REFLECTIONS
Reflections WHAT WILL OUR BABIES BE ?
Teresita Bacani-Oropilla , MD
Years ago , at an intimate after-work party of young international junior faculty members , a mother asked of another who was cuddling her sleepy baby , “ What is your baby girl going to be ?” Taken aback , the latter , a several generation local American , said she had not even thought about it .
It took some explaining to introduce her to the idea that in some cultures , parents assess the assets , the beauty and the talents of their children and designate what they might become in the future . Thus , while they are growing , the engineer designee may be praised for his alacrity in math and reprimanded on his quickness to break down his toys , but commended for his ability to reconstruct them . A future entertainer is encouraged to take dancing or piano lessons or allowed to drive everyone crazy with his drum or trumpet practice . A future physician or nurse will be given stethoscopes and tools of the trade . Care must be taken that they don ’ t actually do myringotomy on their siblings . Foresters and surveyors are sent to boy scout explorations . Admittedly , many do not end up as firemen and astronauts , their first choice , and care must be taken to discourage them from flying off the roof with their Superman capes . But , the seed has been planted . They are going to be somebody good and useful in future days to come . There is a goal to reach . In some schools , at kindergarten graduation , five and six-year-olds are encouraged to announce , “ I am going to be an engineer like my Daddy ” when their turn comes at the microphone .
Back to the present : at the beginning of summer , formal classes end and graduation exercises are rife . Schools invite speakers that encourage their graduates to aim for the skies . Most revealing was attending an 8th grade graduation ceremony in an outstanding upscale private school . It was obvious these children were not brought up in want . On the contrary , they had been given all the opportunities for success . As these budding teenagers presented themselves and recounted their experiences , it was obvious they had absorbed the values their mentors had instilled in them , and indeed they had goals at such an early stage for their futures . In return , the expectations from their parents , peers and themselves were so high that a more indulgent society might object and call them overachievers .
Most have had extracurricular activities in athletics , public speaking or the study of languages . Many have travelled , been exposed to cultural presentations as well as the poverty and deprivation of poorer countries . They have joined missions and have realized the advantages and how rich our country is . Obviously , they are inadvertently absorbing the fact that they must be leaders and providers if they must improve conditions for the less fortunate . They are the apples that fall not far from their parents ’ tree .
In our queasy and turbulent world of today , ideology and expectations of what our young are going to be are of utmost importance . A baby raised to believe to do unto others what you would want done to you , will live life on this principle . On the other hand , a baby taught to believe the world is against him and his kind and must retaliate ‘ til he dominates , will act likewise .
Which will it be ? What will our babies be ? What paths will they take ? It is never too early to plant seeds on fertile ground .
P . S . The little baby in her mother ’ s arms of years ago is a practicing physician and faculty member at a university hospital . Her parents are proud . Did they plant seeds ?
Dr . Oropilla is a retired psychiatrist .
JULY 2017 25