Sadly, we are still sick here. Just when I think I might be out of the woods and house might not be a germ factory, the baby gets more ill. 3am found my husband and I up with a very out of sorts and upset baby. She has a mild fever and a small cough and is just very grumpy with the world. She used to be our happy baby but about a month ago she hit this phase that has her screaming bloody murder for what feels like forever while Daddy and Mommy try everything we can think of to calm her and make things better. Some nights it seems like the more we try, the more upset she gets. As if she is trying to communicate and is angry we are not understanding. I tell you though, we try everything from 2am walk and drives to playing with toys and reading books, to dancing and her favorite shows. Nothing seems to work some nights till finally that last effort works or maybe she just gets board of watching us struggle to understand her.
I miss the days where it was so easy to please her, to know what she wanted or needed. She rarely cried more than a minute or two and now… now it is like we have a different child and are new parents all over. We have gotten some really crappy parenting advice telling us to just leave her in her room to scream, to ignore her tantrums, to not let her win. As if this is some how a game? We are team, not some kind of opposition.
So even if she wasn’t sick, we would still be up with her if she is upset because we feel as parents that it is our job to do so. It is our job to meet her needs, to help her work through things, to let her know she is not alone and that we care. There are many years to learn the hard realities of the world. Years to learn to self sooth. Oh how easy it is to break someones sense of security though and that is something not easy to repair. So she knows we are here for her, even in the worst terrible twos we still love her and will be with her. We will not reject her, ignore her, or make her deal with what ever is bothering her alone. I will not let her feel abandoned. I know what that feels like, and yes at such a young age it can have life long effects so I have noticed in others.
In the end, I could always be wrong but who is it hurting to follow attachment parenting? There is a difference though remember from attachment parenting and permissive parenting. Security is security though and I doubt that will change. If my 13 year old was up crying over something, chances are we would be up with her two helping her however we can to work through it or just letting her know she is not alone and she is loved.
I am sorry to hear you guys are still sick. I hope everyone is feeling much better soon. As far as parenting through the night, that is us here too. We look at our children as gifts not burdens and if we lose a little sleep here and there its ok, as long as we are caring for our little ones. I want them to know that we are always here, no matter what, and they can count on us, no matter what time of day. Stay strong, and keep holding on to that special little gift!