i no longer like Dr. Phil

[rareimer]

not that i really did that much anyways...but i saw this on his site:

http://www.drphil.com/advice/advice.jhtml?contentId=090302_parenting_infants_sl eep.xml&section=Parenting&subsection=Infants%2FToddlers and

http://www.drphil.com/advice/advice.jhtml?contentId=par_1047_cosleeping.xml&section=Parenting&subsection=Infants%2FToddlers

[StarMama]

At some point, parents have to draw the line. Ask yourself when (not "if") you'll do it. Why not now?

Maybe because the baby breastfeeds every hour or two and its the only way Mommy sleeps?? Maybe because the mother-child seperation should be a slow process?

I doubt Orion is gonna want to sleep with us when he's a teenager.

You're right Dr.Phil is a big ol' butthead!

[homebirthx2]

I have never liked Dr. Phil with his philosophy junk.

[Abigailsmommy]

I don't agree with this particular piece of advice but I think a lot of his advice is sound. I guess we will never agree with everything another person says.

[Elizabuddy'smama]

That's disappointing to hear since so many people think Dr. Phil's advice is like God's Word or something. I watch his show pretty frequently. I've heard him give other advice I don't agree with about extended BF and marriage. He thinks it should be illegal to marry before 30!

[ekblad9]

Thumbs down for Dr. Phil. I think he's very opinionated. I used to think he had all the answers until his comments on AP issues and marriage. I've never watched/read him since.

[candiland]

Isn't it funny, how the men tell women how to mother and f*ck everything up?:rolleyes:

[TiredX2]

I never liked Dr. Phil. I don't know how anyone could take parenting advice from a parent who has said on national T.V. that they really didn't want kids (and only had #2 to make DW happy). Ick, that made me never listen to him again!

[rareimer]

Originally posted by TiredX2
I never liked Dr. Phil. I don't know how anyone could take parenting advice from a parent who has said on national T.V. that they really didn't want kids (and only had #2 to make DW happy). Ick, that made me never listen to him again!

:tsk that is just sad. i bet that makes #2 feel just superb.

[Miekesmummy]

I don't mind him, I think his views on other issues are agreeable. I just don't listen to his views on parenting.

[mamacrab]

Originally posted by candiland
Isn't it funny, how the men tell women how to mother and f*ck everything up?:rolleyes:

LOL!! How true and well said!

I can't stand Dr Phil because of his anti-family-bed stance AND his loathsome diet commercials. I just heard one the other day that said, in a regretful voice, "Yes, its true, eating urges will occur, but thats why we have Dr Phil's diet snacks."

Eating urges will occur??? YES, BECAUSE WE ALL (EVEN WOMEN!) NEED TO EAT!!! And what we need to eat is not Dr Phul's junk, but real food! I *hate* the way the diet industry tries to turn eating into something shameful!!

[UmmIlyas]

I think Dr. Phil is a dork who practices pop-psychology and only tells people what he thinks will make him gobs of money.

He graduated from UT (the rival to my university). One of my counseling profs said of Dr. Phil: "Dr. Phil doesn't counsel. All is does is give you a swift kick in the butt. Call my mother, she'd be happy to do the same for free!":p

Didn't he get booted out of the American Psychological Association for ethical reasons (sleeping with a client, or something like that).

From what I can tell, most of the advice he gives may be valid but it doesn't really help the person in question 'better themselves' (for lack of a better term at this moment). His advice is 'fix-it-quick' drive-through window counseling that seems great at the moment but won't help the individual in the long run.

Besides, what the heck does he know about child development?

cheers

[rachdoll]

I read the links and couldn't resist sending him a message. I'm sure the links and the episode are from awhile back, but ugh, that first one really was just full of crap!

Here's what I sent:

Dr. Phil:

Regarding "Where Should Your Child Sleep?" on the website and the story "Co Sleeping" from the Episode "How to Talk to Your Kids About..."

