Ack! Child's not so flattering take on AP

[MamaTT]

If anyone has read Child magazine this month, particularly the article on AP, I would love to hear your reactions. I don't really know how to respond to it.

Thanks for the input!

[CerridwenLorelei]

I didn't even know that

dumb mag was still out there
ugh..

[Piglet68]

I can't stand even looking at the cover pages of mainstream parenting mags anymore.

I'm afraid to ask: what did they say?

[MamaTT]

Still irked this morning....

well, It wasn't quite so much what they said, but how they said it. They emphasized the exceptions at the expence of the "rule" IYKWIM.

As an example of the many distorted things they said, (paraphrased) "while AP advocates wearing your baby in a sling or pack carrier, as much as 15 percent of babies don't like to be held or touched much."

I feel like the result of that, is that parents who don't feel like making the extra effort will immediately assume that their child is not part of the 85% norm.

I think they need some letters.

[PurplePixiePooh]

Ok, I like telling people off (I said people because we aren't supposed to say idiots anymore )

Is there an online link to the article so I can address all the incorrect and misinformation they are putting out there to ruin more people with???

Who's up for flooding those liars with letters of truth???

[~Megan~]

I just read most of it in a waiting room yesterday.

They are really twisted in their perception of AP. AP is being connected to your kids by meeting their needs. There is list that applies to most kids to help make that happen but I don't think I've seen anywhere that those are hard and fast rules.

[MamaTT]

They don't have their articles online, however it is easy to write a letter to the editor, etc from their site.

Please, if anyone is up for refuting it, even a simple "what AP means to me" would help, I think.

[Summertime Mommy]

I looked for the article on their site, but I couldn't find it. That is really annoying they would say that crap. I would love to read the article though and see if it is worthy of hate mail.

[Jish]

I read the article and I must admit that I was impressed that they even touched on the subject. I didn't think that the article was awful and I think that made a couple of good points. Of course it's been a while since I read it. I read it more as we often put too much pressure on ourselves to be perfect parents and do things in such a way, but that it often isn't realistic for one reason or the other. I think their whole point was that we should relax and not focus so much on following a specific parenting philosophy but rather on taking care of our children's (and our own) needs individually and instinctively.

If our child happens to be one of the 15% who don't like slinging (as was my first) we shouldn't beat ourselves up for it, or consider it some sort of AP failure. We are still attached parents. Unfortunately, all too often we consider it a failure if co-sleeping is less than fulfilling for us, or if our child hates the sling. I read their point to be that any parenting philosophy, but AP particularly because of the physical as well as emotional attachment to the baby, can wear a parent out if they feel that there is no leeway for individuality or personal preference.

For example, I consider myself to be an AP parent, but I am an awful sleeper, so co-sleeping simply isn't my bag. I moved my second child out of my bed at 6 months because I was beginning to resent him being there. I was a much happier and believe it or not, more attached parent when I did. I think that their point is that in my situation, many parents would have felt like failures as AP parents, or would have continued on co-sleeping despite their resentment (which isn't healthy for anyone) simply because AP preaches co-sleeping.

No, it wasn't my favorite all time AP article, but I do think that if we read it without a bias it does make some good points. I would encourage anyone who is infuriated and thinking of writing a letter but hasn't read the article, to at least read the article first. At least they were daring enough to at least educate their readers a bit about what attachment parenting is. Think of all the parents who read the article but had never heard of AP and may be considering some aspects of AP because now they know that other parents do the same things.

[JessicaS]

I haven't read the article and I am not sure 15% is accurate..I dunno...some babies don't like it

I have three sisters and my mom has mentioned how my youngest sister didn't put up with much cuddeling as a baby. She didn't want to be held much and wouldn't want to sit with people. She liked sitting in her baby seat and looking around. She didn't nurse as long as the rest of us either.

She was really hot natured as a baby too, I wonder if that had anything to do with it.