Parenting is a constant, ebb and flow style for every new and veteran parent in the world. Talk to any parent, and they will always have a method or idea to share about what has worked (or has not!) for raising a child or children. Although most people cannot say there is one, tried and true way to raise their child, there are a plethora of parenting styles that are new and emerging as parents look to different ways of raising their children. One such method that has garnered some attention is attachment parenting, which has its positives and negatives, like most parenting styles.
What Is Attachment Parenting?
Attachment Parenting centers around raising your child with much more emotional attachment between the parent and child, often being closer with them and offering more frequent moments of attachment. This can equate to being held more often, soothed more frequently, and generally spending more time with their children. This method of parenting can create a stronger bond between child and parent, and help them to process their emotions better. They can seek comfort with their parent, but can also talk about their emotions during the process, letting them think through what they are experiencing before they react. Having a stronger attachment to a parent in essence also creates a stronger bond, so children feel more protected and have someone to come to when they face a challenge. Or for when they simply want a comforting hand or hug!
Changing Styles
For most parents now, they were most likely raised in a home environment that potentially offered this level of support and attachment, but maybe at a less frequent scale. It is hard to compare parenting styles overall, and every individual is going to experience something different (even siblings with the same parents!). But most parenting styles revolve around positive and negative reinforcement as a means of parenting, where a child can be told not to do something and may also experience a level of comfort when they say, fall at the playground and their parent gives them a hug.
Many parents feel that a more attachment-based parenting method is better for children, while there are a lot of parents who say this method is too emotional. Some people argue that attachment parenting may be too focused on the relationship to the parents and not enough on the world at large, where children may struggle with social skills and cues as they grow. But as this parenting style becomes more of a norm in the long list of parenting skills, only time will tell on the efficacy of it’s method.
Katie Kyzivat