The most controversial points of Benjamin Spock's famous book "Baby and Child Care"

More than 70 years have passed since the publication of a book that was second only to the Bible in popularity and circulation. "Child and Child Care" by Benjamin Spock is a work that turned the foundations of child rearing upside down and changed the history of the 20th century. Today, many of the postulates described in the book are being revised and even recognized as harmful. Why is this happening?

Benjamin Spock, a pediatrician and psychoanalyst, enjoyed unconditional authority among mothers around the world for many decades. The manual for mothers was published in a total circulation of 50 million and was translated into dozens of languages.

Despite the fact that the book has long become a classic, many of the author's statements have recently been questioned and even recognized as harmful. Let's see what experts in raising children in the 21st century don't like about the book that their mothers themselves used to refer to when raising them?

Today, many criticize this rule, but this only means that they did not read the book carefully. Benjamin Spock never insisted on following a strict feeding schedule, but proceeded from common sense.

A baby cannot control his desire to eat and, if not limited, will constantly demand the breast. Feeding on demand exhausts the mother and can even cause depression. Moreover, Spock wrote that it is impossible to equalize all children in matters of feeding and force them into certain limits. Some babies have a weakened body or digestive problems, so the standard approach is not applicable to them.

On this matter, the author wrote the following in his book:

This statement is also a result of a misinterpretation of Spock's words. The pediatrician urged mothers to pay close attention to their children's cries, unlike many other authors. The child should be picked up, calmed down, and an attempt should be made to find out the reason for his crying.

But by 3 months, when the colic period passes, you need to loosen up your guardianship and not react so sharply to crying:

Spock also believes that if a child is already spoiled and constantly asks to be held, he needs to be re-educated, ignoring the crying. Modern experts disagree with this, believing that a child asks to be held, seeking emotional contact with the mother. In their opinion, the lack of such contact leads to the emergence of callous, insecure people.

These two rules are in many of Benjamin Spock's books (he is the author of 12 books in total). But the way mothers took these tips literally over time horrified the pediatrician. He had to clarify his words many times and constantly justify himself.

A child should be encouraged in his aspirations and hobbies, but this should be done within reasonable limits. In the middle of the last century, an experiment was conducted in kindergartens in the USA. Children were divided into two groups, and one of them was brought up according to Spock, allowing them to do what they wanted, and the other - in accordance with the traditional methods of that time, with established rules and punishment for their violation.

As it turned out, children who were subjected to demands and put in the corner for disobedience felt happier than those who enjoyed permissiveness. "Spock" children showed no interest in group games and found it worse to get along with other people. It was obvious that the lack of accepted norms makes children anxious and even aggressive.

At the same time, modern experts also urge not to overdo it and be strict in moderation. Many repeat offenders come from families where it was not customary to show love to children and punishments were often practiced.

Those who argue about the correctness of this statement by Spock should know what he meant. By this, the author wanted to say that it is not worth fanatically serving a child, sacrificing everything for this. This not only depresses the parents, but also harms the child himself.

From this point of view, artificial feeding can be called a great blessing, because it allows the mother to lead a full and rich life. A woman can not only devote time to herself or go to the cinema with her husband, but even go to work.

The World Health Organization believes that breast milk is the best food for children under 6 months. WHO experts insist that, if possible, children should be breastfed for at least 4 months. This ensures the child’s proper development and strengthens its immune system.

All of Benjamin Spock's books are filled with love for children. The author convinces us that children need to be loved and caressed, and that conditions for self-realization should be created for them. But he himself grew up in a completely different environment. His mother, Mildred Louise, was a Puritan with a special view on raising children. Spock, like his five brothers and sisters, grew up in strictness and were punished for the slightest reason.

Undoubtedly, the mother loved her children - they needed nothing, were well-fed and well-groomed, but at the same time she did not consider it necessary to show her tender feelings. The family did not practice bullying children, but such an environment can hardly be called prosperous.

Interestingly, being a humanist and a promoter of love for children, Spock admitted in his later years that he had never kissed his sons. His family had a less than pleasant atmosphere and there were frequent scandals. The wife of the great pediatrician could not stand the cold atmosphere in the family and began to drink. It is safe to say that with his books Spock warns people against the mistakes of his mother, which he himself repeated.