Article: 'Parents Who Keep Their Children Close "

[Melanie]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23590-2004Jun7.html

[beckyr88]

Thanks for the link!

[american_mama]

I'm curious what people think of this article, especially those who practice attachment parenting. Although I do not, I found the article to be quite negative and a little misleading. The author appears to insert his/her opinion throughout the article, and the article portrays attachment parenting as such a fringe thing even though I know parents in places as far flung as Minneapolis, Utah, Washington DC, and these boards who consider it quite a common choice.

Anyway... I am really not a proponent of attachment parenting, but I disliked this article.

[Rachels]

It did make AP seem like kind of an odd, out-there thing to do, which I don't love. But at the same time, I'm glad to see it getting press, because I think so many people think they HAVE to put babies in cribs, let them CIO, have to wean at a year, etc. So I think it's great that there's info to say that, no, you really don't. But I agree, I wish it had been portrayed as a little less bizarre.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies/character/2/character39.gif

"We have a secret in our culture...it's not that birth is painful, it's that women are strong!!" - Laura Stavoe Harm

[Melanie]

ITA with Rachel. As long as they're not making it look abusive, press is good for getting the word out.

[JMS]

I agree that it's good to get the ideas of AP out there circulating. I think I am a pretty big reader/researcher and I had never really heard of AP as a recognized practice b/4 DD was born. Then I basically stumpled on some information and thought "hey, that's kinda what I do." Of course, I believe generally in life in moderation and that no one way is the only way. Basically, I do use strollers (how could I not with reading these boards :) ) and want to eventually wean my DD off co-sleeping (which is not what we do 100% of the time anyway), but I more or less like the attachment principles and ways.

I think the article definitely had negative undertones but I like that it (somewhat) showed the two sides, which hopefully allows readers to draw their own conclusions..

Ok, really tired.. not sure any of that made sense and now somewhat forgetting what the article said despite having finished it 5 minutes ago.. time to go co-sleep :)