I’m still thinking about those foundational early months in a child’s first year of life. The challenge is that some conflicting approaches both claim to be the biblical approach.

For example, one side believes that having a schedule (even a flexible one) is a part of teaching a child not to be “demanding.” Not picking up a crying infant (who is crying “just for attention”) is said to teach biblical authority. I’ve seen people object to some extremes, but still claim that the lack of a feeding schedule is a dangerous precedent.

The other side believes that allowing a baby to cry for almost any reason violates the loving character of God. Causing guilt or pain is unbiblical.

What is a young mother to do? One approach may be foreign to your Christian subculture, and perhaps we all have a tendency to feel our own mothering habits to be superior and respond accordingly. Or maybe our response is to believe little that I say or do in these early years makes a significant difference in older years. I think I’ve been tiptoeing amidst the last error, to some degree.

No answers today.

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Filed under: Child Development