Cry like a baby

I am an overindulgent mother.

I don't like to hear my child cry.

If she cries, I go to her and "make it better".

Mind you, she is all of 5 months old. I'm of the belief that at this age she is crying for a reason, and that it's my job to figure out what that reason is and to make it better for her. I'm sure this viewpoint will change, I'm sure very soon I'll be sick of it all and just let her cry it out, but right now I'm happy being "that mother" that "spoils" her child.

Except that I don't think that it is spoiling her. How can removing negativities from her her little life be spoiling? Surely at the ripe old age of 5 months old, she's not yet learnt to manipulate in such a way. Surely she is crying out of a basic need or want - I'm hungry, I'm tired, my nappy needs changing, I'm bored.

There are times that she will cry and I will make her wait, if I'm in the middle of cooking, load of washing etc and I can see that she's fine. But I talk to her, reassure her that mummy is here, I won't be long. Surely if she receives the positive message that "someone is there for me when I need them" it will make for a well adjusted child?

However, this is not to say that letting a child cry at times isn't valuable too. Sometimes a child will reach the point of no return in their crying, and it just has to run its course. A prime example of this is the "cry it out" method of getting children to self settle to sleep, but I just think that for me and my baby, 5 months is too young to start this.

So yes, I am an overindulgent mother, and proud of it!