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.
Ann says
Why don’t you bring this up as a thread on the ladies’ forum? Or even on the general one?
I always went with my gut. When my kids were little, you weren’t supposed to feed any solid food until 9 months. I knew they were hungry. . .and they got fed from about 5 months on.
Anyway, I think that would be an interesting discussion, and you could cut and paste exactly what you said here. 🙂
Michelle says
Okay, I will!