Attachment Parenting : What is It? Is It for You? A Different Style

Attachment Parenting focuses on the nurturing aspect of parent and child. The idea is that through nurturing, parents will rasie secure, independant and empathetic children. Well-known pediatrician, William Sears, MD. believes that secure, trusting attachment to parents during childhood form the basis for secure relationships.. I can agree with this, children need to be loved so that they can love others.

The world wide educational association, Attachment Parenting International, has distiquinshed 8 set principles for this parenting style.

Prepare for pregnancy, birth, and parenting. This menas for parents to become educated about pregnancy and to learn how to remove an negative notions about pregnany. This prepares parents for the emotionally demanding work of being a parent.

Feed with love and respect.Breastfeeding is the ideal way to create a secure attachment. This allows teaches infants that their parents will listen to their cues and fulfill their needs. I am not too sure that breastfeeding until a child is 6, is actually good for them emotionally…. but then, I am not a doctor or phsycologist.

Respond with sensitivity With attachment parenting, parents consider all expressions of emotions, including repeated tantrums, as real efforts at communication. Those efforts are to be taken seriously and understood rather than punished or dismissed.”

Use nurturing touch. Attachment parenting suggests maximum skin-to-skin touching. Baby massages, joint baths and “baby-wearing” ( carrying babies next to body in a sling) are ways to provide that nurturing touch.

Engage in nighttime parenting. Attachment parenting also suggests ”co-sleeping” arrangements. With co-sleeping, an infant sleeps in the same room as the parents (ok, I understand this) Some parents practice “bed-sharing” or sleeping in the same bed with babies.  I wonder how long this practice is suppose to continue?

Provide constant, loving care. Attachment Parenting suggest the nearly constant presence of a parent. That includes during walks, parents’ night out, and work. They advocate against childcare for more than 20 hours a week for babies younger than 30 months old. Well then, how do these families pay the bills?

Practice positive discipline. Parents are advised to distract, redirect, and guide even the youngest of babies, and to model positive behavior. Attachment parenting suggests that parents learn to  understand what a child’s negative behavior is communicating. Parents are encouraged to work out a solution together with a child, rather than spanking . So, next time your 2 year old colors on the wall, ask him how he wants you to deal with it.

Strive for balance in personal and family life. Parents are encouraged to create a support network, live a healthy lifestyle, and prevent parent burn-out. Well, if you eat, sleep and breathe the life of your child, burn out doesn’t seem too far fetched, does it?

Many of the ideals for Attachment are great ideas, I can support them to a point, but how long do you jointly bathe, sleep in the same bed, and how long do you breastfeed. Some of thses notions, if followed too long, would almost constitute child abuse… that is just my opinon.