Misconceptions of attachment parenting?

What are some misconceptions you've noticed about attachment parenting? One of my favorites is that your baby is actually physically attached to you all of the time. What are some you've noticed?Misconceptions of attachment parenting?
My doctor thinks I will kill my child by letting him sleep with us half the night. Oh, and I'm rewarding him by bringing him to our bed in the night!Misconceptions of attachment parenting?
some opponents feel that this is a useless method that turns out spoiled brats and co-dependent parents. And there are those who think the organic, hippie, green earth mamas and papas are just a little kooky.





some misconceptions about attachment parenting lead many to assume that attachment parenting is the same as enmeshed parenting or an enmeshed family structure, which is commonly a cause for concern among doctors and psychologists. Thankfully, learning more about what attachment parenting is and how it differs from the enmeshed family structure can alleviate many of these concerns.Ultimately, the difference between the attachment parents and enmeshed families has to do with their motivations. Attached parents seek to give their children confidence and security through their actions (co-sleeping, gentle discipline, extended nursing, etc) and desires to meet their needs. Enmeshed families, however, don't feel the same way. Individuals in enmeshed families aren't seeking to promote independence, but to keep everyone tied together in an unhealthy way. They take the idea of meeting their children's needs to an extreme, and focus more on their own needs than their child's. According to Attachment Parenting International, ';it is easy to distinguish an ';enmeshed'; parent from a responsive parent, as they are not looking at what is best for the child, but what they want.';





Clearly, attachment parenting is clearly not the same as an enmeshed family structure. A deep understanding of this is essential, no matter what your parenting style.








Attachment parenting is defined by Attachment Parenting International as ';a philosophy based in the practice of nurturing parenting practices that create strong emotional bonds, also known as secure attachment, between the infant and parent(s). This style of parenting encourages responsiveness to the infant or child's emotional needs, and develops trust that their emotional needs will be met. As a result, this strong attachment helps the child develop secure, empathic, peaceful, and enduring relationships.'; Attachment parents work hard to live natural lives and to meet their children's needs through loving attention.





The actual definition of the word enmeshed, according to dictionary.com, is ';to entangle, involve, or catch in or as if in a mesh.'; When people refer to an enmeshed family or an enmeshed family structure, what they are actually referring to is a family that is over-involved with one another. Enmeshed families don't often differentiate their own needs from the needs of the group. This is often a cause for concern among psychologists and psychiatrists. According to about.com, in families where people aren't seen as individuals by themselves or by the rest of the group, they often act out in unusual ways in order to gain levels of independence. These unusual measures can come in the forms of eating disorders, anxiety, and other mental illnesses or disorders.
I do attachment parenting and I've had no misconceptions. I think a few that are on here from previous answers are that the baby will be spoiled. My daughter is 20 months and is not spoiled by a long shot. She slept with us until she was 16 months old, BF until she was 16 months old and yes was coddled and led me with what she wanted and needed. There does come a time when you start to introduce discipline though. Lots of ppl think that attachment parents do not discipline. That's a load of bull. My daughter is happy, very smart and very well adjusted socially and mentally. I have no problems with her except the same hurdles most parents go through. I think the big thing that should be focused on is that you should be kind, positive, loving in attitude and manner and be consistent with whatever you are teaching them, including discipline.
I'd never known there was such a thing as attachment parenting, but it's very close to how I do things in my house. It seems to work so far with my first kid, who is 3 years old. He's emotionally stable, very friendly, does what he's told, doesn't talk back or try to fight with me, plays well by himself and with others, doesn't really want for anything, doesn't act like a spoiled brat when he doesn't get what he wants, doesn't have separation anxiety (just a few instances, but nothing he didn't get over by the time the car leaves the driveway lol)... other than the fact that I can't get him to stay in his own bed through the night (but we're working on that), I really have no complaints. Haha!





I guess he pretty much goes against all/most the stereotypes. I like how my son has turned out so far. Sometimes my husband and I think we just got lucky, but we've got another son coming in a few weeks.... here's to hoping for good luck again!
That my daughter will be sleeping in my room forever. Or that my daughter will never have any friends, that she will always just want Mommy.


To the first, I always joke and say, '; Well, when she gets married, I will just get a bigger bed.';


And to the second, my daughter has just started a gymnastics class, and she is the first to get up and run away from me....LOL
The biggest myth is that attachment parenting actually exists.


I know love me or hate me, that's my opinion.





I always thought it was parenting. Damn I was naive. I have read books and am left in dismay that people where bored enough to name certain aspects of parenting.
That I want my daughter sleeping with me and nursing and so on when she's a ruddy teen-ager.





I go overboard with the cuddles now, in these tender vulnerable years, with the hopes that the end result is a fearless and non-needy young lady...





Oh, and the idea that I'll kill her by sleeping with her. No. http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/view鈥?/a> ;)
My mother didnt know she was attachment parenting me and she was.. she got a lot of .. if you rock your child to sleep and sing to her, you will spoil her,, or '; you are too affectionate and attentive to your children'; ..... Im serious. some people are nuts....
I think the ';modern'; moms are under the impression that AP kids rule the house. They think that since we follow more ';baby led'; guidelines than ';parent led'; guidelines that we allow our kids to do whatever they want.
I have read that people think the baby won't be independent and they will take longer learning to crawl and walk. Which are not true at all.
That your baby will be spoiled and very dependent for their whole lives.
That they are spoiled. Totally NOT the case. Paying attention to your kids does not spoil them...it makes them so they can function in society.
that they are always going to be attatched to you lol. the name almost makes people shy away form it.





i also agree with momtojulie
I've heard one person say that AP moms don't put their kids in car seats.