INTRODUCTION
In “Cultural Variation in Infants’ Sleeping Arrangements: Questions of Independence” by Morelli et al., expresses how Mayan and American families have different opinions towards the idea of co-sleeping.
Thirty-two middle-class families from Guatemala and America participated in a study regarding their infant’s sleeping arrangements (604). Qualitative approaches, particularly interviews, were used to elaborate the following subjects: the infant’s sleeping arrangements, bedtime preparations, and feeding practices throughout the night.
Both of the cultures varied in their practices. Mayans seem to value emotional attachment, while Americans value independence.
The researchers reported the results concerning the sleeping arrangements …show more content…
They believed that sleeping beside the child allowed bonds to grow stronger, hence co-sleeping created an emotional attachment between the parents and their child.
When the Mayan families discovered that the American families allowed their infants to sleep alone in a separate room, they saw this as a form of neglection and felt pity for the American infants (608).
All eighteen of the American families reported not to engage in co-sleeping (606). American parents stated that allowing children to sleep on their own shaped their independence for their future. This aspect contrasts with the Enlightenment when the idea of individuality was highly recognized. This being said, the Declaration of Independence, which occurred in 1776, also highly influenced Americans to be independent. Hence, their history promotes American parents to raise their children independent, specifically in separate rooms from an early age, so they are not dependent on their parents.
When the American families learned that the Mayan families encaged in co-sleeping, they feared that the mother might smother the child accidently. They also assumed that co-sleeping might prevent the child from gaining its independence and be a bad habit to break since they are so dependent on their parents
In “Cultural Variation in Infants’ Sleeping Arrangements: Questions of Independence” by Morelli et al., expresses how Mayan and American families have different opinions towards the idea of co-sleeping.
Thirty-two middle-class families from Guatemala and America participated in a study regarding their infant’s sleeping arrangements (604). Qualitative approaches, particularly interviews, were used to elaborate the following subjects: the infant’s sleeping arrangements, bedtime preparations, and feeding practices throughout the night.
Both of the cultures varied in their practices. Mayans seem to value emotional attachment, while Americans value independence.
The researchers reported the results concerning the sleeping arrangements …show more content…
They believed that sleeping beside the child allowed bonds to grow stronger, hence co-sleeping created an emotional attachment between the parents and their child.
When the Mayan families discovered that the American families allowed their infants to sleep alone in a separate room, they saw this as a form of neglection and felt pity for the American infants (608).
All eighteen of the American families reported not to engage in co-sleeping (606). American parents stated that allowing children to sleep on their own shaped their independence for their future. This aspect contrasts with the Enlightenment when the idea of individuality was highly recognized. This being said, the Declaration of Independence, which occurred in 1776, also highly influenced Americans to be independent. Hence, their history promotes American parents to raise their children independent, specifically in separate rooms from an early age, so they are not dependent on their parents.
When the American families learned that the Mayan families encaged in co-sleeping, they feared that the mother might smother the child accidently. They also assumed that co-sleeping might prevent the child from gaining its independence and be a bad habit to break since they are so dependent on their parents