Attachment Parenting

But Rich Eckert, a trained NAP group leader whose wife, Holly, is the director of NAP, disagrees with that perception.


“It’s far from a child-centered style of parenting,” he says. “It’s a unity-centered style of parenting. Children know how to get their own needs met, but not at the expense of their parents. I’m conscious of my son Manny’s needs, but I’m conscious of my own needs as well.”


Jennifer Acosta says she had already developed her own style of attachment parenting, which she views as “compassionate parenting,” even before she read Dr. Sears’ Baby Book in 1999.


“People who tend to criticize it don’t really understand what attachment parenting is all about,” Acosta says. “So many studies show that if you meet the needs of a child when she’s young, she will grow into becoming more independent.”

More on this topic:


  • Myths and Facts About Attachment Parenting
  • The ‘Seven Baby B’s’ of Attachment Parenting
  • Attachment Parenting Resources
  • The Family Bed: The Risks and Rewards of Co-Sleeping with Your Child


    Nelle Nix is a freelance writer and mother of two daughters.

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