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hen a baby is born, it is usually the cause of wild celebration. Dad wants the whole world to know. Grandparents beam with joy. Wellwishers shower the parents with gifts, balloons and cards ~ an explosion of teddy bears. Everyone wants a cuddle and a photo opportunity. Mum probably just wants painkillers and a decent sleep. I’ve received some strange birth announcements in my time—from rather gory and explicit photos of a caesarian section in progress to a blunt text from a friend that just said, “09.43am. 3.6kg. m. Dan.” He’s an engineer. But new babies bring with them a whole host of puzzling and challenging questions that can quickly turn family joy into confusion. How should we raise children, educate them, teach them, feed them? What values should 3
life internals.indd 3
21/03/2016 12:10