Why they always have to make cosleeping seem weird?

[minkajane]

I'm watching Hoarders. Both the kids' beds are covered in junk and not usable. So the therapist sees the 12yo boy's room and asks where he's sleeping. They say he sleeps in the master bedroom with his mom. Now, in this situation, I would say, "Are you concerned with him not being able to use his bed?" But no, the first thing out of the therapist's mouth is, "So, are we concerned about a 12yo sleeping with Mom?" She did the same thing with the 8yo, who slept in a sleeping bag on the floor with Dad. "So we have the same concerns about an 8yo sleeping with Dad." And of course, the parents give the answer they know she's expecting, which is yes.

This house is so bad the therapist is required to report them to CPS. Aren't there enough things to worry about other than the fact that they're sleeping with Mom and Dad? First thing I'd think is that their parents decided on this arrangement to be able to ensure their kids' safety during the night in a dangerous house. Why does the therapist have to focus on the fact that "OMG, they're sleeping with their PARENTS!" It would be a different situation if it was a 12yo who refused to ever leave the family bed because of some emotional need that wasn't being met. But this certainly doesn't seem like that.

It just irks me that TV always makes cosleeping seem to be such a weird thing. What harm is coming from the kids sleeping with their parents, especially if it's safer than sleeping on their own?

[Tway]

I saw the movie "Away We Go" when I was pregnant, and DH and I laughed at the Maggie Gyllenhaal character, who was portrayed as a ridiculous baby-wearing, cosleeping, extended-breast-feeding mother.

Turns out I was one too and just didn't know it. Now I look back an wonder what my reaction to the movie would be if I saw it for the first time today.

I also predict that, when our kids have kids, cosleeping will be accepted as the norm--just like breastfeeding our kids is the norm, whereas our mothers were told to formula feed.

[akind1]

I have seen this attitude also on clean house, one time it was a mom who brought her toddler into bed when her DH was away (what is wrong with that, I really don't understand, even from a more mainstream perspective) and another where they still co-slept at like 2 or 3 years old. To me, the problem wasn't the co-sleeping, it was that mom wanted to, and Dad was opposed. if you are going to do that, both parents need to be on board. In our group of friends, only 2 others co-sleep, but one is working on transitioning to crib sleeping. I think co-sleeping or not, so long as it works for you and your family, it doesn't matter (with the exception of CIO, which I think is or can be harmful) some babes do just fine in cribs or beds by themselves all night, and some moms can't sleep well with a babe in the bed. I try not to judge, but I do try to advocate and educate when I can!

I am way crunchier than I ever thought I'd be before DS was born. who knew?