health
I thought having a second baby would be easier – but, from food to teeth to poos, I’ve forgotten so much
My mum has been a huge help with the practical stuff. She’s also stirred up memories of my own blissfully bored childhood
TL;DR
- The author found that despite having a second child, she had forgotten many practical details of baby care.
- This forgetting led her to question the nature of memory and how the brain prioritizes information.
- Reflecting on her own childhood, she realized that significant periods of boredom were formative and fostered self-discovery and resilience.
- She contrasts her own 'free-range' and bored childhood with the highly scheduled 'enrichment' of modern middle-class children.
- The author advocates for boredom as a valuable gift for children, believing it allows for true self-interest discovery and can lead to resilience.
- She suggests that children, like herself, may only remember the highlights of their childhoods.