today's G2

[alexist]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,1644103,00.html

Now, while I know mothers who have had a lot of success with 'attachment parenting' techniques, I think this guy is a bit much--carrying your baby around for 8 months?! Things like this will just make women feel even guiltier and more inadequate. It's wonderful to give all these idealistic recommendations, but IMO, the best advice is the advice that can actually be followed. If people feel that goals are unattainable and unrealistic, they're less likely to even try, whereas if guidelines are geared to the 'real world', you'll have a better compliance rate and possibly better outcomes as a result.

Of course we all want 'the best' for children, but there's a real need for balance.

Comments

[mommyathome.livejournal.com]

But he's not saying that mothers need to stay home. He's saying that workplaces need to make more concessions for working mothers. You can wear your baby when they are small while you are working on a computer (I know this, I've done it). The first 6 months generally you can do whatever you want with an infant (as in travel, work, clean) they are still small enough to hold a bunch without killing your back (especially if you are sitting). I don't know about 8 months, some kids that are big that could be pushing it, but 6 months definitely.

Also, he's saying it so countries will change their rules towards moms. I know some countries in Europe give moms a year and a half of paid leave so that they could stay home with their kids. Of course these countries have negative population growth but they also think that allowing this will mean less money to fix the behavioral problems which will happen later on from neglect.

I don't think his goal is to make women feel guilty. I'm certain that if given enough time and space he would give suggestions in the article of what women could do if they aren't in the ideal situation, but that wasn't the goal of the journalist, was it? I mean, Dr. Sears is all into baby-wearing, but he also makes suggestions in his book (which is like, 1000 pages long) about what to do if you aren't in the situation where you can do that. Loads of experts give advice, and from it you have to take bits and pieces to create your own opinions.

[mommyathome.livejournal.com]

OH one more thing - and you probably won't like this opinion, but if someone is the type who isn't "meant" to stay at home with their kids, maybe they shouldn't be having kids.

In my opinion there's no point in having children if you aren't willing and able to make the sacrifices in your life that children deserve. They don't ask to be born, so parents don't have the right to be selfish and pay someone else to raise their kids. I mean, really, what's the point in having kids if you're not there to raise them?