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Mayim Bialik is Ruining My Rep

SandiaPinaMamaSandiaPinaMama member
in Attachment Parenting

Okay, not exactly.  She was on GMA this morning and maybe Nightline tonight pimping her new book, Beyond the Sling. 

So my mom says tonight, all awkward and everything, "soooo....do you consider yourself an attachment parent?".  She sounds terrified.  I'm all oblivious, and "oh yeah!"  I launch into how great being AP is and how successful I feel as a parent as a result, blah blah blah.  And my mom comes back with "can't you just parent in a way that feels right, and not have that term, that label on you?".  Ahh.  My mother is clearly mortified that one of her own is doing this.  She tells me about watching Mayim Bialik (you know, that chick from Blossom) on GMA.  She is freaking out.  I try to reassure her that I am not some zombie.  

As soon as I get home, I google.  I couldn't watch the videos while LO was nursing, so I read this.  There is a lot that she said that has nothing to do with being AP (not eating out, sleeping on a futon as opposed to a mattress, etc.).  The interviewer (Juju Chang maybe?) is clearly appalled.  And so is my mom. 

What say you?  Glad that MB is speaking out, or wishing she'd shut up?


BFP#1 "Watermelon" born 3/2011
BFP#2 "Pumpkin" 7/14/12 ~ EDD 3/23/13 ~ Natural M/C 8/3/12 @ 7 weeks
BFP#3 "Pineapple"  born 4/2013
BFP#4 "Grapefruit" EDD 3/29/16
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Re: Mayim Bialik is Ruining My Rep

  • 3003girl3003girl member

    I watched the video (while doing other things, so i was really just listening) but Mialik seemed to be open to other parenting styles while she was talking about hers, ie not forcing herself on others. Not sure how the book is though. 

    I think it is good for her to be in the public eye, but I also struggle with her because she is seen as so "out there" by many people. Society needs balance though, and if some people are inspired by MB breastfeeding past 2 *gasp!* then it's great. 

    I was much more annoyed at the reporters who were bantering back and forth, and the woman reporter who shoved the cosleeping ad with the butcher knife in MB face expecting some sort of wild reaction. ugh.  

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  • Lhand11Lhand11 member
    She is on the view right now. 
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  • nosoup4unosoup4u member

    She annoys me!

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  • SinafeySinafey member
    I've read some of her AP articles and thought that she came off as judgy and extreme, but I liked her in this story.  I think it's great that she's letting people know a bit about the AP philosophy and how well it's worked for her and her peers, without coming off as judgmental.  I wish the story had focused more on why people practice Attachment Parenting and less on the crunchy parent checklist: ebf'ing, babywearing, bedsharing, ec, etc..
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  • frlcbfrlcb member
    imageMandJS:

    I LOVE that MB is speaking out. But that's got almost more to do with the part where she raises her kids orthodox Jewish than the AP part (she's kosher AND vegan. This is where the not eating out comes into play - not for the AP part). She's not saying anything that she hasn't been saying already - she blogs and writes articles on like 3 or 4 different websites. Plus, the woman is SMART. She is LITERALLY a neuroscientist. She doesn't just play one on TV. Wink And she's bringing some of the AP practices (such as cosleeping, extended BFing, etc.) into more of the mainstream. On her FB page, she talks about her book, etc. And she has a TON of fans from TBBT that are on there. So I like it. She, just like anyone else who writes a book, is just talking about her philosophy of parenting and life.

    ETA: I've heard her speak. She comes across way more realistic and approachable than they portray her in this article. 

    I have heard her speak too and was actually really impressed with her, when before I kind of thought she was a nut.  

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  • pixieprincsspixieprincss member

    I thought that interview was well within what I consider normal. She was respectful of other views, she emphasised safety with bedsharing. I agree that spending lots of time (as life permits) with little ones is beneficial. I know that some people are horrified by the idea of a 3 year old nursing, but some people are horrified by the idea of a baby with teeth nursing. And, well, you know what they say about opinions...

    I think saying NO diapers was a tagline the network put in. I don't recall her actually using that terminology when she talked about EC. 

    I'll admit that I have concerns with unschooling and a child's ability to later transition to college or mainstream work enviornment, but that is not part of AP as a tenant.

    It seemed like normal journalism that leaves out the full story (one example: the fact that many babies in the world are diaper-free and bedshare) to create headlines that get attention.

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  • desdemona39desdemona39
    I just saw her on my morning news, and she was very positive, and said that there are many ways to parent, and she wanted to share what works for her. She also made sure to clarify to the horrified anchor- "you mean no diapers??" that EC isn't attachment parenting per se, that it is a related concept, and may not work for everyone. She came across as very intelligent and open-minded.
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