Guardian on parenting advice

[foundintransleightion]

hear hear

Absolutely. Particularly agreed with the bit about how we are very lucky that our children have access to food and medicines - sadly not the case in much of the world.

yser she's right we need to get a little persepective.
and CHILL OUT a LOT...
we could have a ten step programme

1. give your child squash (non organic)
2. visit to McDonalds
3. one hour of Cartoon Network a day
4. ritual burning of all parenting guides etc

does GF tell you to wake your baby from her nap? I think I should read her book, sounds like a laugh! Sorry, it obviously works for some people but I get grumpy when I'm woken up, I don't want to inflict that on DD! OTOH I don't pick her up every time she cries or co-sleep or anything, so I guess with all these things, a happy medium can be found.

Gah, parenting gurus! As long as they preface all these books with THIS ADVICE DOES NOT WORK FOR 100% OF BABIES AND THEIR PARENTS then fair enough, and I think they are a good resource if you have a specific concern or need.

But it angers me that they are aimed squarely at underconfident first-time parents (as I was) who might find they can't stick to the prescribed techniques and then feel guilty and bad about it.

I read tons of this stuff in the first few months of dd1's life but found so many contradictions it wasn't helpful at all. Haven't read a line of guru-ish advice since dd2 came long. She is fine .

but isn't this a parenting advice web site?

Lol, mistletoo. A bit of pick 'n' mix is good. But the inference that you have to follow one particular set of guidelines or your baby will be unhappy is what gets my goat.