Dear Friend,

API changes the lives of families. Parents are finding our resources invaluable in helping them through the journey of raising children.

We are proud to hear things like: "I used a lot of information that I gathered from API to help make my home a more peaceful environment and to help my children get more in touch with each other and increase the positive interactions they have amongst themselves."⁽¹⁾

Today there are more than 50 million families⁽²⁾ with small children in countries where AP is most practiced, yet the predominate voice of advice goes like this:

• A popular syndicated columnist confidently says to ignore any need for support in a child's transitions; that there is no need to bother to understand what is going on behind children's actions, and advises punitive and arbitrary responses by the parent, and even refers to the child as "Little Miss Too Big for Her Britches." As bad as it is, this is not just advice to one parent, this is advice to parents reading this syndicated column across the country.
• A popular moms' forum is overrun with sleep training advice. In repeat scenarios, a mother is admonished to not let their toddler manipulate her in response to the mother's request for strategies to help her get her child to sleep.
• Even a local electric company newsletter offers ways to "Unspoil Your Child" (next to the recipe section), that counsels parents to be tough and unyielding and not entertain the child's point of view, at the same time insulting parents as to not be up to the task of conversing with their child because parents are weak.
• A major conference event held in five major U.S. cities in 2012 will feature "experts" on parenting, including one who coerces and bullies parents with fear and advocates shaming and spanking, of infants too.

"Don't let her manipulate you." "Be tough and unyielding" "Don't pick him up, you'll spoil him."

These messages do not lead to positive, empathic relationships, confidence or even healthy moral development because they undermine the key ingredient: secure attachment. API believes that this critical information should be available to anyone for the asking, and in a multitude of accessible formats.

Mental health professionals, doctors, experts and parents everywhere agree that children who have supported and informed parents are more likely to be well-adjusted, empathic, successful children. But we aren’t all working from the same information to help parents and children achieve life success.

Your good word, your time as a volunteer, your much-needed financial contribution, can help API sustain and grow its impact.

API can grow to have a national newspaper presence, welcome moms and dads into a pleasant, informative, and supportive forum environment, and maybe even get the local electric company to stick to the electric business or update its parenting advice.

Before we can grow, we must stabilize and continue to sustain our basic operations which provide our existing level of publications, accredited leaders, staff and technology. Please help API continue its good work.

A pledge from you to help us plan and budget can make the kind of difference you hope a donation will make. Our deep individual commitments coupled with our strong business and program skills ensure that every dollar donated is treated as the precious resource it is and used as efficiently as possible.

API is a nonprofit organization, and your gifts of $5, $10, $25, or more are tax deductible. Please give, and invite a friend to do the same.

Our efforts are as important as ever, and the demands for our services, education and support are even greater. Please help us reach the families that need us and change the culture of parenting.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

 
Attachment Parenting International

1. Read more at API's Parent Feedback Survey

2. There are approximately 35 million families with young children in the United States. Approximately 2 million in Australia (Australian Bureau of Statistics). In Canada, there are more than 5 million families with children (Statistics Canada), not to mention New Zealand, Ireland, and families in more than 100 countries using API's resources.

Print this form (using "Landscape" orientation) and submit your gift by mail, or donate online at http://www.attachmentparenting.org/help/donate.php