This Mom With A Ph.D. Shares ‘Crazy’ Parenting Tips She Lives By
It seems like every parent and non-parent on the internet is a childcare expert who's quick to criticize, but a TikTok mom named Kristyn actually has some credentials behind her claims.
Dr. Kristyn Sommer is mom to a "tiny adventurer" and she has a Ph.D. in child development. She is taking to the internet to help other parents cope with raising kids.
Don't Worry About Food
This is a big one for parents.
Kristyn writes, "I don't worry about how much she is eating. I don't panic that she's hasn't eaten enough today." It's so easy to get caught up in your kid's eating habits, but taking a more hands-off approach can pay off in the long run.
Give Them Some Independence
Kids thrive in an environment where they can learn to do things on their own.
Kristyn explains that she trusts her children with a bit more independence than is typical for kids of their age. That means she doesn't have a baby gate on the stairs, and her one-year-old daughter sits in a normal chair that she can climb in and out of instead of a high chair.
Straight To A Bed
Kristyn says that her baby has never slept in a cot or a crib.
She writes, "My baby doesn't sleep in a cot and never has. We had to sell it because she wouldn't let me put her in the cot. She hated it. Instead, she has a double bed."
Screen Time Isn't The Worst
There are so many differing opinions on screen time out there, but this is what Kristyn has to say about it.
She gives her kids a bit more screen time than the AAP recommends. It helps her get chores done around the house, and it helps her take more peaceful car rides.
No Baby Food
There are different schools of thought when it comes to introducing your baby to solid food. This is the method that Kristyn swears by:
She likes baby-led weaning. That means no baby food or purees. You just give your kid a soft chunk of food and let them figure out how to eat it.
It's Okay To Get Messy
Cleaning up messes isn't fun, but making a mess can be great for a child's development.
Kristyn explains, "I let my kid get messy, like really really messy, but I'm so into her getting messy that I make her all these special sensory materials so she can get even messier again."
How To Speak To Your Child
Kristyn has some rules for speaking to her kids.
She understands the value of child-directed speech, but she makes sure that she's always using proper grammar and calling objects by their proper names. She does her best to talk to her children like they're people.
No Bedtime
This one might seem crazy, but Kristyn doesn't give her kids a bedtime.
She basically lets her kids wind down and go to sleep over the course of the evening. Sometimes they go to bed earlier, and sometimes later, and that's okay.
She Doesn't Mind Lazy Parenting
Sometimes, as a parent, you just need some time to yourself. Kristyn doesn't see anything wrong with that.
Sometimes she just sits back and watches her kids play by themselves. It helps them learn how to self-soothe.
What Do You Think?
Would you try out any of these seemingly crazy parenting techniques?
It does seem like Kristyn knows what she's talking about, even if some of these practices might be unconventional.
