When I was about seventeen I wrote an essay on why I thought it was so ridiculous that girls wanted to kiss every baby they saw. I compared it to wanting to kiss every boy one saw lol. But what I didn't realize then was that I was surrounded by babies and could kiss them whenever I wanted -- most girls, as you say, rarely have the chance to hold a baby. Perhaps in a healthy society girls and women wouldn't be talking about just wanting to squeeze and kiss babies, because they'd be doing it so much it just feels normal. But even so ... after a few years break from babies myself, it's something I want to do! (Though I still don't get the urge to kiss or hold strangers' babies. I much prefer the babies of friends or family, and I'm pretty sure I'll prefer my own the most). I'm not sure what the SOLUTION to infertility is in the States. It's not something I spent much time thinking about growing up, and I don't think a lot of families in my circles thought about it much either. Everyone was too busy having babies to worry about the people who weren't. I think if there is a true solution it's less neuroticism. Having family around helps, but I know it's not necessary (my mother and grandmothers both had little family around for the majority of the time). I'm certainly a fan of mothers' helpers/ nannies/ au pairs both because it gives the mother a rest but also offers opportunity to young girls at being around babies and children. Beyond that, I think it's too complicated a matter to try to "fix" it, because it's a spiritual concern and spiritual concerns can't be reasoned away very easily if at all.
The pictures with your essay are soooo beautiful. I especially love the apple tree photo! If after reading this essay, anyone asks you how they might be around babies more I have two or so friends expecting soon who are desperate for some young woman to come stay with them a couple weeks postpartum!!
Yes pls more pls
“The Holding a Baby metric” nice
Beautiful reflections!
When I was about seventeen I wrote an essay on why I thought it was so ridiculous that girls wanted to kiss every baby they saw. I compared it to wanting to kiss every boy one saw lol. But what I didn't realize then was that I was surrounded by babies and could kiss them whenever I wanted -- most girls, as you say, rarely have the chance to hold a baby. Perhaps in a healthy society girls and women wouldn't be talking about just wanting to squeeze and kiss babies, because they'd be doing it so much it just feels normal. But even so ... after a few years break from babies myself, it's something I want to do! (Though I still don't get the urge to kiss or hold strangers' babies. I much prefer the babies of friends or family, and I'm pretty sure I'll prefer my own the most). I'm not sure what the SOLUTION to infertility is in the States. It's not something I spent much time thinking about growing up, and I don't think a lot of families in my circles thought about it much either. Everyone was too busy having babies to worry about the people who weren't. I think if there is a true solution it's less neuroticism. Having family around helps, but I know it's not necessary (my mother and grandmothers both had little family around for the majority of the time). I'm certainly a fan of mothers' helpers/ nannies/ au pairs both because it gives the mother a rest but also offers opportunity to young girls at being around babies and children. Beyond that, I think it's too complicated a matter to try to "fix" it, because it's a spiritual concern and spiritual concerns can't be reasoned away very easily if at all.
The pictures with your essay are soooo beautiful. I especially love the apple tree photo! If after reading this essay, anyone asks you how they might be around babies more I have two or so friends expecting soon who are desperate for some young woman to come stay with them a couple weeks postpartum!!