A kinder, gentler and non-religious Ezzo - I'm sure it will be a best seller
in five seconds. As if the family/parenting styles of the stars is something
I'd want to emulate!?!

One of the ways I deal with moms on these 'methods' is that while (it
appears) they may have a solution to 'the problem' by their 'solution' (i.e.
ignoring the basic needs of an infant/child) they end up creating more
problems (oh my . . . that's in the sequel, next stage book, workbook)
whether they show up immediately (like crying) or later (like angry teens).
These so-called experts have a vested interest in only continuing their
careers, selling their book and getting their 15 minutes of fame (and making
sure that everyone is treated the same). At least Dr. Sears had enough
children to learn that they aren't all the same!!!

"we are adults of a technological age who are presented with a baby of stone
age vintage" (appeared in Leaven 1978). And let's be sure to change the
baby, not perhaps face the fact, we the adults might be wrong.

This book also shows how distorted the 'it takes a village' has become. I've
read that saying attributed to various African societies and Native American
tribes (probably was an ad agency).  The original concept was simple. The
grandmother was no longer capable of gathering food for her needs, she took
care of the baby so the young mother could gather food and perhaps water and
wood (if the mother had no older children) and then knew at the end of the
day, in exchange she would be fed. Everyone in the village had a place and
job. The grandfathers would teach the history of the people (politics,
civics and law too)  to the children too young to work (or during lousy
weather when no one worked) and watched/taught the young men children while
the young/middle aged men protected and hunted. The grandmothers provided
child care while teaching biology, health (zoology, spirituality and
sociology, and other ologies) and in return the elders were clothed, housed,
fed and taken care of as they aged.

The children grew respecting the old (and learning to take care of them),
the society (and everyone's place in it), the world, the environment, the
other creatures sharing the earth with them and - themselves. Even as small
children they saw they had a place in the society and were valued.

Now we're twisting that to make everyone else take the blame, responsibility
and do all the work for all aspects of parenting and child care. Instead of
sharing the load, supporting and helping  - -  And then we wonder why we
have some many social problems.

My soapbox is swaying in this wonderful Texas 'breeze', so I will get off .

Leslie Ward, LLL
Fort Hood, TX

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