Ask Amy: Marriage to a problem drinker has disintegrated
It was clean and organized. There are about 10 babies in the “yellow room,” our child’s age group. When we went to look at the room, three of the babies were crying and the caregivers in the room were interacting with each other and did not respond to the babies.
We asked the director about this and she said that they don’t as a rule always respond to babies who cry because letting them cry “teaches them resilience.” She made this sound like their “best practice” policy.
Is this true? Should we feel comfortable leaving our child there?
– Concerned
Dear Concerned: Does ignoring babies when they cry teach them resilience?
No.
Mainly, neglect makes babies anxious. And so they cry more.
It’s an inescapable fact that babies do cry. Adults cannot always respond instantly when babies cry, and that’s life.
But should ignoring crying babies be a governing principle in a business where their sole function is to take care of babies and children? No. That’s nonsense.
Keep looking. Look for human warmth, a “pop in anytime” policy, and (if this appeals to you) cameras that allow you to monitor what’s going on.
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