Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Attached!

Our Tuesday ECFE class has demonstrated that Elliot is definitely attached. The class is designed to teach her, and her 1 to 3 year old friends, how to function away from their at-home parents.


Once again, she made her, um, displeasure clear when I left her with a gym full of toys, toddlers, and teachers for the hour of separation.

When I returned, she cried fiercely, and while teacher assured me that she wasn't hysterical the whole time, she did suggest I bring a "transition object."

Basically, I need to find this child a lovey. I've tried to get her attached to her lamby or her doll, using the recommended strategies of sticking the intended lovey in my shirt for a while so it picks up my scent (good grief), and bringing the lovey along whenever we snuggle.

Invariably it didn't work. She could care less about either lovey.

And now we need a "transition object" by next Tuesday.... sheesh.... I should have found a class time for Maya to come along. She's attached to Maya.

I love the philosophy of attachment parenting. It emphasizes nursing, baby wearing, co-sleeping, and any other parenting tricks that feel most gentle and compassionate for baby.

High levels of attachment and constant snuggling have been proven to increase cognitive abilities for children even as they become adults. So overall, it is not only instinctive but smart.


Unfortunately, at some point, even toddlers must venture away from mama.... for mama's sanity if for no other reason.

So we're over here trying to find a "transition object" (though I now refuse to stick lamby under my sweater), so I don't get sent to the principals office on Tuesday, and so Joe and I can sneak off to Vegas in a few weeks. Wish us luck!

The pictures were taken before the girls and I ventured to the JC Penny's portrait studio. The official pictures are much better, but I don't have access to them yet!


1 comment:

Andrea said...

These pictures are adorable. The girls' hair is so long!
African mothers swaddle their babies to their backs with fabric and never put them down. (That is, until they can walk, at which point they seem to be pretty much on their own...well at least watched over more communally and less by any one individual mom.)

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