Jean-Jacques Rousseau began documenting his ideas regarding child development in the mid 1700’s. His complete edition of Emile or On Education was published in 1764. The question that comes to mind while studying Rousseau’s work is what ideas have changed and what have remained the same about early child development/ child rearing since Rousseau’s time? To determine the answer two books are examined, compared, and contrasted. The first, a translated version of Emile or On Education (Rousseau, 1979) and the second The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby From Birth to Age Two (Sears &Sears;, 2003). Using the second as a point of reference the researcher will attempt determining that some of the ideas presented by Rousseau were developed, processed, and practiced. If Sears & Sears provide examples of current practices that reflect those that Rousseau hypothetically altered in his fictional examples, then one might conclude that he did change the ideal concepts of child development. If there are no similarities to be found, then one could conclude that Rousseau’s attempts were considered nothing but a fictional depiction of what one man deemed the perfect child rearing style.
METHODS
The methods used to explore this theory were that of reading and documentation. First, Book I of Rousseau was read. This book features the earliest of developmental stages. Proposed ideas and practices of the time were then documented. The Sears and Sears text was searched for the current form of each concept presented in Rousseau. Again, each reference was then documented. In order to simplify the focus of this research the ideas were categorized into specific areas of study with in the topic of child development/Rearing. Three main categories discovered were Infant Feeding and Nutrition, Infant Development, and Infant Safety and Health. Finally each category was organized and re-evaluated; compared and contrasted. This was the final method in determining what ideas have changed and what have remained the same about early child development since Rousseau’s time.
RESULTS
Results are reviewed by categories and topics within categories are demonstrated in tables. Each table displays a brief comparison between the findings of Rousseau and those of Sears & Sears. Rousseau’s data may also include common practices of the time in which he challenges.
Rousseau describes a time when wet nurses were in common use. Wet nurses were brought in to feed and care for an infant. Rousseau suspected that the benefits would be greater for the child if fed by the mother. He explains that some new mothers might consider this option but quickly fall victim to pressure from doctors and other mothers to stop (p.44-45). Rousseau considered that breast milk changes as the child ages. He also suggested a vegetable diet which challenged the diet of wealthy mothers who had a high meat intake. The theory of the time was that vegetables sour the milk but Rousseau argues that sour milk is not bad for the baby as it sours in the stomach anyhow. He concludes that milk from a vegetarian mother is more plentiful and from a carnivorous mother more likely to result in colic and worms (p.58). Rousseau suggests that a child is weaned while teething by offering hard breads. Through this process the child will naturally learn to chew and swallow food thus weaning naturally. (Rousseau, 1979, p.70).
Currently Sears and Sears support with evidence the importance of breast milk. They devote an entire chapter to breastfeeding mothers. The biological mother’s milk is tailor maid for the baby and no two mothers produce the same milk. Breast milk from an adopted mother is still significantly more rewarding than formula, both for mother and child. Sears and Sears describe many components of breast milk and explain that there are continuous developments made in determining more. They also offer the earlier stated theory that the milk changes as the baby ages. Much like Rousseau, Sears and Sears consider a proper diet for nursing mothers. They do not, however, suggest a vegetarian diet. One should eat balanced meals including every food group. The foods that may be considered potentially upsetting in breast milk include dairy products, caffeine, grains and nuts, spicy foods, and gassy foods. They describe many benefits that nursing a child have on the mother as well. Finally, their concept for weaning the infant varies per child but they suggest a technique of withholding and substituting. Breast feeding mothers are cautioned to take it slower so that the child does not replace the better source of nutrients with table foods. (Sears & Sears, 2003, ch11).
When discussing foods and beverages Rousseau focuses primarily on health. He warns against pap which was a form of mush made from undercooked foods. He suggests bread soup and cream of rice. If pap is necessary then one should roast the food first (1979, p.70). Sears and Sears offer an extensive chart to which types of food and how to present them per stage and age (Sears &Sears;, 2003, p219-220).
Rousseau offers very little detail regarding the various areas of infant development. He believed that babies were born with their senses and through experiencing situations that affected them they developed consciousness (p.39). Rousseau briefly mentions a baby’s ability to communicate through facial expressions. One practice that Rousseau adamantly disagreed with is swaddling. Swaddling a baby is described as having derived from mothers and nurses not wanting to fuss over or worry about the baby. As a result they would swaddle them tightly so that they could easily be put aside and not worried about. The fear was that they would do damage to their limbs. When mothers were ready to allow movement they would dig a hole in the ground for the child to sit in so that they could do no harm to themselves by falling. Rousseau believed that this delayed natural motor development leading to walking (p.70). He believed that babies were made week so that they were unable to cause self harm. (Rousseau, 1979).
The current text describes precise stages of development covering skills such as gross motor, hand and self-help, language and social, and cognitive(ch.19). Sears and Sears tend to express many incidences of infant consciousness and even developing memory in the first six months. These concepts may not vary so much with their counterpart when considering different understandings regarding consciousness in each time period. There are similar depictions of the communication made by way of facial expressions. It is considered that the infant develops this ability in the first six months as well. When covering the topic of swaddling, Sears & Sears urge parents to shorten swaddling time. According to current beliefs swaddling was an act of comforting baby. Long forgotten are the reasons of the 1700’s. They also believe that it interferes with development and explain that hip joints are hindered from completing proper development if the legs are not free moving. Furthermore Sears and Sears warn about interfering with the natural development which should lead to walking. They urge not using infant walkers as it interferes with the natural pattern which begins with lying on the ground and ends with walking (p.507). (Sears &Sears;, 2003).
As earlier mentioned Rousseau criticized swaddling and meat eating as an attempt to keep a child safe and healthy. His opinion regarding doctors and medicine was that they were unnecessary. He committed also to never himself call on a doctor. He believed that Doctors were overlooked for the many lives they take and rather glorified for the few that they save. A child would grow stronger if made to survive illness when it occurred (Rousseau, 1979). Sears and Sears are in contrast with this philosophy as they practice in the medical field. They offer explanation for certain symptoms such as fevers and remedies. The remedies may include medicine and they display a dosage chart (p.657-660). They also explain the “why, what, and when” of Immunizations. (Sears & Sears, 2003, ch.25).
DISCUSSION
Often the way of our mothers and fathers, so to speak, seem to be “The way.” Only a brave person would challenge the norm in which children are being raised. Caretakers combine their learned behavior through observation of their own parents with current philosophies and do the best they can with that. Research such as this is important in that it can enlighten individuals. It defines the roots of current practices such as swaddling. It breathes life into the diminishing desire to breastfeed infants. It offers the understanding that “ideal” philosophies are always subject to challenge and change. Utilizing information from research like this can only raise awareness in individuals to consider their current understandings and grow open to change. The data drawn from researching historical and current text concluded that much has changed yet some has not. This data roves the hypothesis. Since Rousseau’s research significant development has been made in better understanding the benefits of a mother’s breast milk, the importance of diet during breastfeeding, and in understanding practices that enable natural and healthy physical and motor development. With that understanding one can conclude that some of the ideas presented by Rousseau were developed, processed, and practiced.
References
Rousseau, Jean-Jacques (1979). Emile or On Education (Bloom, Allan, Introduction, Translation, and Notes). Basic Books, USA (Original works published 1764)
Sears, William M.D., and Sears, Martha, R.N. (2003). The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby From Birth to Age Two. Little, Brown and Company, NY.
