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Attachment styles and parenting styles
Attachment theory parenting styles
Attachment styles and parenting styles
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Is it unusual when the cover of TIME magazine depicts a young child being fed by the breast of his mother? Believe it or not, there are mothers who breastfeed their children up to the age of six. This trend can be classified as attachment parenting. Attachment parenting, as explored by TIME’s Kate Pickert, is a controversial issue that has been the topic of discussion for decades. Thus, whether attachment parenting is acceptable or not has been long debated, and its controversy can lead to some oppositions. Firstly, the cover’s title, “Are you mom enough?,” which advertises this parenting style, is questionable to working mothers. For instance, what does it even mean to be mom enough? Secondly, a major criticism of this parenting style is that it could lead to dependent and spoiled children. Then, Dr. Bill Sears, an advocate for this style of parenting, suggests to mothers that attachment parenting prevents bullying. Based on these objections, it appears to some people that there are more positive benefits associated with weaning a child off of breastfeeding before they reach a certain age.
The cover of TIME magazine uses pathos to invoke acceptance as a child stands clinging on to his mother’s breast, along with the words, “Are you mom enough?” This assertion can empower some women to do the accepted thing; yet, offend other women, who don’t agree, at the same time. A mother’s primary role is to nurture and guide the growth of her family. The woman, in particular, displays this role in which, “her charge [is] to oversee her child’s physical, intellectual, and spiritual development” (Plant 2010). However, there are many ways to manage a child’s well-being, aside from breastfeeding up to the age of six. Therefore, the cover can imply that mothers. who don’t practice attachment parenting, are not woman enough. Moreover, it doesn’t necessarily make a mother a bad parent if she doesn’t attend to her child’s every cry, sleep beside him at night, or breastfeed him throughout his entire adolescence. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life. Afterwards, their studies suggest that the child “should receive complementary foods that are nutritionally adequate (providing sufficient calories, protein as well as micronutrients needed for proper growth) and safe while continuing to breastfeed for up to 2 years or more” (Children’s Health). Based on their study, there is a positive correlation between weaning a child completely off of his mom by two and his level of independence into toddlerhood.
The article shortly summarizes new findings of a study published in the scholarly journal Social Science & Medicine, conducted by Assistant Professor of sociology at the Ohio State University Cynthia Colen. The Times Magazine article describes the research done by Colen as a longitudinal study using three populations of 8,237 children, 7,319 siblings and 1,773 paired siblings as its sample where one sibling was breast-fed while the other was not. Sifferlin stated there were eleven outcomes during the study used to determine the impact breast feeding had on the population. The eleven outcomes derived from prior research. The author of the article interpreted the findings of the study and the findings of previous studies of related topics.
“How to Be a Mean Mother”. Mommy Has to Work. Global Influence. 8 May 2010. Web. 20 June 2010.
For Hays, intensive mothering is characterized as child-centered parenting in which the mother, as the supposed primary caregiver, must personally obligate herself to the enhancement of her child’s intellectual capacity (Hays 414). Intensive mothers believe that meeting the needs of their child is intrinsically necessary, even in the expense of their careers, and requires substantial investment of mental, emotional, moral, and physical energy. However, as part of her cynical questioning, Hays emphasizes that the practice of intensive mothering is a social construct that is situated within a specific economic and historical context (Hays 410). Therefore, intensive mothering is neither natural nor
In the article, “A Mother’s Day Kiss-Off,” Leslie Bennetts expresses her malcontentedness with corporate culture’s hostility toward mothers and care taking needs (42). Bennetts uses facts, figures, and even a testimony to shed light on the average mother’s modern dilemma. She attempts to show the unjust treatment of mothers by several different outside forces. In the article, “The Myth of Co-Parenting: How It Was Supposed to Be. How It Was.,” Hope Edelman vents her frustration at the mother’s inability to deny the role of the prominent parent (51). She uses her own personal experience to show just how ingrained societal standards are into the public. Her article goes through her own descension into the average wife, sacrificing her own career
Criticisms of attachment theory have come mainly from the feminist schools of thought since the theory has been used to argue that no woman with a young child should work outside the home or spend time away from her baby (Goodsell and Meldrum, 2010). Children’s experience and development also depend on what happens after early years, whether bad or good later in life may change a child’s emotional development, e.g. lack of basic needs, diet, education, stimulation such as play might affect a child’s development (Rutter, 1981). Differences in cultures have to be taken into consideration as well. A study by Schaffer and Emmerson (1964) provided contradictory evidence for Bowlby’s attachment theory. They noted attachment was more prominent at eight months, and afterwards children became attached to more than one person.
Parenting has been a long practice that desires and demands unconditional sacrifices. Sacrifice is something that makes motherhood worthwhile. The mother-child relationship can be a standout amongst the most convoluted, and fulfilling, of all connections. Women are fuel by self-sacrifice and guilt - but everyone is the better for it. Their youngsters, who feel adored; whatever is left of us, who are saved disagreeable experiences with adolescents raised without affection or warmth; and mothers most importantly.
