The Child

Child

From the Latin infantilis , infantile is an adjective that refers to what belongs or relates to childhood (the period of human life that begins with birth and ends towards puberty). In some countries, infant is even a legal denomination for people between 1 and 5 years of age.

The notion of children is often used to name the subgenre or category that is aimed at children . In this way we can speak of children's literature as the set of literary texts that are considered appropriate for the youngest. In some cases, they are books written especially for children, while there are also works designed for adults who, because they do not contain words or ideas that attempt against the healthy growth of a child, are accepted within this group.

In a similar vein, one can speak of children 's clothing , children 's music , children 's films , children 's gamesand any product or activity whose recipients are children. Childishness should always protect small and present a suitable proposal for developing physical and emotional . In the best case, it also contributes to the formation and growth of infants.

On the other hand, the concept of child can be used to refer to adult behavior that resembles that of a child . When an adult is said to be a child, he or she is being described as immature and unstable. For example: "I can not have a serious relationship with you since you are very childish" , "Do not be childish, Carlos, and return to the table" , "The truth is that I am a bit childish: I still like cartoons and I collect dolls . "

Conventionally, it is believed that a person must abandon their childish tastes once they reach adolescence; This covers all forms of entertainment that you will enjoy, such as literature, movies and games. In theory, the concerns of mature life must occupy our mind 100%; everything else, therefore, represents a distraction.

However, it is known that the basis of creativity is freedom, or at least the search for it; and that objective is possible only by shedding the crushing structures , such as the conventions of society. What would become of humanity without the great writers, without the geniuses of the cinema who are inspired by the previous ones to create unforgettable films, without the actors and the musicians who give color and shape to the stories?

If people like John Lasseter (founder of Pixar Animation Studios and creator of the saga " Toy Story ") or Tim Burton (the renowned film director of " The young hands of scissors ") avoid contact with their children's side, or feared being seen playing with dolls , the world would be deprived of great works masterpieces.

The fear of the human being to recognize his infantile side is one of the many contradictions that characterize him as a species, and one of the ones that can be more easily demonstrated. For example, using generalization, it is possible to ensure that the most authentic people, less attached to social mandates, tend to avoid marriage and reproduction, taking refuge in their vocations to fight against prejudice ; On the other hand, those who abandon cartoons and teddy bears are the first to marry and have children, children with whom they will look at these drawings, and who will accompany the worlds of their beloved dolls.

In the same way, when the children grow and continue on the same path as their parents, the grandchildren arrive, a new source of infantile entertainment concealed behind the veil of caring for the little ones .