Why is it that when we hear the phrase, "It's just human nature" that it is usually refering to something negative like kids fighting or hitting each other, or worse? Why isn't it when we see kids giving each other kisses or wanting to sleep together? Why don't we consider that to be human nature?
When I was in my 20's I lived in Japan for three years and traveled around Asia quite a bit during that time. I noticed the vast majority of families slept together and their relationships seemed much closer physically than ours here in the West, with all of our gadgets and cribs and big houses with separate nurseries. Later, when I worked in the inner city of Long Beach as a Child Development Specialist I noticed that the Asian famlies were far more harmonious than the other cultures that had a habit of less touch. It was very evident at large functions like bar-b-ques in the park. The Asian children would be walking around with their arms around each other or holding hands and the children from the other groups were usually punching each other or yelling at each other- as were the parents.
I made a decision at that time that I would sleep with my children when I had them. My decision was not based on reading some book having to do with co-sleeping or attachment parenting, but pure observation of what I was wanting to include into my experience. I'm happy to say, I think I made the right decision.
Now the girls are 9 and 11 already! yikes. And the oldest is on the brink of her teenage years, having signs of moving into womanhood- and yet, many times at night when I peek into the girls' room, I find them snuggled up to each other. Even though they could have separate sleeping rooms and their beds are less than one foot apart from each other, it is still not close enough. It's just human nature, I guess.
