Humans have moved away from the basic necessities of the Stone Age. However, some things never change, like the love a parent has for their children. Sure, the tools for raising children have changed, but the instincts have remained the same. Today's kids may be drawing on pretty drawing boards and electronic tablets, but it all started with soft clay and caves long ago.
The Global Incredible delves into the less easy lives of Stone Age parents. We are surprised to learn that many of today's parenting techniques and principles have survived from the dawn of civilization.
1. Keep kids busy with art
Today, we often use art as a learning tool for children to help them express not only their creativity, but also their feelings. Today, we have color books and countless different types of coloring tools. But even Stone Age children were encouraged to paint, which is evident in cave art found in France. The grooves found in these caves show that children are encouraged to use their fingers through the soft clay to make crisscrossing lines, zigzags and swirls.
In fact, in one room found in this sprawling cave system there are rich drawings, only for children. This led experts to believe that prehistoric children attended some sort of nursery, helping them develop their gift for painting.
2. Breastfeeding is necessary for babies to lead weaning.
Today, many mothers breastfeed longer, allowing their children to eat until they are 3-4 years old. Some people practice baby-led weaning, which means it's the baby who decides they've had enough of breastfeeding. It turns out that the women who do this today are just going back to their roots.
One study noted that Stone Age mothers tended to breastfeed their children for longer periods of time until they were 3-4 years old. This could lead to better brain development and better immunity in humans.
3. Babies are held and loved.
Babies don't like to be left alone, and most parents have a carload of chores to deal with during the day. A simple solution to keep your baby happy and parental guilt free is to carry your baby with you while you work. Today, we have a variety of ergonomic baby carriers and harnesses that can help us get the job done. Experts also recommend skin-to-skin contact with your baby, believing it will make them a more balanced adult.
And there's plenty of evidence that prehistoric parents also carried babies with them when doing housework, because it was convenient. In addition, it is a way to protect babies from the numerous predators around them.
4. Children's community playtime
Today's kids have toys like plastic swords, NERF, and other role-playing pieces. If alone, kids of all ages tend to play together and get along well. Alternative educational streams, such as Montessori and Waldorf, encourage multi-age play.
And that's exactly how prehistoric children got along. Schools are made up of children of all ages who get together to play, and toys are age-appropriate tools and weapons. Not only does this keep the kids busy, but it also trains them to return to the adult life of the Stone Age.
5. Elders take care of all children.
In today's increasingly alienated nuclear families, children are missing out on time spent with their elders. However, in many families where parents are absent for various reasons, grandparents become the primary caregivers. Even in close-knit families, if the parents are out, it is the elders of the family who take care of the children.
This also happened in prehistoric times. Most adults, especially those who are less keen on hunting and gathering because of their age, are designated as caregivers. The wisdom they transmit helps humanity flourish.
6. Baby bottles supplement the diet.
There are many mothers today who struggle with breastfeeding for a variety of reasons. It turns out that Paleolithic mothers faced similar challenges. That's why the earliest baby bottles made of clay date back 5,000 years.
Prehistoric baby bottles became more common during the Iron and Bronze Age, where residues were directed at animal dairy products. Humans have always been innovative when it comes to doing the best things for their children. This is a photograph of a Bronze Age baby bottle dating back to 1350 BC to 800 BC.
7. Active parenting rather than corporal punishment
As some studies have pointed out, prehistoric parents didn't seem to believe in corporal punishment or spanking. Most Stone Age parenting styles directed toward attachment parenting. Children are hugged, cuddled, hugged, hugged, and more likely to be scolded softly than spanked for misconduct.
Today's child psychologists also believe that even for adults, hitting a child is not good for his or her mental health and balance. So early humans knew a lot about proper child rearing.
8. The weeping child is comforted.
Some experts believe in shouting sleep training methods. They argue that if babies are full, varied, comfortable and dry, they should sleep on their own. If babies make a fuss and leave them alone, even if they cry, it's a way to make them self-reliant. There is some evidence to prove the veracity of this belief. Other experts do not recommend this.
For Stone Age parents, this was absolutely not possible. If a child cries, the parent or caregiver responds immediately. The child will be hugged and caressed. There is evidence that cared for children learn to comfort themselves more quickly.
9. Children are guided but released.
The art found in various caves around the world points to something else that works together. Children are free to draw what they like, but also guide them to draw shapes correctly. Today, we hold children's hands and help them write and spell letters correctly.
At that time, the flute of a 2-year-old child indicated that there was an adult guiding their markings. So art is used to teach constructively and help children become confident. Many experts believe that for Stone Age children, there is almost nothing they are not allowed to do.
Which parenting techniques of the past have surprised you the most? Do you know any such ancestral parenting tips and tricks around you?