Children NEED touching!

**taebah** · 02-24-2006

Assalamu alaikum,

I just read this nice article about caring for our children so I
wanted to pass it on to other muslim sisters.

The full article can be found here:
http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/...enNeedTou.html

Here are some excerpts:

"Instead of letting infants cry, American parents should keep their
babies close, console them when they cry, and bring them to bed with
them, where they'll feel safe, according to Michael L. Commons and
Patrice M. Miller, researchers at the Medical School's Department of
Psychiatry.

[...]

The early stress resulting from separation causes changes in infant
brains that makes future adults more susceptible to stress in their
lives, say Commons and Miller.

"Parents should recognize that having their babies cry unnecessarily
harms the baby permanently," Commons said. "It changes the nervous
system so they're overly sensitive to future trauma."

The Harvard researchers' work is unique because it takes a
cross-disciplinary approach, examining brain function, emotional
learning in infants, and cultural differences, according to Charles
R.
Figley, director of the Traumatology Institute at Florida State
University and editor of The Journal of Traumatology.

"It is very unusual but extremely important to find this kind of
interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research report," Figley
said.
"It accounts for cross-cultural differences in children's emotional
response and their ability to cope with stress, including traumatic
stress."

**Muezzin** · 02-24-2006

Nice find.

It brings to mind some of Bender's words of wisdom:

'Haven't you ever tried turning off the TV, sitting down with your children, and hitting them?'

...maybe not.

**handhuvar** · 02-28-2006

Originally Posted by taebah

Assalamu alaikum,

I just read this nice article about caring for our children so I
wanted to pass it on to other muslim sisters.

The full article can be found here:
http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/...enNeedTou.html

Here are some excerpts:

"Instead of letting infants cry, American parents should keep their
babies close, console them when they cry, and bring them to bed with
them, where they'll feel safe, according to Michael L. Commons and
Patrice M. Miller, researchers at the Medical School's Department of
Psychiatry.

[...]

The early stress resulting from separation causes changes in infant
brains that makes future adults more susceptible to stress in their
lives, say Commons and Miller.

"Parents should recognize that having their babies cry unnecessarily
harms the baby permanently," Commons said. "It changes the nervous
system so they're overly sensitive to future trauma."

The Harvard researchers' work is unique because it takes a
cross-disciplinary approach, examining brain function, emotional
learning in infants, and cultural differences, according to Charles
R.
Figley, director of the Traumatology Institute at Florida State
University and editor of The Journal of Traumatology.

"It is very unusual but extremely important to find this kind of
interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research report," Figley
said.
"It accounts for cross-cultural differences in children's emotional
response and their ability to cope with stress, including traumatic
stress."

thats a nice one

**renak** · 03-09-2006

I was often criticized by friends and relatives when I would instantly respond to the needs of my baby. I felt that it was my maternal instinct. Of course, I felt that allowing my child to sleep with me was good for our bonding, and made him feel protected.

The article mentioned above gives me some good ideas on how to respond to other peoples advice.

**AceOfHearts** · 03-09-2006

Jazzakallah khayr for posting this.

Very interesting, and a useful piece of knowledge to have.

**renak** · 03-09-2006

It amazes me that many people in the USA pattern their parenting techniques after the latest and greatest research. Mothering is not a new invention. People have been having children since the dawn of creation. Will we ever learn?