This first bit about not sharing a bed with your child is crap. I know that is a very childish way of putting it, but when so many people turn to you for advice, it's so frustrating when you don't put real information on your site. Yes, having a child in the parents' bed can be disruptive to a marriage, but having a child PERIOD should be disruptive to a marriage, otherwise I really wonder about how attentive to the child the parents are being. I know parents need to be happy, but this does not have to happen exclusive of co-sleeping. Plus, I would think that you would say to spice up the relationship by having romantic interludes outside of the bedroom.

If everyone is happy in the same bed, why tell America it should not be happening? SIDS rates decrease significantly in infants who co-sleep. Precautions need to be taken, but do any research on co-sleeping and the first thing you find is information on how safe it is, including what not to do to keep it safe. Mom is very in tune to her baby, especially when in such close proximity. And, co-sleeping allows for such a strong bond, especially in families where one or both parents work outside of the home for hours on end 5+ days a week. Co-sleeping also helps regulate the infant's breathing pattern, because the baby breathed right along with mama in utero, so it is habit when lying next to mom.

We co-sleep, I am breastfeeding our 18 months old, and we are happy. When complete strangers comment on our daughter's calm, attentive, kind and, most of all, happy, temperament, I know that what we are doing is right. I don't think it's fair of you to dismiss co-sleeping as absolutely the wrong thing to do. And, by the way, did you know that most of the 'experts' who oppose co-sleeping are somehow linked to those who manufacture cribs?

Sincerely,
Rachel Foraker

*edited to show the final version of my letter - Dr. Phil's site only accepts messages <2000 characters.

[Mamid]

he _does_ practice pop psyc. and not even good pop psyc. He fixes the booboos with bandaids and a kiss and that's about it.

Did you see the guy within the last 4 weeks who flipped Philly the bird? :rotflmao Of course Philly decided to "council" the parents and I was just about puking as I watched them bawl their eyes out over their son. He was asserting his independance and when Philly tried to work his ass stomp "magic" he got his comeupance.:clap

Phil doesn't understand his "fixits" aren't fixits. They don't go down to the root of the problem.

I could just see him trying to council my mother and me. I'd flip him off too!

[Tuesday]

I don't like Dr. Phil. I don't know why some people listen to this pseudo "experts"/celebs . This guy is on T.V. which means he is part of the "Entertainment Business" and trying, in the end, to sell a product. I really don't like this fellow now, though.

[mama_kass]

Those articles were very poorly written with very little factual information. Fortunatly, it's so bad it is very easy to see that the writter didn't know what he/she was talking about.

Dr. Phil gives horrible advice on a great many things. Sometimes he appears uneducated instead of a Phd.

In his defense I'll say that some of the tips he offers are great advice if you don't want to co-sleep. I think that co-sleeping should be mutual. If the parent or child/ren do not want to co-sleep such an arrangement will only damage a relationship. However, this was not his point or intent.

[onegr8mom03]

what aweful articles!!!

He advises against the practice of letting children sleep with their parents, as does the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Yes, and we must listen to everything the AAP says! :duh

Others point out that infant deaths are often tied to co-sleeping.
Which infant deaths?? They must have the confused with the lower SIDS rate among co-sleepers! :scratch

[mom2noah]

Ugh. I watched Dr. Phil the first time when he was on Oprah and I remember then thinking what a moron he was. Then again I don't like Oprah, or talk shows in general. When I need advice or am going through a tough time I do not look to my television. The stuff I hear he says is just down right outrageous. He would probably tear me apart. Young (20's), unwed mother (been with dp for 7 years) who shares the family bed and plans to extend bf as long as DS wants. Sigh...

I loved the letter you wrote.

[Mamid]

Montel has a parenting show on Wednesday. One of the guests is a 9yo cosleeper. Another is a mom who refuses to vax her 2yo child.

Like I blame her for that.

The 9yo could have a developmental difficulty or he just wants to stay in his parent's bed for a while longer. Its not like he's going to be sleeping there when he goes to college!