Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Countercult Ministries Weigh in on Babywise

The Christian Research Institute and Midwest Christian Outreach on Babywise/Growing Families International/Gary Ezzo

The countercult ministries, Christian Research Institute and Midwest Christian Outreach have produced several well-documented articles that take a firm stand against the parenting ideas promoted by Gary and Anne-Marie Ezzo. These are articles are exceptional and should be read by all parents, not just those who support GFI/Babywise. Christian parents need to understand that Babywise is the secularized version of Ezzo's book Preparation for Parenting / Along the Infant Way and is part of a larger parenting program than just this one book. Ezzo's ministry, Growing Families International, has a lot of problems, not the least of which are its founder's integrity, credentials, and theology. I'm posting these articles, not to condemn parents who use these methods, but to raise awareness of the controversy surrounding Gary Ezzo. Babywise isn't just another parenting method... the problem is much larger than the book.

"Christian Families On the Edge: Authoritarianism and Isolationism Among Us"

http://www.equip.org/articles/christian-families-on-the-edge

"The Cultic Characteristics of Growing Families International"

http://www.equip.org/articles/the-cultic-characteristics-of-growing-families-international

"GFI: A Matter of Bias? Examining the Response of Growing Families International Criticism"

http://www.equip.org/articles/gfi

"New Challenges Face Gary Ezzo and Growing Families International"

http://www.equip.org/articles/gary-ezzo

Adventures in Ezzoland

http://www.midwestoutreach.org/02-Information/02-OnlineReference/04-Etc/01-TheJournal/Volume8/No2-AdventureInEzzoland.html

3 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing. We are getting ready for baby #2, and I am thoroughly researching all Christian parenting resources. God has blessed us in so many ways with our first, and though I know He will continue to bless us, I want to prepare myself for the challenges of having multiple children. I greatly appreciate all of these links.

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  2. Ali, I'm a mom of five and expecting my sixth. I strongly recommend the book Attachment Parenting by Dr. Sears who is not only a world renowned pediatrician, but a Christian, and a father of six.

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  3. I second Anne's recommendation. I had my two kids pretty close together and honestly, what really saved me was my Moby Wrap. Carried DD around while chasing Toddler Son. Well, there was that and the fact that my daughter was very low maintenance as a baby. I think the Lord knew I couldn't deal with another baby like my son had been. I was terrified of being awakened at night all the while having to get up with the other kid during the day. Mercifully, my daughter was born knowing the difference between night and day. Not that she slept all night, but she slept AT night, which was a big difference between her and my son.

    Dr. William Sears has a Christian parenting book as well. If you search by his name on Amazon, you'll probably come up with it. LOVE this guy. Oh, and he's a father of EIGHT ( ;-)

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