Re: BabyWise - Not for parents who care

Posted by Valerie on June 25, 2002 at 21:10:27:

In Reply to: Re: BabyWise - Not for parents who care posted by Darren Gardner on May 13, 2001 at 15:37:48:

: : Upon reading Baby Wise I discovered that the author is not a child development expert. He is not trained in pediatrics, psychology, or any other form of research based ideology recognized by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The brain behind this concept comes from a very well meaning Minister. Please understand, if I had a question regarding a theological topic, I would go to EZZO for expert information (by the way, I am a Christian). But he is not a child development expert. Why on earth would we try to "train" our children as we would our family dog. Do you eat sleep and drink on a strictly regimented schedule? Does your child even begin to understand why on earth you respond to him during the day and refuse to do so at night. Did you know that until 100 years ago, doctors recommended to their new mothers to sleep with their children and wear their children? In addition, this practice is still the norm in most other countries except the United States? With much more success? Why do we have to have the mentality that we have to control our children before they control us? Infants don't have the mental capacity to manipulate and control us. They barely have the mental capacity to learn to trust and love. Why not simply work with the God given personality that your child was given and guide him/her to a healthy adolescent and adult? Putting my child in a dark room and closing the door behind me and simply walking away goes against every bone in my body and I just can't understand how anyone can do this (and don't get me wrong, I have been severely sleep deprived due to my very high need infant).

I had a friend to recommend Babywise to me, and she has "successfully" used this method on her last 2 children. She fully believes in this method. I, however, completely failed at doing this because I had such a hard time NOT responding to my child's cry. I felt so much better having read your comment about the whole thing and agree with you completely. I, too, am a Christian, and felt that I was wrong in not trying to stick to this method. My husband is the type who believes 100% in what he reads and is disappointed that I will not enforce this method at home. Thank you for speaking out!!!

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