Joy-the paci comments I made (not LInda the coach), as usual very strong, not absolute. All things have their purpose, even AMB. All rules have exceptions. The plug can  be a lifesaver, but not a way of life.  When a chid uses a thumb to pacify it is self regulation self comfort when the  child wants,etc. Better an orthodontist than a psychiatrist. This girl know how to comfort herelf. Now ifyou would have been smart enough to cut up your bra............

Barbara W-C, liked your points on parenting, don't think we can blame a lot of this as a backlash to
permissiveness, maybe a few generations back there was enough of an extended family around
 so that if the parents screwed up there was a close relative to take up a lot of the slack and a person could feel loved. Also, every child is so different that we can't figure that they will turn out well.. Yes, what we can do is love them , treat them with the respect they deserve and not abuse them. I wish they would remember that they shoudl do the same for us. I liked the military parenting expression - figure it this way, lots of people are repressed ( to say the least), this craziness is an outlet that legitimizes this, so why not go along with it. Best thing - as with all/most
 dogma, YOU DON'T HAVE TO THINK.  I really enjoyed the remark about the womanin Tibet crying for the Westernized children - bet you she's too busy surviving to be repressed. Sorry to lump so much in one paragraph either - sometimes even hard for me to follow my train of thought.

EVI