Brief Thoughts on Attachment Parenting
I'm not an attachment parenting kind of person. Not that I don't believe in it. But it's just not me. I'm way too much of schedule-oriented, obsessive-compulsive, routine-driven individual. Some days I like that about myself. Other days I hate that about myself. But it is what it is. And my kid? He's. Just. Like. Me. AH!
I'm all for the theory and practice of attachment parenting. But what I can not stand is the attachment parents who equate letting your kid cry sometimes at night to a form of child abuse and neglect. Like this site. Really? Because I tell my kid no I'm an abusive parent? I take SERIOUS issue with that. Oh sure, there is data that suggests that attachment is best. Guess what? There is data that suggests teaching your child to self-sooth is best. There is no absolute truth when it comes to being human. Why? Because we humans are not perfect. I am not perfect. You - my co-sleeping, gentle-parenting, babywearing mama friends - are not perfect. Stop making me feel like such a bad mother. I do enough of that on my own.
I'm all for the theory and practice of attachment parenting. But what I can not stand is the attachment parents who equate letting your kid cry sometimes at night to a form of child abuse and neglect. Like this site. Really? Because I tell my kid no I'm an abusive parent? I take SERIOUS issue with that. Oh sure, there is data that suggests that attachment is best. Guess what? There is data that suggests teaching your child to self-sooth is best. There is no absolute truth when it comes to being human. Why? Because we humans are not perfect. I am not perfect. You - my co-sleeping, gentle-parenting, babywearing mama friends - are not perfect. Stop making me feel like such a bad mother. I do enough of that on my own.
It's interesting, because it can be the other way around as well. I didn't plan on being attachment based- my daughter just needed that. I've been judged a lot for it... I'm 'spoiling' her, she'll never leave my bed, yadda, yadda. At some point, you just have to throw up your hands (or your middle finger) and say "I know what's best for me and my family!"
ReplyDeleteIt's much like politics: if there was one right answer, there wouldn't be so many differing opinions! We are all doing the best we can, right?
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