Are parents encouraged to use flexibility when implementing Preparation for Parenting?
Preparation for Parenting discourages parents from adopting a rigid and inflexible mindset. The following quotes provide some examples: “It is our experience that both baby and mom do better when a baby’s life is guided by a flexible routine . . . It [PDF] has enough structure to bring security and order to your baby’s world, yet enough flexibility to give mom freedom to respond to any need at any time.” (43) “The mother who insists on watching the clock to the minute lacks confidence in decision making. The clock is in control, not the parent. The hyper-schedulist insists on a strict schedule, often nursing her baby no more often than every four hours. Enslavement to the clock is almost as great an error as a mother who is in bondage to thoughtless emotions.” (98) “Your baby’s normal feeding periods fall between 2 1/2 and 3 1/2-hour intervals. But there are times when you may feed sooner than those time increments.” (113) “There will be times when a situation will dictate a temporary
