Ok, you know I'm not an attached parent. Or I don't feel I am. I feel very close to all 3 of my children. I breastfed the first year, more or less (though not on demand, I'm a schedule gal, and it didn't hurt any of my kids, who were always above the curve in height and weight as babies and are just the right proportions now). I used the sling limitedly, as my kids were too heavy to tote in it past the first 4 months. I am anti-family bed. And just several other things that AP parents do that I do not. I spank, my kids sleep in their own room, I let them cry it out on occasion.

I bought this book a few months after #3 was born. I heard it had some things about fussy babies (which Chance was). And I found a few helpful things in there. I'm not totally against the book.

What I didn't like was the mindset that the Sears' had about if you didn't do it the AP way, then your kids are going to be distant and unattached. I just felt this was totally untrue. There were several places in the book that said this, and had a picture to illustrate an unhappy baby with a seemingly uncaring mom.

Ok, that's my beef. There are good tips on caring for a baby. And I'm sure that if you do AP that your kids are bound to be happy thriving children. BUT... just because you DON'T practice AP, doesn't mean that they won't be happy and thriving too. Look at my kids for the proof. Yes, I must brag. My girls, now ages 4 and 6, are the snuggliest, most polite children. I get compliments everywhere I go on them, you can tell they love me and I love them. Unattached doesn't mean uncaring and distant. And raising a child unattached doesn't mean they won't be attached. I know a few kids that are raised attached and my kids are much better behaved and more pleasant to be around than they are (not just my opinion, this was told to me by others around all the children, it's not just my opinion. )

The book gave me the impression that I had done something wrong, when I knew I hadn't. If I had not already had two children brought up "my" way, and I had read the book while my first was still tiny, I think I would have been overwrought with guilt that I had done everything wrong, that this and every other kid I would have would turn out terrible if I continued on the path I was on. But I had already had two that turned out great so far with "my" way, therefore, I was confident that "my" way was the best way for my children.

Ok, so bottom line. It's a good book and your kids will turn out fine their way. And the basic baby care in the book is good, too. But don't believe that your kids won't be ok if you happen not to follow the Sears' plan, as I felt the book led you to believe. I'm not bashing AP, just the way the book was written.