What Attachment Parenting is not.
Attachment Parenting is not permissive parenting. Permissive parenting is not good for children or parents. As an attachment parenting mother, I do not condone permissive parenting. At the same time I do not support the “parent as king” type of mentality, either.
I think parents often fear losing control over their children. They fear the phases that children naturally go through will last forever. With gentle guidance, children will learn proper behaviour and will outgrow those natural phases that can cause parents such worry.
Harsh discipline serves no purpose other than to help the parent maintain strict control of the child. I feel that it is my job to guide my children, to let them know ahead of time what consequences may occur if they choose a certain decision. It is also my job to know the circumstances that could render less than desirable behaviour from my children. I should prevent those circumstances when possible while at the same time instructing them on how to overcome certain problems in order to feel peaceful.
Attachment parenting requires gentle discipline and gentle discipline is entirely possible when parents are proactive.
June 7th, 2007 at 9:23 am
That’s a good insight. I had a friend who gave up attachment parenting because the way she was doing it was permissive. So it’s nice to know that permissiveness isn’t the point. We’re pretty attached to our son, carry him a lot, let him sleep next to our bed.
July 12th, 2007 at 7:03 am
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