Quote:
Originally Posted by Rathji
For very young kids (typically under 6 months?), that is actually a pretty important to do so they understand that their basic physiological needs will be met ( See Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs) and allows them to be more 'well adjusted' as they grow up. Kids who don't have those needs met with enough regularity often have lots of problems associated with it ( commonly known as Attachment Disorder)
Now this isn't claiming that someone who doesn't jump to their kids every cry is being neglectful or that it will cause problems down the road if you let your kid cry a bit, but I don't think it cases any harm if you do. Also, in a normally developed over about 6 months of age this doesn't apply in the same way, and I am pretty sure the 'letting them cry it out' tactic is much better than the constant attention that you indicate happens with the parent style. |
I completely agree that as a small infant, yes you do need to attend to the crying as that is different then when they become a little older. Obviously you don't just let a newborn scream it out and turn the other way. That's irresponsible and doesn't help the parents understand what the cries actually mean so that when they do get to that age (I believe its 6 months as well) where you can let them go, you are comfortable knowing what the cry is. Plus at that age, they aren't advanced enough to have figured out the whole training the parents with crying thing yet like an older baby would be.