Entertainment Factor

This week in the Science Times, the section that comes in Tuesday's NY Times, there was an article that tried to explain current research into why we humans evolved to parent cooperatively. One of the factors that we can relate to right now, especially, is the entertainment factor. The idea is that before the age of TV & movies, babies served as early evening entertainment for couples.

This entertainment is especially welcome, I would argue, to sleep deprived parents, which is most newer ones.

It's certainly hard to remain grumpy, whether it's rational or not, at a 7 month old when she grins and giggles at Daddy. This afternoon, after our long walk in the early spring-like weather, and after some yummy carrots, we played on the floor together for about an hour. Might be the best full hour we've had together, at least just the two of us. The highlight came when I dangled a piece of ribbon above her and snatched away, just as her hands closed upon it to grab it. She giggled each time I did so.

The Times piece argued that babies are socially gifted to provide plenty of reinforcement for caregivers. I would suggest that it's probably even more powerful that, seemingly, the positive coos, smiles and giggles are somewhat random, providing that all-addictive random positive reinforcement that draws in gamblers and, apparently, daddies, all too well. Just ten minutes before our impromptu playdate, she was crying because I wouldn't let her play with the spoon that was delivering her carrots.

Here's another photo from our trip!