Bringing up Baby

This program airing on Channel 4 early last year (2007), explores different methods of bringing up children, each popular in different decades during the 1900s.

Firstly the 1950s harsh routine, depriving the child of attention from the mother and visitors, the baby has to fit into the parent’s schedule, not the other way around. Secondly, the 1960s liberal method, where free love and affection was the mood of the time and baby could be held for as long as the parents felt like, there was no routine other than loving the baby as much as possible. Thirdly, a method originating to the native way of life, where the baby was carried everywhere with the mother in a sling ensuring constant mother baby contact and encouraging the baby to feed whenever it needed. This method believes to strengthen the bond between children and parents and became extremely popular in the 1970s.

The program has been heavily criticized for exploiting these babies at their most vulnerable, at the earliest stage of development. There is not enough evidence to show if these initial methods will affect them in later life. They are being televised merely for the amusement of watching adults, the Child's needs and welfare are neglected. Not only is this an important issue to the children in the series, but also future generations where parents have picked a method from television to bring up their child. Mothers will be easily influenced by any advice given.