Kourtney Kardashian’s ‘attachment parenting’ style caused issues in her relationship with Scott Disick, expert reveals
KOURTNEY Kardashian follows the 'attachment parenting' style and it could be to blame for issues in her relationship with Scott Disick, an expert has revealed.
Mom-of-two and parenting expert Kirsty Ketley previously told The Sun US how Kim's 'koala parenting' style was to blame for her kids' 'obnoxious behaviour'.
Meanwhile, she also revealed how sister Kylie Jenner's ‘self-discipline’ parenting lets Stormi pick her bedtime and if it is as bad as it sounds.
Now she's dug into 43-year-old Kourtney's chosen technique for parenting kids Mason, 12, Penelope (known as P), nine, and Reign, seven.
Here's what Kirsty has to say...
Kourtney Kardashian comes under fire for her parenting a lot, most recently for taking her kids for a spin in husband Travis Baker’s vintage car while they were not strapped in safely.
But while she might make some questionable decisions when it comes to her kids, one part of Kourtney’s parenting is very favourable within the parenting world.
That’s her being a proponent of Attachment Parenting, a method which has become increasingly popular with parents in recent years.
“It came naturally to me; I didn’t plan it,” she previously .
And that is so often the case with Attachment Parenting.
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In a nutshell, it is about constant physical closeness and being responsive to your baby, which includes baby wearing, co-sleeping and long-term breastfeeding.
The thinking is by attending to a baby’s needs in a responsive way, you help them feel safe and secure.
Paediatrician William Sears and his wife Martha formally developed the method in the 1980s.
The core idea is a secure parent-child attachment, achieved by being sensitive and responsive, paves the way for their independence and secure relationships as an adult.
It’s something all parents would want for their kids and, like Kourtney, feels natural, which is why it has become such a well-liked way to parent.
It is not necessary for parents to follow all the practices that the style outlines and there is no checklist, so parents can take what they feel works and leave the rest.
As there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to parenting, that is welcoming.
But if you’re wondering, here are the main features of taking this approach:
- Frequently holding your baby close (baby wearing)
- Encouraging a nurturing touch (Kangaroo care and skin-to skin)
- Breastfeeding on demand
- Avoiding a strict, adult-imposed feeding schedule
- Being responsive to a baby’s cries
- Being sensitive and responsive to a child’s emotions
- Co-sleeping
Many parents don’t set out to co-sleep, baby wear or breastfeed long term, they have ideas of being able to put the baby down whenever they need to and visions of their baby sleeping happily in the crib.
But as Kourtney explains, the realities of having a baby are often very different to the expectations.
“When I had Mason, co-sleeping just kind of happened naturally. It’s what worked for all of us to get the most sleep, so I quickly embraced it,” the mom revealed to Redbook.
In a later piece for her own , Kourtney added: "I remember going through times of trying to get him to sleep in his own bed.
"Many nights he would start off in his room and make his way into ours.
"I eventually embraced a family bed and followed his lead for when he was ready to sleep in his room.
"When he was seven, he started sleeping in his room on his own."
How to safely co-sleep
For the first six months, the safest place for your baby to sleep is in a crib or cot, in the same room as mom.
But if, like Kourtney, you do decide to co-sleep, here’s a few things Kirsty says to remember.
- Keep pillows, sheets, blankets away from your baby or any other items that could obstruct your baby’s breathing or cause them to overheat.
- Avoid letting pets or other children in the bed
- Make sure that baby can’t fall out of the bed or get trapped between the mattress and wall
- Don’t co-sleep if you or your partner have been drinking, smoking, or taking drugs
- Don’t co-sleep if your baby was a low birth weight (2.5kg or less) or premature (before 37 weeks)
- Don’t sleep with your baby on the coach or armchair
- If you fall asleep while feeding, place your baby on their back immediately after you wake, preferably on a separate sleep surface
This is a definite positive lots of parents will relate to. But what other pros are there to using the Attachment Parenting style?
It has been shown to buffer the effects of parent stress on a child, which reduces the likelihood of emotional and behavioural problems as a result of these stresses, and it helps kids regulate their emotions more effectively – which may mean less tantrums.
Children who have a secure attachment are said to become not only more confident but also smarter.
It has been shown toddlers with a secure attachment score better in intelligence tests, and research babies who received skin-to skin care in their first few weeks had better sleep patterns as they grew.
So, what about the cons?
Some feel it can have a negative impact on other relationships in a parent’s life.
Co-sleeping can mean one parent sleeps in another room, for instance and may feel neglected, as Scott Disick, 39, did during the early years of son Mason’s life.
Attachment Parenting can also be seen as a privilege for those who don’t have to return to work.
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However, Kourtney is a great example of how Attachment Parenting can work, often putting her family first to keep that secure bond (as seen on KUWTK in 2020, when she decided to take a break from filming to focus on being a mom), while still managing to work.
Kirsty Ketley, 41 from Surrey, UK, is a parenting consultant at and mom to Ella, nine, and Leo, five.