<<
 For the sake of accuracy, I need to correct the above statement.

 The very first statement that Focus on the Family issued on the Ezzo
 materials was the strongest. What it said was that FOF was concerned that,
 if applied legalistically and inflexibly, the teachings *could result* in
 child abuse. However, they never directly labeled the material as child
 abuse. >>

Thanks, Lisa for straightening me out.  After re-reading the letter, you are
correct that it does say *could result* in child abuse.  But, I do feel that
this is a strong letter of disapproval.  Many of you have requested a copy. If
you will privately e-mail me with your mailing address, I'll put a copy in the
mail.  Here is the text of the letter.

January 6, 1998

Thank you for contacting Focus on the Family.  We appreciate your interest in
our ministry.

We regard your request for our input as a genuine compliment.  In response to
your inquiry and others like it our staff has conducted an extensive
evaluation of Gary and Anne Marie Ezzo's materials on parenting, including the
books PREPARATION FOR PARENTING and GROWING KIDS GOD'S WAY.  Allow me to
summarize their findings and recommendations as succinctly as possible.

We do have concerns and reservations about the Ezzos' work, including the
updated edition of PREPARATION FOR PARENTING.  In the first place, it seems to
us that their philosophy of childrearing is far too rigid.  The very title of
their program, GROWING KIDS GOD'S WAY, has an unnecessarily exclusivistic
sound about it, as if there were only one "correct" and godly way to raise
children and all other methods were "unbiblical."  In contrast to this, Dr.
Dobson believes that there are many different approaches to raising children
which are both healthy and consistent with the teaching of Scripture.

Speaking of Scripture, the Ezzos' misuse of biblical texts is, in our view, a
second cause for serious concern.  They have, for example, repeatedly cited
Matthew 27:46--"...My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" -- in support of
their teaching that mothers should refuse to attend crying infants who have
already been fed, changed, and had their basic needs met.  "Praise God, "
writes Gary Ezzo on page 122 of PREPARATION FOR PARENTING, "that the Father
did not intervene when His son cried out on the cross."  We see no way to make
such an application of this verse without completely disregarding its original
context and purpose.

Third, we are aware that the authors' proposals regarding controlled feeding
schedules for infants and highly controversial.  Some critics have suggested
that they might possibly result in child abuse if applied legalistically,
inflexibly, and without regard for circumstance and the special needs of
individual children; and, in fact, our ministry has received numerous letters
from parents, pastors, midwives, physicians, and lactation professionals
regarding cases of failure-to-thrive in infants subjected to the Ezzos'
program.  We don't believe this information should be ignored.

Finally, it needs to be said that the leadership of the Ezzos' own church --
the place where they initially developed and promoted their curriculum -- has
now issued a public statement disavowing any affiliation with the ministry of
Growing Families International.  The issues pinpointed in the statement
parallel Focus on the Family's concerns as outlined above.  For Further
information, we suggest you contact Grace Community Church in Panorama City,
California either via e-mail ([log in to unmask]) or by telephone (818/782-5920).

For these reasons we do not recommend the Ezzos' material to Focus on the
Family's constituents. Further, we would suggest that, if and when it is used,
its principles be implemented only in conjunction with generous measures of
common sense, intuition, and natural parental affection.

We hope these thoughts prove helpful.  Thanks again for taking a moment to
call.  May God's grace, peace, wisdom, and blessing be yours in the days
ahead.

Sincerely,
Sharon Hancock
Correspondence Assistant to Dr. Dobson

I believe this letter was original address to Dr. Aney.  I understand more
info can be made available from Dr. Aney as follows:

>BTW, have you gotten the packet from Matt Aney?  You can e-mail him at
>[log in to unmask]  I'm suggesting a small donation as it costs about $3.00
>to send out and copying costs.   (This information was shared with me by Jan
Barger.  I am assuming that this packet might contain the above letter and
possible the 45 page letter of concern to the AAP as well as other articles.)

Warmly,
Pat Lindsey, IBCLC
Pediatrics Plus
Orlando, FL