World helped babies? How have they hindered them? This paper is to be at least a minimum four pages in length and double spaced and thoroughly proofread. You should respond to each question in paragraph format. Grammatical/spelling mistakes will impact your overall grade. Your paper should have a reference page; you should use a minimum of 3 sources integrating theories referencing early child development. Sources are to be scholarly in nature. Books (including your text book), journal articles and scholarly websites only. When using websites you must make sure they are scholarly; popular media and websites like Wikipedia are not scholarly.
#Developmental #psychology
