The most popular film in 1987 was a comedy about three bachelors who suddenly find themselves in care of an infant girl. It starred Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg, and Ted Danson--Danson’s character being the father of his ‘love child’, left on their doorstep by the mother.
These three men know nothing about caring for a baby and that’s where the comedy comes in. Feeding, changing diapers, crying are all challenges that befuddle these men, but in the end, they are all charmed by this little bundle of joy. What made me think of this movie was a video sent to me by a long distance friend who had read an article of mine on Super Bowl commercials featuring dads. This video features... three men and a baby, at a baseball game.
My friend’s son went to a Seattle Mariners game with a couple of buddies, one of whom brought his infant daughter. A ground rule double was hit into the crowd and the ball was caught by a fan who gave the ball to the baby. The baby did what babies do--she started chewing on it. This scene was caught by the station broadcasting the game and shown again to a nationwide audience on the MLB network. Three men and a baby at the game together! It made me smile! Watch the video, then some thoughts about the movie and the baseball baby video.
These three men know nothing about caring for a baby and that’s where the comedy comes in. Feeding, changing diapers, crying are all challenges that befuddle these men, but in the end, they are all charmed by this little bundle of joy. What made me think of this movie was a video sent to me by a long distance friend who had read an article of mine on Super Bowl commercials featuring dads. This video features... three men and a baby, at a baseball game.
My friend’s son went to a Seattle Mariners game with a couple of buddies, one of whom brought his infant daughter. A ground rule double was hit into the crowd and the ball was caught by a fan who gave the ball to the baby. The baby did what babies do--she started chewing on it. This scene was caught by the station broadcasting the game and shown again to a nationwide audience on the MLB network. Three men and a baby at the game together! It made me smile! Watch the video, then some thoughts about the movie and the baseball baby video.
The bachelors in the movie represented what most people think of men and babies, much of it being true. Most men who have never been around kids are very naïve about them. Wanting to be a dad is very common among most men, but knowing how to be a dad takes a little time, at least as far as the nitty-gritty basics go. Sure, there may be some females that would also be inept, but I’d place my bets on any woman learning quicker, or having a second sense about what to do over a man.
I’m almost hesitant to say that, because political correctness tells you not to put people in assumed roles, but generally, moms do a lot of parenting things better than dads. However, if you have read any of my previous articles, you know I am a huge advocate of fathers being loving, caring, responsible and equal parents. Just because moms are better at some things, does not take away the importance of a male influence, a dad’s love.
Kids need to see and feel the differences in their parents. Certain traits are obvious--a deeper voice, a still gentle but rougher touch, or a different attitude or interactive style towards the child. In an article titled, “How Men and Children Affect Each Other’s Development,” written by Kyle D. Pruett, he states,
“If fathers have the capacity to nurture their children competently but differently from mothers, does this matter to the children? Apparently so, according to two decades of research. Eight-week-old infants can discriminate between their fathers and their mothers, and respond in a differential way to their approach. Yogman [a researcher] compared videotapes of comfortably seated infants’ response to their mothers’ approach and their fathers’. In anticipation of their mothers picking them up, babies settled in, slowed their heart and respiratory rates, and partially closed their eyes. When they expected their fathers to hold them, babies hunched up their shoulders, widened their eyes, and accelerated their heart and respiratory rates.”
Beyond the differences in the sexes, a mother and a father have different personalities and styles to which the child learns to adjust. And very importantly, a boy needs a proper male model to watch, and a girl needs to be loved by a male that she trusts.
So getting back to ‘Three Men and Baby – Baseball Style’;
Dads are different than moms. Most of the time, that’s okay!
I’m almost hesitant to say that, because political correctness tells you not to put people in assumed roles, but generally, moms do a lot of parenting things better than dads. However, if you have read any of my previous articles, you know I am a huge advocate of fathers being loving, caring, responsible and equal parents. Just because moms are better at some things, does not take away the importance of a male influence, a dad’s love.
Kids need to see and feel the differences in their parents. Certain traits are obvious--a deeper voice, a still gentle but rougher touch, or a different attitude or interactive style towards the child. In an article titled, “How Men and Children Affect Each Other’s Development,” written by Kyle D. Pruett, he states,
“If fathers have the capacity to nurture their children competently but differently from mothers, does this matter to the children? Apparently so, according to two decades of research. Eight-week-old infants can discriminate between their fathers and their mothers, and respond in a differential way to their approach. Yogman [a researcher] compared videotapes of comfortably seated infants’ response to their mothers’ approach and their fathers’. In anticipation of their mothers picking them up, babies settled in, slowed their heart and respiratory rates, and partially closed their eyes. When they expected their fathers to hold them, babies hunched up their shoulders, widened their eyes, and accelerated their heart and respiratory rates.”
Beyond the differences in the sexes, a mother and a father have different personalities and styles to which the child learns to adjust. And very importantly, a boy needs a proper male model to watch, and a girl needs to be loved by a male that she trusts.
So getting back to ‘Three Men and Baby – Baseball Style’;
- It really warmed my heart to see these guys at a ballgame with an infant!
- I was impressed that the baby girl had noise protection. I could be wrong but it could have been the mother’s idea. At least I wouldn’t have thought to do that.
- I thought it was great that the mother trusted the father to take care of the baby at a ballgame. Many wives would have insisted that if the father was watching the baby alone, that he should not go to the game. (I’m assuming the mother knew. If not, he may be in some trouble now.)
- I was impressed that the friends of the father seemed to have no issue with having the baby there. Just knowing that about them makes me assume they are great guys! One of the friends (my friend’s son) was actually holding the baby. This is a wonderful scene that is far more likely to happen today than in the recent past.
- I thought it was hilarious that the guys let the baby chew on the ball. A mom wouldn’t have let her put her mouth on a nasty ball. Hopefully it wasn’t a spitball!
Dads are different than moms. Most of the time, that’s okay!
