For additional information go to: The Natural Child Project: http://www.naturalchild.org/articles/
And the Peter Cook Library: http://www.naturalchild.org/peter_cook/
http://www.naturalchild.org/peter_cook/ecc_ch1.html
A 1990 study found that a higher proportion of children in under age one in daycare
develop ‘anxious avoidance attachment to their mothers than do home-reared infants.
Absence of maternal care in as little as 10 hrs. a week in day care for infants and
young toddlers, developed problems. In fact, numerous studies have shown that
maternal deprivation at an early age can affect the mother-child bonding process and
impair a child’s emotional, social, and psychological development. Also that
maternal separation can profoundly affect the brain’s biochemistry, with lifelong
consequences for growth and mental ability. https://billmuehlenberg.com/ 2009/05/05/the-importance-of-motherhood/.
Mary Carlson of the Harvard Medical
School said, “Our findings support clinical research showing that infants cared for in
institutions grow slowly and have behavioral retardation.”
Women better fulfill the role of mothering because it is part of the natural feminine/
mother’s instinct and energy as Nature intended and that a child needs. Dr. Cook says “We need to do whatever it takes to help women give their babies and young children
the lifelong benefits of high quality mothering, and stop subsidizing an ideology that promotes risky and inadequate substitutes.”
The art of ‘mothering’ is immensely important and extends beyond raising a child/ children. It can involve nurturing and nourishing a spouse, relationships, friends,
parents, pets, your environment, and even yourself.
Few if any schools teach the importance of and basic skills of motherhood or mothering. These skills are either passed on from mother to daughter, other family members, such as grandmothers and aunts. Mothering skills are also learned through experience and reading.
Sadly, our profit driven society in much of the west doesn’t value the role of motherhood. Nor, as every mother knows, is she ever rewarded for her lifetime work and many sacrifices. Worse, many mothers and grandmothers end up homeless and destitute, because they were not given the support needed to establish financial security, while they were busy raising their children. The US, where women are portrayed as sex symbols, rates as one of the worst when it comes to valuing mothers
and supporting time off during motherhood.
Out of the world's 196 countries, the US is one of only four that has no federally mandated policy to give new parents paid time off. That burden is placed on individual states and employers. But, some countries really prioritize the well being of new parents — both straight and same-sex — granting them more than a year of leave at full pay. Nordic countries lead the world. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/
2016/08/these-10-countries-have-the-best-parental-leave-policies-in-the-world
Among the top is Finland. It is no wonder their students rate #1 in the world. Expecting mothers in Finland can start their maternity leave seven weeks before their
estimated due date. After that the government covers 16 additional weeks of paid leave through a maternity grant, regardless of whether the mother is a student, unemployed, or self-employed. The country also offers eight weeks of paid paternity leave. After a child turns three, parents can also take partial care leave, in which they split time between home and work. That lasts until the child starts second grade.
Other countries that provide paid maternity leave are:
Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, Iceland, Serbia, Norway, Hungary, Estonia, Lithuania