Child Development and Attachment Parenting: A Perfect Combination One of the things that I love about attachment parenting

(AP) is that it is a na tural way to parent. The principles of attachment parenting are really about fol lowing our natural instincts (which are there for a reason) and a childs natural development. That is to say, if a parent follows their instincts in caring for t heir child (sleeping within reach, attending all their needs, and feeding on dem and, for example), they are not only following a long legacy of what our ancesto rs did, but they are following this new way of looking at child development- oft en called attachment parenting. Attachment parenting, a phrase coined by pediatrician William Sears, is a parent ing philosophy based on the principles of the attachment theory in developmental psychology. According to attachment theory, the child forms a strong emotional bond with car egivers during childhood with lifelong consequences. Sensitive and emotionally a vailable parenting helps the child to form a secure attachment style which foste rs a childs socio-emotional development and well being. Less sensitive and emotio nally available parenting or neglect of the childs needs may result in insecure f orms of attachment style, which is a risk factor for many mental health problems . Principles of attachment parenting aim to increase development of childs secu re attachment and decrease insecure attachment.- Wikipedia Since Dr. Sears coined the term, there have been many organizations and individu als who have further defined and refined the principles. My favorite spin on the principles are set forth by Attachment Parenting International. APIs Eight Principles of Parenting: 1st Principle: Prepare for Pregnancy, Birth, and Parenting 2nd Principle: Feed with Love and Respect 3rd Principle: Respond with Sensitivity 4th Principle: Use Nurturing Touch 5th Principle: Ensure Safe Sleep, Physically and Emotionally 6th Principle: Provide Consistent and Loving Care 7th Principle: Practice Positive Discipline 8th Principle: Strive for Balance in Personal and Family Life Lets explore some of these principles and see how they apply to what we know abou t child development: Principle Two: Feeding with love and respect Most equate AP with breastfeeding, and for the vast majority of AP parents, that is indeed the case. But if for some reason you are in the small percentage of m others that breastfeeding is not possible for (low supply, childbirth after mast ectomy, adoption and fostering there are many reasons this can happen), this pri nciple still applies to bottle feeders. To me, this principle means listening to your babys needs and responding to them, baby-led weaning (transition to solids), and child-led weaning from the bottle or breast. It means feeding healthy foods, avoiding overly processed and nutriti on poor foods, and allowing the child to take their time eating and exploring. A llowing a child to lead the weaning process is one that corresponds to their nat ural, neurological and emotional development and is not on an outside agenda or time-line with other priorities. Principle Three: Respond with Sensitivity As hard as it is for some of us to understand, there are those child care experts who advocate allowing your child to cry it out- in other words, not listen to your childs pleas for assistance in the only way they know how to ask for help crying

. These so-called experts believe that the child will learn to self-soothe and sto p crying. Critics in AP believe that yes, the child stops crying because they ha ve learned that communication does not get them what they need. The child has le arned that their needs will not be met, so they go without, silently. In fact, s tudies show that excessive, prolonged crying is harmful. Children in non-western cultures often have unlimited access to their parents an d other responsive caregivers. It is only in societies like ours, and in recent decades, that we expect children to act like miniature adults. As frustrating an d inconvenient as it sometimes is to take the time to respond thoughtfully and directly to your childs inquiries, cries, and actions - this is how effective pa renting needs to be done. It will come quite simply if you can only learn to tru st your instincts. What are some of the principles that you use in your home? How have they worked as your child develops and grows?