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Debate Over Attachment Theory

Several parents would agree that childcare is extremely challenging and complex. Hence what works for one child may not work for the other, even in the same family (Divecha, 2018). Therefore, this paper outlines various assumptions about parenting while expounding on essential parenting practices. Additionally, this article outlines my agreement with the ideas presented in attachment theory and demonstrates the limits of attachment theory applied to parenting practices. Finally, this paper shows how my assumptions about the best parenting practices might differ from other families and cultures.

 As one of my assumptions, parenting has been one of the hardest jobs globally since other outside influences distract teenagers hence challenging parenting efforts (Divecha, 2018). Children need people who are there for the—parents who connect with them and their feelings communicate with them, exhibit genuine interest in them, and spend time with them (Keller, 2018). Therefore, the parents’ primary role is to help their children understand their current and future well-being through positive parenting. Additionally, based on my opinion, the most critical parenting practices include parental monitoring, stress management, parental love and affection, independence, life and relationship skills, and protection (Carr, 2020). These practices are essential because a child needs to feel the parent in every way, and therefore a specific type of bond needs to be managed and maintained.

I do agree with attachment parenting, which recommends techniques aiming to enhance the attachment of a parent and an infant. It states that the attachment of a parent and infant rests on parental understanding and receptiveness and continuous physical intimacy and touch (Divecha, 2018). In a personal opinion, parental bonding with young children is more through breastfeeding and carrying the child, especially when he is crying. Additionally, physical intimacy and touch, including co-sleeping, baby-wearing, and long-term breastfeeding, is a fashionable method to parenting in the west (Divecha, 2018). This type of bonding mainly focuses on the nurturing connection that a parent can develop with a child.

Attachment theory is centered on the emotional connections between a child and the people around, and it proposes that people’s earliest attachments can leave a permanent mark on their lives (Carr, 2020). Hence it explicates how the parent-child relationship develops and influences future growth. Children generally form a secure attachment with the people around them, and this is contributed by physical intimacy and touch (Divecha, 2018). For instance, at a younger age, a child is always close to the mother due to the benefits that come from her. In a great exposition, a child receives breast milk form the mother and shares a sleeping bed with the mother. These acts lead to the closeness of the mother and the baby, resulting in a secure attachment. Additionally, it leads to sensitivity related to the mother’s capacity and ability to understand, detect, and respond correctly to the child’s signals around threat and distress. With this argument, the parenting approach that emphasizes responding sensitively to the needs of babies paves the way for a child to develop a secure attachment with the mother.

Carr (2020) substantiates that other families and cultures agree that a child should spend time with not only the parents but also other people in society through my assumption that differs from this argument. This is based on the fact children can also be influenced by other people within the society leading to the development of other unwanted behaviors. Generally, a family or the mother knows what they want to form a baby; hence interaction with other people might negatively influence the baby. Leading attachment scientists have debated that a constant lack of parental sensitivity in early childhood and infancy results in the belief that society is unsupportive and unloving (Carr, 2020). On the other end, what might work for one child might not work out for the other though parental intimacy needs to be considered and practiced (Divecha, 2018). Additionally, attachment theory has fueled a culture of total parenthood whereby parents are placed in a challenging position of complete accountability for their children’s needs.

In conclusion, this paper debates over attachment theory and shows my various assumption related to parenting practices. Parenting can be considered a hard, complex, and challenging job that most women undergo. This is based on the fact the role of parents is to help their children understand their current and future well-being through positive parenting. As explained above, this paper has, therefore, highlighted some of the most crucial parenting practices. Additionally, the paper has provided my agreement with the ideas presented in attachment parenting. I have also outlined the limits of attachment theory applied to parenting practices. Finally, I have explained my assumptions on how the best parenting practices might be different from other families and cultures.