Detachment Parenting

As we all know, parenting can be very complicated. I should know - recently I switched from being a full time employee to a part-time stay-at-home dad. I haven't yet had the opportunity to read any of those books on our shelf about parenting, because of the simple lack of free time in my schedule. To expedite things, I read the blurbs on the back covers and went to Wikipedia for more information --By the way, this is actually a fantastic methodology. Being that I only have about an hour of free time per night, I predict that I saved months in unnecessary reading.

One topic that interested me greatly was the so-called attachment parenting. I also noted that this style is very popular, but unfortunately, has been around probably a bit too long to be of any serious interest. As fads come and go in parenting (aka Oprah) , it's important to look to the future --the next "thing." A quintessential truth is that a new fad will generally be opposite, in some essential way, to the previous fad, and this is why it is time to delve into and take a serious look at detachment parenting.

In this style, you approach your newborn as an adult, and work backwards . This gives the infant child the greatest benefit of the doubt and respect. Assuming that little Bobby or Lisa can feed, cloth, and protect him/herself, will motivate the child to succeed in unpredictable ways; possibly even beyond what you might, or dare imagine. In the beginning they may complain, but they always do anyway. In time, however, they will thank you for allowing them to discover the world on their own.

The most frequently asked questions I receive are regarding the cost (extra car, attached studio appt., etc.). Keep in mind that although it may seem costly at first, in reality, once you punch the numbers, your little one will help the method pay for itself (such as with her room rental), if not allow you to turn a profit. You may even be able to take that Caribbean vacation, just the two of you, and in turn, reinforce the detachment parenting style.