John Bowlby’s attachment theory established that an infant’s earliest relationship with their primary caregiver or mother shaped their later development and characterized their human life, “from the cradle to the grave” (Bowlby, 1979, p. 129). The attachment style that an infant develops with their parent later reflects on their self-esteem, well-being and the romantic relationships that they form. Bowlby’s attachment theory had extensive research done by Mary Ainsworth, who studied the mother-infant interactions specifically regarding the theme of an infant’s exploration of their surrounding and the separation from their mother in an experiment called the strange situation. Ainsworth defined the four attachment styles: secure, insecure/resistant, insecure/avoidant and disorganized/disoriented, later leading to research studies done to observe this behavior and how it affects a child in their adolescence and adulthood.
The attachment theory, presented by Mary Ainsworth in 1969 and emerged by John Bowlby suggests that the human infant has a need for a relationship with an adult caregiver, and without a subsequent, development can be negatively impacted (Hammonds 2012). Ainsworth proposes that the type of relationship and “attachment” an infant has with the caregiver, can impact the social development of the infant. As stated by Hammonds (2012), attachment between a mother and a child can have a great impact on the child 's future mental
Infant attachment is the first relationship a child experiences and is crucial to the child’s survival (BOOK). A mother’s response to her child will yield either a secure bond or insecurity with the infant. Parents who respond “more sensitively and responsively to the child’s distress” establish a secure bond faster than “parents of insecure children”. (Attachment and Emotion, page 475) The quality of the attachment has “profound implications for the child’s feelings of security and capacity to form trusting relationships” (Book). Simply stated, a positive early attachment will likely yield positive physical, socio-emotional, and cognitive development for the child. (BOOK)
Women do not breastfeed long enough. Although healthcare workers try to promote the breast method, many women do not continue with it. Breastfeeding does come with challenges; however, the phrase “breast is best” is the role of the nurse in conjunction with education. A mother a...
Breastfeeding is a nonsexual and nurturing bond between a mother and her child and not the business of anyone else. As a society, we must offer protection for these vulnerable and cherishing mothers and create a welcoming and comfortable climate for them to feel empowered. Let’s put an end to this mother of all battles. Thank
There are so many reasons to fear or be concerned about the tomorrows of our world, but if there were a solution to some of the health problems what would the choice be for most? Would it be to continue in the downward pattern of destruction or would it be something better to help all? In most cases many people state that training starts in the home and what, but a good way to start with none other than our children. So why not consider breast milk? Breastfeeding can start as soon as the child is born. With the protection of breast milk the overall focus on disease, illness and sickness would be half the battle. Breast milk provides many benefits and the dietary influence it has on disease is too great to be compared to.
The relationship between the female subject and food appears innate and biological, yet is also profoundly associated with the subjecthood of being a mother. Replace the word ‘food’ with the comparable ‘nourishment’, and the relationship becomes clearer: a mother provides her child with nourishment through breastfeeding. In Edith Frampton’s discussion on breastfeeding narratives, she states that breastfeeding
Those who are able to do so are proud to tell you how they are glad to not have to use formula. Yet, if you asked her if she would drink it herself, she would probably “no way!” Yet, this article expresses a lesser known and curious prospective.; it opens the door for the question, of: “Is human breast milk as an acceptable food for adults?” It (what?) features a well known New York ...
There are poor attitudes and misconceptions towards infant and young child feeding (IYCF) regulations. For instance, Syrian mothers have been more likely to use infant formula over breast milk in Syria, and this problem has worsened with the unregulated distribution of baby formula in the earlier days of the crisis. Few mothers or caretakers understood the benefits or importance of exclusive breastfeeding for infants for the first six months. Refugees often reported they exclusively breastfed, but were found to give other fluids to their infants (Sebuliba, 2015). Another common misconception was that bottle feeding was preferable, and that stress on a woman’s body prevents her from breastfeeding. Older generations with poor education on the benefits of breastfeeding often counsel younger women to give breastmilk substitute, and younger women almost exclusively follow this advice. Misconceptions amongst caregivers and mothers during the discussions included poor advice, telling women to “give water and herbs,” or that “breastmilk alone is insufficient for infants,” and “traditional approaches are preferred.” Fänder’s study found that mothers have been breastfeeding without iron supplementation after their child has reached 6 months of age. They have also used non-iron fortified cow's milk as weaning food, frequently fed their babies tea, and rarely fed them meat due to its high cost. During the winter, it is difficult to transport food and grow produce, so mothers have to resort to feeding their children watered down foods. (Luce, 2015). Given the cultural norms in Syria, girls become mothers at a very young age and were pressured to wean female infants off of breastmilk to increase the chance of becoming pregnant, hoping that the next child