Parenting Myths

Parenting comes along with all kinds of styles, opinions, and philosophies as to what to do and what not to do. Some are just plain lies and honestly, they really annoy me. So I need to get it off my chest to separate fact from reality.

1. Children Misbehave

As adults. . . and humans. . .we tend to label behavior as "bad" or "good". So when a child does a behavior that WE see as bad, we say they are misbehaving. Setting aside the fact that we would never say an adult is misbehaving ("One of our guests misbehaved at our dinner party last night!"), we also fail to recognize that children are merely engaging in an activity solely for the purpose of getting a need met. They aren't MIS-behaving, they are simply engaging in a certain behavior that we don't accept. They are just DOING. Existing. Reacting. When we see it that way, it's more difficult to label "good" and "bad". That doesn't mean you have to accept it, just UNDERSTAND it. When parents understand this concept, it's much easier to understand and appreciate the logic behind gentle discipline and non-power alternatives.

2. You must let your child cry-it-out or neither of you will ever get any sleep.

You just don't have to do it. Babies cry for a reason, even if it's purely emotional and not physical (diaper is clean, belly is full, etc). See alternatives to CIO here.

3. Not weaning your baby from breastfeeding will lead to cavities.

Besides evidence against "bottle-rot" anyways, Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is actually the disease that causes tooth decay in young children and has nothing to do with being bottle OR breast fed. Besides that, breastfed babies have a different mechanism for nursing with the nipple at the back of the mouth, not allowing for breast milk to pool around the teeth. Plus, breastfed babies are less likely to develop ECC so keep on boob-feedin'!

4. Giving a baby cereal will help them sleep better.

In fact, some sleep worse due to reactions with the formula or other solids, especially if they baby is under 6 months. A baby's digestive system isn't mature enough to handle solids, and giving them too early (before 6 months) can decrease their protection from illness, allergies, and anemia.

5. You must feed babies "baby food" (aka purees).

Yeah. . . what a giant waste of money. And glass & plastic (those stupid little jars) for that matter. See alternatives here.

6. Sugar causes hyperactivity and poor behavior.

A) See #1. :) But on a more scientific note, this is SOOOO not true. And I hate when kids aren't at their best and parents are quick to blame sugar. Research has proven there is no link between sugar and inattention or hyperactivity. Parents fail to realize the circumstances behind the behavior. Like, for example, MAYBE they're acting crazy because they're wound up from running around with friends all day and missing a nap? Their minds automatically go back to the last treat they ate instead of other circumstances that might have influenced the behavior. In studies, parents who were told their child had sugar, when in fact they hadn't, would perceive a difference in behavior that is not even there. In other words, parents are delusional. Fact of the matter is, if your child's behavior is disrupting family life or affecting performance in school, it's likely a symptom of a bigger problem. Not sugar.