African babies don't cry - I call bull****

[onthefly]

Is the expectation that prescriptive methodologies are necessary for parenting part of the underlying problem here?

[Smoke Jaguar]

I believe you are onto something there! I hate prescriptions. The only prescription I like is "know thy baby", because they are ALL different...oddly enough...or not! Robyn Barker doesn't know your baby. Tizzy Hall doesn't know your baby, Gina Ford doesn't know your baby. Pinky McKay doesn't know your baby and she doesn't pretend to - she works on getting mamas back on track with themselves first so that they can cut out the chatter of all the prescriptions. I don't think you'll find Pinky giving unhelpful comments like African babies never crying (or else I've totally missed that chapter in her books...)!

[Fleur]

Is the expectation that prescriptive methodologies are necessary for parenting part of the underlying problem here?

Absolutely. I actually was going to add to my previous post - the only 'advice' that should ever be given as standad IMO is (to borrow Mayaness's phrase) 'know thy baby', 'follow your instincts', and 'if it doesn't work for you, don't do it'. Verrry simple stuff.

They do communicate needs before the crying, as the crying is a last resort as a mama is sorting out her bilingual skills

I don't disagree (although I never got the hang of being bilingual) - I guess my point was more along the lines of, it is unrealistic to expect that you will do everything so 'right' that your baby never cries.

[Smoke Jaguar]

Ahh, yes, that makes sense Absolutely - everyone is learning!