Attachment Parenting

If you bring up the subject of attachment parenting, you are going to find that it is a very touchy subject for some people. I have never come across a conversation about this parenting style anywhere online that has not turned vicious. People either really love the idea, or they really hate it. There seems to be no in between. Though I can see where there may be some benefits to attachment parenting, it is definitely not something that I would ever do.

I guess you could put me in the category of those who do not like it. To me, attachment parenting seems to be coddling. While I think it is important for us to love and nurture our children, I don’t think attachment parenting is preparing them for the world. No matter how much we love them, or how easy we want things to be for them, the truth is that the world will eat up children were not ready for it. There is nothing easy in the adult world, and those who are not prepared are going to fail.

Those who support attachment parenting claim that the closeness gives the children the confidence they need when they are away from their parents. However, I have yet to see any evidence of this. I know a few people who practice attachment parenting, and all of their children tend to be clingy and whiny. When they are left on their own to deal with a situation, these children do not know what to do. They are so use to having an adult right next to them to make their decisions that they cannot properly decide things for themselves.

I guess those who believe in attachment parenting that think I’m a mean mommy. I give my child all the love and support I can, but I do everything I can to show her how to stand on her own two feet. I do not want to send my daughter off to kindergarten with a sense of helplessness. I want her to feel strong on her own, yet she will know that I’m here for her whenever she needs me. I’m sure there are good things about attachment parenting, but as far as I’m concerned, it is not something that I will ever practice. I know that children are the innocent ones, but if they are not prepared for the harshness of the real world, they’re going to fail. What kind of parent would I be if I set my child up for failure?