We all parent in our own ways, that’s a given. But whether it’s because they have the forum, or whether it’s their station in life, celebs making unusual parenting decisions (and then writing books about them) are always popping up.
There’s been a rush of interesting celebrity parenting approaches in the news lately, so here are a few of the highlights (both recent and past). Some of these seem not so bad, some are potentially dangerous and some of them are downright bizarre—but they’re all off the beaten parenting track.
PSA: Also worth noting is the fact that celebrities are not parenting experts simply by virtue of their celebrity alone. Make sure you research, investigate and consult with a healthcare practitioner as you formulate your own parenting philosophies.
Elimination Communication
Giselle Bunchen, Mayim Bialik
Diaperless parenting is another name for this interesting approach to potty training, which often begins when babies are still newborns. The idea behind elimination communication (EC) is to pay close attention to your baby's cues, and hold them over a bowl, basin or the toilet before they go to the bathroom, so they're not soiling a diaper.
Proponents say that it's more hygenic, and babies are potty trained earlier.
Canadian Paediatric Society says that kids are ready for bladder and bowel control at 18 months.
We say we love the idea of having a potty trained one-year-old, but the effort required (and the potential for poop and pee flying everywhere, never mind the inconvenience of picking up on a "cue" while in the middle of a grocery store) is already making us exhausted.
Photography by Thomas Concordia/WireImage/Getty Images
