• View ecochildsplay’s profile on Facebook
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Twitter
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Instagram
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Pinterest
  • View Jennifer Lance’s profile on LinkedIn
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on YouTube
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Google+

Eco Child's Play

Live a greener, healthier life!

  • Environment
  • Pregnancy
  • Food & Recipes
  • Health News
  • Parenting
  • Green Toys
  • Beauty & Beauty Products
  • Green Home & Cleaning
  • Contact

Attachment Parenting – Attached at the Heart: 8 Proven Parenting Principles for Raising Connected and Compassionate Children

attachment parenting

A growing number of children are experiencing mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and aggression.  Many experts this increase in is due to lack of “deep connectedness” to parents and the larger community.

Attachment parenting offers a solution, and the founders of Attachment Parenting International Barbara Nicholson and Lysa Parker have recently published a fantastic book on the subject backed by research.

Attached at the Heart: 8 Proven Parenting Principles for Raising Connected and Compassionate Children teaches parents:

· Important facts you need to know before and after having your baby
· Strategies to strengthen the emotional bonds with your child
· How to be a more conscious parent with your children
· New information to help you make informed decisions
· How raising our children with empathy and respect can positively affect society

No other parenting book is as comprehensive in its scope, from an overview of attachment theory and current child development research to practical strategies for everyday situations. Attached at the Heart is a vital blueprint for change that begins at home.

I have to be honest it was easier for me to practice attachment parenting when my children were infants and toddlers. As my children get older, it is important for me to read books like Attached at the Heart to remind me of the foundational principles that got us started on this journey of parenting.   Coauthor Lysa Parker explains:

The essence of attachment parenting is about forming and nurturing strong connections between parents and their children. Attachment parenting challenges parents to treat children with kindness, respect and dignity, and to model in our interactions with them the way we’d like them to interact with others.

There are eight principles of attachment parenting:

  1. Prepare yourself for pregnancy, birth, and parenting
  2. Feed with love and respect
  3. Responding with sensitivity
  4. Use nurturing touch
  5. Ensure safe sleep, physically and emotionally
  6. Provide consistent, loving care
  7. Practice positive discipline
  8. Strive for balance in your personal and family life

Although much of the book is devoted to the tender young years, the above principles apply to any age group (even teenagers).  For example, when discussing the practice of positive discipline, specifically using incentives creatively, the authors write:

The incentive should be something small and fun but not something that would be seen as punishment if it were not received.  This is an opportunity for the child to talk with the parent as to whether this is a strategy that she would like to try and to reevaluate if it doesn’t seem to be working. In other words, this technique is not something the parent would arbitrarily use without the child’s input and consent…If, over time, the child consistently chooses not to change the behavior, then the parent should explore whether the child has an underlying unmet need and discuss the situation with the child.

My almost eight-year-old daughter and I have been using this technique for her behavior. She can be rude and has a little attitude that is not pleasant.  Together we have devised a system of rewards when she has gone through a whole day without talking back rudely or demonstrated some other inappropriate behavior.  Her suggestion for an incentive is to spend special one-on-one time with me each day.  It was very sweet for her to make this choice as an incentive, but it also perhaps hints at an “underlying unmet need”.  Reviewing attachment parenting principles more in depth through Attached at the Heart has helped me remember that:

Attachment parenting is not just for babies!

One of the hardest things for me as a parent that practices attachment parenting is to send my child to school where the principles are not supported to the same degree as I expect.  I think this is one reason why my daughter’s behavior has become challenging, because she spends a large part of her time around adults and children who do not operate based upon the attachment parenting principles.  It would be wonderful if a program was developed for schools and teachers. We need attachment teaching and attachment schools!

  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Pinterest
  • Print
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • More
  • WhatsApp
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Subscribe!

« The Best New Green Cleaning Products
Plan Toys Baby Walker is the Perfect Toy to Encourage Budding Infants »

Comments

  1. Gina says

    June 10, 2009 at 7:45 am

    We have practiced attachment parenting since my children were born and feel that it has made a tremendous difference in their emotional development. Our children are secure in their relationships with us, they’re very satisfied and happy kids, and we have a really close bond with them. We never went through phases of insecurity or separation anxiety which was a pleasant surprise.

    We certainly don’t have the perfect family or perfect children – whatever that is – but we have happy, thoughtful and secure kids which means a lot to us. It would certainly be easier to give in, let them have their way, sign them up for classes & such to keep them busy but we think it’s worth all the effort and time. They’re worth it.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. What Babies Want : Eco Child’s Play says:
    August 21, 2009 at 3:08 pm

    […] it’s not just babywearing. Maybe it’s not gentle parenting. Maybe it’s not cosleeping and breastfeeding. Maybe attachment starts at […]

    Reply
  2. Co-Sleeping is Safe, Despite Alarmist Media Claims says:
    April 5, 2010 at 8:59 am

    […] slept with their infants, babies, and toddlers for many years.  Co-sleeping is one aspect of attachment parenting, and in western cultures, it comes with controversy.  Natural Papa […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search Content

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter


About Eco Child’s Play

Our ethos is to provide news, information, and opinions on natural, green parenting to help your family live a greener, healthier life! Additionally, we offer personal consulting services to help you achieve your green living goals.

Jennifer is a vegetarian, yoga teacher, gardener, hiker, teacher, and mother that has been living off-the-grid for over 20 years.

Contact Eco Child’s Play

It’s Time to Quit Plastics and How to do It

Reduce Plastic Waste with re-brush Eco-Friendly Toothbrush

More from the archives!

Nature Art

Children’s literature: Time for a Hug board book

Better Shoes for Little Feet: Simple Shoes

Curriculum Vitae: How This Green Mommy Got to Blog (Part 1)

Practical Wisdom for Parents

COVID Back to School: Helping children cope with uncertainty

covid19 pregnancy

Does the Coronavirus Attack the Placenta and cause 2nd Trimester Miscarriages?

Information

  • About & Contact
  • Archive
  • Blog
  • Consulting Services
  • Disclaimer, Disclosure, & Sponsored Posts
  • Privacy Policy
logo
Food Advertising by
Actually, there have been three nuclear accidents in my life.

Japan Nuclear Crisis: Protect Your Family Naturally From Radioactive Emissions

My Small Town Could Become The Solar Energy Capitol

No Sugar, Vegan Chocolate Cupcake Recipe with Surprise Ingredient (Avocado!)

Preserve Flowers From Your Garden with the Root Children Flower Press

BPA-Free Kids Act Would Label Products as “Banned Hazardous Substances”

Popular Categories

  • Breastfeeding
  • Health News
  • Natural Childbirth
  • Parenting
  • Education
  • Product Review
  • Green Toys

Get our posts via email

Please stay in touch!

You might also like to read…

Hank D and the Bee: 3 Bees Discuss Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD)

CSPI: Peanut Butter Recall Proves FDA Inadequately Protects Consumers

The Ultimate Eco-Friendly Toy

CA Prop 37: Is it too late to protect organic food?

From nappies to sleep: Organic baby balms

From nappies to sleep: Organic baby balms from Little Green Radicals

Copyright © 2021 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2021 · Divine Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkNoPrivacy policy