Do CIO methods align with your values as a parent?

Taking a holistic sleep perspective, I want to examine the idea of letting your baby cry it out (CIO) and whether it aligns with your values as a parent?

Imagine stepping back and viewing your parenting choices from a third-person perspective. You begin to see where the collective innertia exists, particularly when it comes to sleep training methods like CIO. Society often promotes CIO as a solution for sleep struggles, but is it truly aligned with your values and beliefs as a parent?

If you detach from the societal momentum surrounding CIO and ask yourself if this idea would be accepted if introduced today, you may find a different perspective. Imagine presenting the concept of leaving a baby to cry alone in their crib to sleep train them, without any historical precedent. How would people react? Would it be immediately accepted, or would there be concerns about the emotional well-being and attachment of the child?

Considering the long-term effects and implications of CIO, it's essential to question whether it truly aligns with your values as a parent. Are you choosing this method simply because it's a widely accepted practice, or because it genuinely resonates with your beliefs about nurturing and caring for your child?

Just as removing momentum from legacy ideas reveals their true quality, so too does examining sleep training methods like CIO in the context of your parenting values. Are you allowing momentum to drive your decision-making process, or are you actively choosing what aligns with your beliefs and principles as a parent?

Ultimately, the decision to use CIO or any other sleep training method should be made with careful consideration and reflection, taking into account not only the immediate results but also the long-term impact on your child's well-being and your relationship with them.

As a parent, your agency should guide your choices, rather than allowing societal momentum to dictate your parenting journey.