You are completely right this is child abuse. It’s a very old notion still encouraged by pediatricians for some bizarre reason. Hard to fathom because all the psychology is against this, not to mention the instinct’s of any normal woman.
To listen to a small child scream in a desperate manner for anything, help, attention, bottle, toy, is simply inhuman. Some say “crying to sleep” and feeding “on a schedule” may instill an early insecurity that leads to later eating disorders or self-harm behavior.
Makes sense when you realize a child pleading for your comfort, you who are a god to him, is being told they are not worth the effort, can suffer, can starve.
Women, for God’s sake, you don’t need to mollycoddle, but don’t listen to your doctor. Love, hug and nurture your baby. When they are ready to be “independent” you will have instilled the sense of confidence and safety to enable them to walk away from you, about age 2! Then the idea is you respect the distance the child sets! Which means you don’t smother, but are available when they fall or get scared and turn to you. Which means you don’t work full-time.
And by the time they are 10, forget all this stuff unless they show a desire for it. I can’t believe how many moms want to cuddle and pet their 12-year old boys (”I love you! Jared, don’t you love me?”) but think a baby should be “trained”!
Amen, Opus.
I am shocked by the amount of “parenting” that is done for the parent’s benefit!