Aware parenting?

[lullabyblue]

Hi- please move this to another area if this is not appropriate for the gentle parenting section....
This method of parenting seems interesting & very different to both control crying/ cry it out as well as the no-cry solutions- has anyone used this method & what have been your experiences?
just google "aware parenting" for more info.

[anney]

Hi LB,
I bought some of the books and was not really convinced by it. But reading of the theory did make me much more comfortable with letting my child cry, when she was upset about something I could not recognise, rather than just try to get her to stop crying. IYKWIM. I can send you the books if you want to read them as they are just on my bookshelf collecting dust.

[MantaRay]

I am moving this thread to baby and toddler general discussion as aware parenting advocates crying it out which is not consistent with gentle parenting.

[KatieRabbit]

I haven't used the method but I had a read of it after googling it. I know what the woman is getting at but I don't like the sound of it because:
I think all crying needs to be addressed (even tho she says to just hold the crying baby)
I don't think you can ever tell what type of crying is the 'recovering from distress' type that she talks about
People (not you or I type) can use this method as a reason for not attending to bubs or to justify crying it out.
I have a natural instinct to always determine what is causing bub to cry and to attend to the issue. While I also don't believe in no crying at all costs (as I think this denies baby the right to express emotions etc) or in trying to distract a crying baby with other things, I will always see what the problem is, fix it or if this doesn't work, cuddles, humming, rocking etc.
I wonder what the woman is basing her philosophy on and how can anyone REALLY know that this is a reason for a baby crying?

[paradise lost]

I am, as ever with anything written about how to parent children the author has never met, totally unimpressed. My child was NEVER left to cry and she is a thumb-sucker AND has a toy she loves. There were times when i guess DD might have been "crying to heal" but she REFUSED the breast and cried MORE when i rocked her, so holding was all i COULD do - it was the baby, not a book, which led me to do as i did.

Also to ME (JMO) a parent who offers no rewards, no punishments, no criticism and no praise of their child is not parenting, but rather witnessing. Having seen the smile on my daughters face when my redirection has helped her succeed, or i am shouting and clapping in joy at her success, i believe she needs a parent, not a silent witness.

It isn't for me.

Bx

[lullabyblue]

Thanks everyone- I don't know too much about this parenting style at all but wanted to get others opinions. I agree with everything you all said though- it is a natural instinct to address the crying & the whole no reward thing does not sound very child friendly at all!!!!!!!