mum & baby
Mums trust their instincts rather than parenting books, when it comes to bringing up baby. This is what users of the social networking website Mums Like You (www.mumslikeyou.com)
‘My general approach to motherhood is to take on board all of the differing advice and having heard what they have to say, I just go with my gut instinct!’ said one mum.
‘…only you know your own child and you have to do whatever you feels right - the books are only a guide’, agrees another
The latest dispute between Gina Ford and Nick Clegg has revealed once again the extent to which parenting approaches can polarize opinions. Parents that swear by Gina Ford’s method are usually the ones for which it has worked well. Opponents on the other hand, criticize it for being too harsh and rigid.
‘If you look at parenting books as simple guides, they can be helpful in providing some guidance. I think this is what parents are ultimately looking for, especially if they are having a baby for the first time’, says Ivet Nikolov, founder of Mums Like You
A lot of mums say that reading a parenting book is comforting, even if it doesn’t answer their questions or they don’t follow the advice provided in it. It’s not hard to see why, given that new mums often live away from families and lack the support network they used to have in the previous generations. In the old days new mothers would seek advice from their own mothers.
Another point of view, shared by mums is that we are predisposed to follow books that reinforce our original tendencies. ‘So for example if you tend to like routines, then Gina Ford’s book might be just the right thing’ comments one mum. ‘I believe that you keep reading until you find the book that fits what you feel in your heart is right for you and your kids.’
Mums Like You is a social networking website for first time and new mothers, enabling mums to stay connected and share advice. The site wants to pull mums’ collective knowledge and make it easily accessible for the benefit of all mothers. Since its launch in 2009 Mums Like You has grown into a thriving community, attracting more than 50,000 hits per month.
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
