There's a very good biological reason that human babies are completely defenseless when they're born, where other less developed mammals are not. It takes months for a human baby to learn to move unassisted and years before they can undertake risk analysis to even acknowledge a potential danger, let alone remove themselves away from that danger. And years before they can work out the answer to a problem.
In the time that passes between birth and problem analysis and solving, a hell of a lot of growth occurs - particularly to the brain, thus increasing the size of the head. Herein lies the reason human babies are born completely dependent. They need to be born at that time. Any longer in utero and their heads just wouldn't fit through the maternal pelvis.
Today I encountered a practical example of how the human brain has evolved over time. Just how clever we have become. This is anecdotal mind you. I have no way of knowing if prehistoric woman would have been able to put together our trampoline in three attempts or less. Or if it would have taken her more. But I know that after doing it methodically, spring, by orderly spring, we realised it was becoming harder and harder to stretch the circular mat to the edges and something had to give (LOVE those puns *grin*).
So we tried a second technique of doing opposite directions first and hooking the springs in between a couple at a time. And this worked brilliantly, while still working up a few blisters due to spring stretching. We had them all on, then realised that the net uprights needed to line up with the legs of the frame, in order to fasten the supporting poles. So, with slightly heavy hearts, we unhooked every spring, swung the net around and started again.
Third time around, we found that using an additional spring to stretch the spring fastened to the mat, was making the task to hook said spring into the frame, so much easier. BRILLIANCE! We were on our way to erecting the net's supporting poles, when we noticed that the shadow the net was casting into the house was just not okay. Was the net necessary? Enter lengthy discussion on merits of presenting situations that encourage risk analysis, self monitoring and awareness. Were today's children too sheltered? Too protected? Was it our responsibility as parents to encourage scenarios that teach of cause and effect? I kinda think so. So with a mere minimum of two benefits at the outcome, the net came off.
I'm grateful for the use of my brain today.
Oh, and the use of my legs!
*squeeeeeeeeeee*
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