Child Nurturing, Child Rearing with Care
Humans are primates, and are born with many of the same basic needs as the great apes. It is, therefore, preferable to model a type of parenting behavior after those of the great apes. This is because there is a very real biological basis for the optimal way to care for and raise a child. Human infants are born with a set of expectations ingrained into their very being. When these needs are met the child is able to thrive and grow to his full potential as an adult human being. His view of the world is molded by his experiences as a young infant. The goal of child nurturing is to create a self-sufficient, independent person who is respectful of other human beings.
Modern western child care practices fall very short in meeting a young child’s needs. They tend to ignore the fact that infants are sentient human beings who deserve every ounce of respect that we can give them. Optimal infant care begins with a gentle birth and initiation of the breastfeeding relationship.
This section will cover other natural infant care topics, all of which serve to strengthen the trusting bond between mother and child, and to help parents fully respect their children’s needs and who they are as human beings. Topics covered, but are not limited to, are co-sleeping, baby-wearing, baby-led solids, elimination communication, and gentle discipline, all of which focus on a continuity of care for the very dependent infant.
