I am mostly posting this blog for myself- so I don't forget. I often read over my blogs as a journal for my forgetful self. But honestly I also hope someone, maybe someone pregnant, adopting or hoping to someday do one of the two, will stumble upon it as well. Maybe someone who is crying as she listens to her baby cry out of fear and loneliness in her crib because that's what the "Christian book" said to do. I hope mothers and fathers can discover that this author does not represent the biblical way and will find freedom in throwing it in the fireplace... Or just the trash can if you live in Austin, Texas where you never need a fireplace!
Imagine some guy at church with no medical or scientific background, no phycological or early childhood training came up to you and told you how you should breastfeed and train your child. Then you also find out that he was once on staff with the church but was asked to step down because of some character issues. Would you be ready to pick up a book he wrote about how to raise your children? I'm guessing not. But so many very smart and well meaning people are following a man with these qualifications in a cult like manner.
Imagine some guy at church with no medical or scientific background, no phycological or early childhood training came up to you and told you how you should breastfeed and train your child. Then you also find out that he was once on staff with the church but was asked to step down because of some character issues. Would you be ready to pick up a book he wrote about how to raise your children? I'm guessing not. But so many very smart and well meaning people are following a man with these qualifications in a cult like manner.
Understand that I know you can find something negative about anybody on the Internet. Even my favorite person Fred Rogers has negative stuff out there by terrible people just out to try and ruin his reputation. However Mister Rogers' negative press can be debunked where as Gary Ezzo's is backed up by several resources that make me very concerned for the many Christian parents I know that think his book is the parenting bible. Do a simple google search "Gary Ezzo" and you'll find plenty out there. But here is a link to a timeline I found about him and his wife sited with many sources to back it:
I simply could not subscribe to this style if feeding my child by someone who has no medical background, no B.A. no B.S. not even an Associates degree! Only a Master's in arts from a theology school that does not require a previous degree to enter their program. And to see the kind of person people in his church and ministry found him, makes him no person I'd take parenting advice from.
A site I really like, though it could really use a good web developer on it, is Gentle Christian Mothers. Below is a link to their website and the second is a link to more info and support for people effected by this method of child-rearing.
http://www.gentlechristianmothers.com
http://www.gentlechristianmothers.com
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