Information Literacy Excellence Award Runner-Up

STUDENT: Marceia Tanzini
ADVISOR: Dr. Kelley Wagers

In today’s society, there seems to be less reliance on parental instinct and more emphasis on how “the experts” dictate we parent. From sleep patterns, to eating habits, to disciplinary styles, new parents are bombarded with information that suggests every little choice they make in their parenting journey will inevitably affect their child’s future. One of the most popular, yet still controversial, parenting techniques is the cry-it-out (CIO) method. While many parents loyally advocate for this method promoted by “the experts,” as a mother myself, I am concerned this alleged expertise undermines parental instinct.

Additional Information or Comments
My presentation examines and evaluates the CIO method, and “”scientific”” parenting more generally, from a new mother’s perspective.