The Continuum Concept

After spending two and a half years among the Yequana Indians in the Amazon jungle, Jean Liedloff wrote about her experiences and findings in a thought provoking book. In this anthropological study she writes about her conclusions regarding children’s upbringing from a natural, instinctive point of view.

The main idea behind The continuum concept is that in order to become happy and confident adults, our children need to have fulfilled the expectations that as species, the human beings have developed through their process of evolution.

Among these expectations are:

• Babies need to be carried constantly in arms from birth until crawling age. According to Liedloff, in this way they are always present, always learning about life until they are ready to become part of their society.

• Co-sleeping with their parents until they feel ready to sleep alone.

• Breastfeeding on demand, responding to babies’ body signals. According to Liedloff, Yequana parents are always available when their children need them, responding to their body signals without judgment or sign of displeasure.

Children from very young age are respected and trusted as individuals, included in their parents’ daily activities and allowed to learn and explore their surroundings.

They rarely cry and, contrary to the popular belief, children raised in this way don’t become “spoiled” but happy, independent individuals with great self-esteem.

The Continuum Concept is in its twenty-sixth printing and has been translated into sixteen languages. If you are interested in natural, instinctive parenting, then this book is a must!