Worst parenting advice ever

EcoBaby · November 2009

This is the bolded text from a Parents magazine article:

"Crying is simply part of being a baby. Not something to stop"

and

"Your child is ready to learn to soothe himself at 3 months."

Angry

In the text:

..."While stumbling into the nursery multiple times a night to help your baby settle might feel like the right thing to do, its not."

It goes on to recommend a Ferber like approach to CIO at 3 months because its just going to be harder the longer you wait.

The article is full of similarly bad advice.

WTF?

MrsAmers · November 2009

O.M.G.

That's really just criminal...

goodheartedmommy · November 2009

Seriously? Yuck! That's why I avoid these magazines!

cindy453 · November 2009

I read that article and was outraged.. seriously, three months???? Em still wakes up a ton at night to eat

tommigirle · November 2009

EcoBaby:

..."While stumbling into the nursery multiple times a night to help your baby settle might feel like the right thing to do, its not."

i have to say that i agree with this 100%. that's why my kiddos sleep in our bed! no "stumbling to the nursery multiple times at night!"

total bs. whover wrote that article should be ashamed.

EcoBaby · November 2009

tommigirle:
EcoBaby:

..."While stumbling into the nursery multiple times a night to help your baby settle might feel like the right thing to do, its not."

i have to say that i agree with this 100%. that's why my kiddos sleep in our bed! no "stumbling to the nursery multiple times at night!"

total bs. whover wrote that article should be ashamed.

I was thinking the same thing

peachypear · November 2009

EcoBaby:
"Crying is simply part of being a baby. Not something to stop"

Indifferent

moroccojade · November 2009

What magazine is that from? PURE insanity.

I subscribed to a seemingly mainstream parenting magazine here in Canada (Today's Parent) just because I was offered a really great deal.... and I'm shocked at how EF and AP they are for the most part. No, it doesn't go nearly as far as _Mothering_ but I was still pleased. (I actually enjoy it more than Mothering to be honest. Mothering makes me feel guilty most of the time...)

Anyway, Today's Parent had a sleep article not so long ago. It explained CIO/Ferber and then tagged on that such methods are only effective 40% of the time at best, and the need to re-do the training (at least once - often more) at some point is pretty much guaranteed. So in their own way they were nicely trying to point parents to non-CIO methods. I really appreciated that.

Hippinski · November 2009

But of course it's okay. It's in a parenting magazine.

:headdesk:

erinkate23 · November 2009

Didn't you know?

"Crying is good for a baby's lungs."

(not a quote from the magazine but from my MIL the other day..... seemed to fit)

Hippinski · November 2009

tommigirle:
EcoBaby:

..."While stumbling into the nursery multiple times a night to help your baby settle might feel like the right thing to do, its not."

i have to say that i agree with this 100%. that's why my kiddos sleep in our bed! no "stumbling to the nursery multiple times at night!"

total bs. whover wrote that article should be ashamed.

YEP!

webMistress0609 · November 2009

moroccojade:
What magazine is that from? PURE insanity.
I subscribed to a seemingly mainstream parenting magazine here in Canada (Today's Parent) just because I was offered a really great deal.... and I'm shocked at how EF and AP they are for the most part. No, it doesn't go nearly as far as _Mothering_ but I was still pleased. (I actually enjoy it more than Mothering to be honest. Mothering makes me feel guilty most of the time...)
Anyway, Today's Parent had a sleep article not so long ago. It explained CIO/Ferber and then tagged on that such methods are only effective 40% of the time at best, and the need to re-do the training (at least once - often more) at some point is pretty much guaranteed. So in their own way they were nicely trying to point parents to non-CIO methods. I really appreciated that.

Yes, but you're in Canada. I mean, if we start dispensing AP friendly advice in parenting magazines here in the states, we may end up a bunch of socialist commies like you, with your "health care" and such.

I'm kidding, by the way.

ETA: Which issue is this in? Maybe we should all write a letter to the editor?

KimberJEB · November 2009

I HATED that article. And the part about the more you hold them, the more they'll cry??? It was crazy. And sad. Can you imagine all the people who are going to be having their newborns CIO b/c of this?

jen_and_tom · November 2009

despicable. Using that magazine for parenting advice is like turning to Cosmo for body image and sexuality advice.

moroccojade · November 2009

webMistress0609:
moroccojade:
What magazine is that from? PURE insanity.
I subscribed to a seemingly mainstream parenting magazine here in Canada (Today's Parent) just because I was offered a really great deal.... and I'm shocked at how EF and AP they are for the most part. No, it doesn't go nearly as far as _Mothering_ but I was still pleased. (I actually enjoy it more than Mothering to be honest. Mothering makes me feel guilty most of the time...)
Anyway, Today's Parent had a sleep article not so long ago. It explained CIO/Ferber and then tagged on that such methods are only effective 40% of the time at best, and the need to re-do the training (at least once - often more) at some point is pretty much guaranteed. So in their own way they were nicely trying to point parents to non-CIO methods. I really appreciated that.
Yes, but you're in Canada. I mean, if we start dispensing AP friendly advice in parenting magazines here in the states, we may end up a bunch of socialist commies like you, with your "health care" and such.
I'm kidding, by the way.

ETA: Which issue is this in? Maybe we should all write a letter to the editor?

lol.... yep, we are indeed rather socialist. Suits me very well TYVM. In the latest issue of that mag there was a letter to editor offering praise. She said how some American magazines scare her with the talk of guns and insurance and other things we don't give a second thought to up here. I'd faint if I opened up my parenting magazine and saw an article entitled "Keeping your toddler safe while having guns in your home." eep.

Jelliebean1982 · November 2009

Um, crying is an infant's only way of communication. Why ignore it? Why is it that we are encouraging our children to be independent of us at such an early age? I think it's nonsense and Americans should travel more and see how other cultures parent so that we can rethink some of our own parenting ideals.

HuneyofJeremy · November 2009

That really made me angry too. I was soooo mad when I read that.

LucyPevensie · November 2009

Sick. Who's getting us the address and/or e-mail so we can blast the editor with angry "you suck" letters?

rourkiesgirl · November 2009

i read that too and thought it was TERRIBLE! i couldn't believe that they were printing such extreme advice...and from an M.D (so of course it "has" to be right)....i considered posting it on here too

Hippinski · November 2009

LucyPevensie:
Sick. Who's getting us the address and/or e-mail so we can blast the editor with angry "you suck" letters?

LOVE this idea. I will look later after the babe is in bed. And the 6 yr old is no longer screaming like a banshee.

dmogmo · November 2009

That's awful. And shame on them for pushing CIO at 3 months. I love how these writers know what is right for every child at exactly the same time Confused

The email I got from the Bump had something like that last week to the effect that you shouldn't comfort your baby if they cry when help by someone else. Now, I'm all for helping them adjust to new people but the way they wrote it was crappy IMO.