Children need more hugs, not ‘tough love’ from their parents, says Health Minister Victoria Atkins
- Victoria Atkins said generations of parents were given the wrong advice
You need to cuddle your little ones more because ‘tough love’ is no longer the way to raise children, the Health Secretary has warned.
Victoria Atkins said generations of parents were given the wrong advice about caring for newborn babies.
The long-held belief that cuddling a child too much makes them ‘clingy’ or that crying babies need to self-soothe is being challenged as part of a new campaign.
The Start for Life programme, recently launched by the Ministry of Health, aims to dispel these myths and encourage parents to hug their children as much as they want. It also recommends comforting babies when they cry and mirroring your baby’s reactions and emotions.
The long-held belief that cuddling a child too much makes them ‘clingy’ or that crying babies need to self-soothe is being challenged as part of a new campaign (stock image)
Victoria Atkins (pictured) said generations of parents were given the wrong advice about caring for newborn babies
Experts have warned that being too harsh can damage a young child’s mental health and have consequences into adulthood.
“As our understanding has improved, so must our communication of that advice to parents,” Ms Atkins told the Sunday Express.
‘That is exactly what Start for Life is about. If we can give children the best start in life, it is not only very good for them, but also very good for everyone else in the family.’
A survey found that more than half of parents felt they were given unhelpful advice in their baby’s early years, such as being told to let their child “cry it out” or limit physical affection.
Nearly a third now say they feel guilty about following these recommendations.
As part of the £300 million campaign, help will be available at 400 family centers across the country and online. It will provide advice for new parents, as well as a place to meet others facing similar challenges.