- Victoria Atkins said generations of parents received wrong advice
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They should hug their 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 have been given the wrong advice about how to care for newborn babies.
Long-held beliefs that hugging a child too much will make them “clingy” or that crying babies should be left to calm themselves are being targeted by a new campaign.
The Start for Life programme, recently launched by the Department of Health, aims to dispel these myths and encourage parents to hug their children as much as they want. She also recommends comforting babies when they cry and mirroring their reactions and emotions.
Long-held beliefs that hugging a child too much will make them “clingy” or that crying babies should be left to calm themselves are being attacked as part of a new campaign (file image)
Victoria Atkins (pictured) said generations of parents were given the wrong advice about how to care for newborn babies.
Experts have warned that being too harsh can damage a young child’s mental health and have an impact on adulthood.
“As our understanding has improved, so must our communication of that advice to parents,” Ms Atkins told the Sunday Express.
‘That’s what Start for Life is about. If we can give the children the best start in life, not only will it be great for them, it will also be fantastic for everyone else in the family.’
A survey has found that more than half of parents believed they received unhelpful advice in the first years of their baby’s life, such as being told to let the child “cry it out” or limit physical affection.
Nearly a third said they now feel guilty for following these recommendations.
As part of the £300 million campaign, support will be available at 400 family centers across the country and online. It will provide advice to new parents, as well as a place to meet others facing the same challenges.