Comments on: A Wise, Older Couple is Troubled at What They Saw

By: Kelsey

Kelsey — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:32:42 +0000

I can attest to the effectiveness of the hair pulling technique. My son was never a biter but my daughter, who I nursed a lot longer then my son, was a biter. The first time she bit me I screamed literally in her face because I was so shocked and MAN it hurt! The second time I was prepared and I lightly and gently tugged a small piece of hair. Seriously not hard at all…try it on yourself if you’re concerned with how hard to pull. She felt the slight sensation of pain and the next time she tried to bite me I went to reach for her head and she stopped IMMEDIATELY! It works people!! Conditioning our children against uncomfortable behavior is the SMART thing to do…rather then not nursing or stopping nursing (as many of my friends have done) because of the biting. Formula is expensive and far less nutritionally beneficial and if several of my friends had followed this advice they would’ve kept nursing their babies!!

By: Katie

Katie — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 02:15:24 +0000

I love the advice here. If I had needed to use the hair pulling I would have. My unexpected scream when the baby first bit proved to be enough when it scared the baby who started crying. I think it sad that so many people become defensive when they hear advice/opinions contrary to what they did/are doing. The theme behind what the Pearls say is always joy and love. You teach the baby not to bite because you love them enough to want to continue to have a healthy nursing relationship with them. It is NOT a joyful experience to be bit. Life is full of consequences for our actions. It is best to teach our children this as early as possible so they will act in ways that produce positive results. It is to their benefit as well as ours.

By: Kristy

Kristy — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 18:47:33 +0000

My baby is 11 months now, but in the beginning he would bite. I read about a technique that when a baby bites, the mother should pull him in closer so that the breast covers his nose. His immediate reaction is to open his mouth so he can breath. He then lets go of the breast. I tried this with my son and only had to do it twice before he realized what was happening. Hope this makes sense and others could try it if your baby is bald.

By: Shoshannah Ragan

Shoshannah Ragan — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 03:59:58 +0000

I can’t believe people are taking pulling the baby’s hair so far out of context. Is it abusing our bodies to brush our hair because it sometimes pulls? Of course not, we simply learn to brush more gently and move on with our day. They are NOT talking about yanking your poor child’s hair to the point they even cry over it, so it can’t hurt that much! They realize that your baby doesn’t know that biting hurts momma, but how are they going to learn if we just foolishly let them continue? This isn’t to say that other methods can work too, do what you want to do to teach your baby to stop biting, but please stop discriminating against people who are merely trying to give parents PRACTICAL ways to train children up to realize when they’re hurting someone else, and to be considerate!!

By: Jessica

Jessica — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 17:02:00 +0000

I have followed the wisdom of this form of child training with my now nine year old and my 16 month old. Both of these girls have polar opposite personalities, and require different varieties of training, that is a learning curve and keeps me on my toes as a mother. The difference between effectively “loving” your children by training them and child abuse is glaringly obvious! To those who cannot see this difference I suggest you do your own homework, google childabuse images… misjudgement in discipline is no where near the anger and destructive power of true “abuse”.

God bless!

By: Nikki

Nikki — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 15:21:11 +0000

Yes, “gently”. As I research a little more on the controversial Pearls to know whether or not our church library should carry and/or promote the book To Train Up a Child, I am being reminded to consider all sides and read what they (Debi and Michael) are actually writing and to not read into it. And of course everything must be carefully weighed against the Word of God. It seems as though we can easily be caught up into a controversy and begin to see things through distorted lenses.

By: Becky

Becky — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 12:27:34 +0000

http://www.babycenter.com/0_twelve-reasons-babies-cry-and-how-to-soothe-them_9790.bc?scid=momsbaby_20100706:4&pe=2UwrG9D

By: Melanie

Melanie — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 22:30:18 +0000

Thankyou Mrs. Pearl, I am 8 months pregnant and expecting my first child. I was recently introduced to the books and am very happy, I have never read a book so clear on parenting, it is very good. And to the hair pulling thing, that is an amazingly good idea who would of thought of that! Thanks!

By: Debby H.

Debby H. — Mon, 24 May 2010 02:25:55 +0000

Everyone who is appalled at the pulling of the hair is not getting the point, or did not clearly read the article. Mrs. Pearl clearly stated “GENTLY pull a hair on her head” this action would not even cause much pain, but would train the child to associate the action of biting with a slight sting on their head. This tip is not only very wise, but will prevent future habits of biting. Thank you Mrs. Pearl!

By: amanda

amanda — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 02:08:29 +0000

I agree with the pulling of the hair. like they said it is conditioning them not abusing them. People take things out of propotion and that is what gets dfs involved. I have bought 3 of the Pearls books and I am using them on my 4 kids. for people who know me, my kids were way out of controll and little by little they are becoming children that i like. Thank you so much for making the books!!