Time Isn't The First To Feature 'Extreme Parenting'

The shocking breastfeeding cover is the latest of several depictions of 'attachment' parenting.
By Kara Warner

<i>Time</i> magazine's May 2012 cover
Photo: Time, Inc.

Whether or not it was intended to cause immediate controversy, this week's Time magazine cover is the epitome of shock and awe. The photo depicts Los Angeles mother Jamie Lynne Grumet breastfeeding her 3-year-old son. Needless to say, the image is a striking one and has caused a media storm.

As surprising as it may be to see a young mother breastfeeding her toddler, the story isn't as out-of-the-blue as it may seem. There have been several recent examples of the so-called "attachment" and "extreme" parenting that have popped up in the cultural zeitgeist. Here's what we've noticed:

Celebs do it too
"Gossip Girl" star Kelly Rutherford and "Big Bang Theory" actress Mayim Bialik both made headlines when they revealed publicly that they breastfed their toddlers; Rutherford even more so because she revealed her stance on the subject back in 2008. Bialik, who, in addition to being an actress and mother, is a neuroscientist, did extensive research on the subject and wrote a book about it: "Beyond the Sling: A Real-Life Guide to Raising Confident, Loving Children the Attachment Parenting Way."

It's seen on TV
If you happen to watch HBO's medieval fantasy epic "Game of Thrones" or caught Adam Sandler's "Grown Ups" in theaters, you witnessed two instances of older-than-average children still being breastfed by their mothers. It should be noted that in both the Time article and Bialik's book, the case is made for how the practice is becoming more accepted and that the women who choose to continue breastfeeding are basing their decisions on sound logic. In contrast, in the recent examples on TV and in film, the mothers are portrayed as crazy or unstable.

Some don't find it that extreme
Beloved "Clueless" actress Alicia Silverstone raised more than a few eyebrows when she posted a video on her website that showed Silverstone pre-chewing food which her son then ate directly out of her mouth. Silverstone later defended the practice as having thousands of years of history behind it.

Another case is the disciplinary tactic of "hot-saucing," in which parents put hot sauce on their children's tongues as a form of punishment for unwanted behavior. The concept made headlines last year when a mother in Alaska faced child abuse charges after the "Dr. Phil" show aired video of the mom punishing her child with "hot-saucing." The practice has a surprise celeb supporter in Lisa Whelchel, who played Blair on the TV show "The Facts of Life."

What did you think of Time's cover? Leave your comment below!

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