Posted by floatingbridge on February 26, 2011, at 14:19:47
In reply to Re: Ferber, posted by morgan miller on February 26, 2011, at 1:34:45
> I think the pressing issue here when it comes to mothers suffering from mental illness is the potential for and likelihood of neglect. When parents neglect their children, it is usually done so in ways that the parents are completely unaware of or in denial of.Yes. Unaware I would put in one category, and denial another. Relatively healthy people use denial. That's a key element in some of the finest literature and drama (thinking here of Oedipus Tyrannous aka Rex).
I think the study you posted was interesting and important. I'm pleased by your use of 'parents', because there is incredible focus on the maternal bond. Since the majority of PB posters are from the US or other Western modeled cultures, that our social reality.
Sometimes I try and imagine various tribal systems. Some do not place the maternal bond above others in regards to a child's (and future 'citizen's) healthy adjustment to adult tribal life.
So I offer that the importance of maternal bond may not be hard-wired,
as long as a child's needs are met by (emphasis here) consistent caregivers so that reliable bonds form.(I think that is why many children, despite studies suggesting otherwise, are really fine in some daycare situations. Like my psychiatrist friend's child, who was in daycare from 8-5. Fortunately, my friend was able to find and afford a daycare with practically zero turnover.)
But you and I are born and bred US citizens. So any maladjustments are to this culture and are created, in part, by the lens of our culture which (imo) is male centered and the female can be, at times reduce to a symbol and fetishized. You know, join Uncle Sam and fight for
apple pie. Actually, the male is reduced to a symbl, too. Maybe a symbol in which more power is invested. Some of
my male friends confess to feeling the
variuos stings of cultural cues that question their manliness.w guys who feel less. (Know that is something to help my
son navigate. Luckily Dad is pretty comfortable with those issues.) An interesting question here would be what is our culture's correlative of not being fatherly enough.>
>There are many types of neglect, all of
which have great potential for damage.Yes, so true. As an anxious mom, the world seems riddled with pitfalls and dangers, some unintentionally put in place by myself.
Lunchtime. Enter my son shooting his playmobil cannon as a hand gun (since
we won't buy him guns--sticks, Lego, and now playmobil are fine. Now that's something that could send him to the couch as an adult in this country, lol.No time to proof-read.
Signed,
fb, mother in the wild, wild West
*keep a green tree in your heart
& a singing bird will come.
MDD & C-PTSD
poster:floatingbridge
thread:979678
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20110220/msgs/979826.html