The term attachment parenting was originally coined by pediatrician William Sears and these days it’s a way of life for many parents, some of whom don’t even realize they’re doing it! There are entire communities both online and in ‘real life’ that are dedicated to parenting. So what is this way of parenting and is it for you?
Attachment parenting loosely translates to responsive and emotional parenting, where parents and caregivers respond to a child’s needs in a way that is said to promote healthy social and emotional development. For example, many attached parents can co-sleeping for as long as their child benefits from it, which in some cases can be several years. The belief is that by allowing the child to sleep peacefully together with the parents, the child learns to grow in confidence to the point that he can finally sleep independently, because no one has asked him to do this before he is ready. . The ultimate goal of attachment parenting is to promote a healthy attachment between parent and child, and let’s face it, most parents want this strong, secure bond anyway.
During the first few weeks of a baby’s life, attachment parenting requires parents to keep their baby close as much as they can and as often as they can. Baby carriers and baby carriers are perfect for this and help to further strengthen the bond. Holding your baby also means that you become more adept at your baby’s moods, wants, needs, and emotions, mainly due to close proximity.
Attachment parenting does not believe in letting a baby cry; this goes against the concept. By responding to his bay immediately, it is believed that you are instilling in your child the confidence that he needs to gain independence. Breastfeeding is also very common for parents who follow the attachment parenting model. Of course, this is not always possible for all mothers, and that’s okay.
Finally, attachment parenting, contrary to popular belief, requires discipline. The term commonly used is “gentle discipline,” which means that parents need to understand their child’s behavior in order to deal with it appropriately. For example, babies like to put things in their mouths; this is a big part of the ways they learn about texture and taste. It would be unrealistic to remove all objects from a baby’s reach twenty-four hours a day, so attachment parenting requires parents to simply educate their children on what things can and cannot be tried. The same goes for rude behavior. A baby who likes to pull hair should be gently told no and then shown how to play nice.
Many parents will find that they are already applying many of the principles of attachment parenting. William Sears has written many interesting books on this subject, and his theories may already be common practice in his household. The most important fact to remember is that as a parent, it’s vital to follow his instincts. The rest will hopefully follow naturally.
