enabling OCD by attachment parenting? Part 1

[Guest guest]

I am trying to untangle the enabling I've done in regard to my

daughter's OCD. One of the things I am particularly interested in is

the subject of school. Here is how we started homeschooling our

kids: We have four kids, E is our oldest and is almost 16. When she

was a baby she was extremely distressed if she wasn't in my arms, and

free to nurse. It was a rough start because I wasn't expecting a baby

to be so needy and had no role models of how to parent naturally. When

she was 4 months old, I found La Leche League and it saved my life! I

bought a sling and carried her around during the day and co-slept w/o

guilt in the night. We took her everywhere: movies, weddings,

restaurants etc. She was quite content w/ this lifestyle and slept

and nursed at will.

When she was one we joined a parent and tots play group at the local

Waldorf school. Luckily since they are quite an accepting bunch of

people, she could come w/ just a cloth diaper on. She was a happy

healthy kid who was very attached to me. She loved the outdoors,

animals, imaginative play, and being naked. By the time she was 2 she

was wearing clothes quite easily, but no shoes, and especially NOT

socks. She was the only one who didn't get splinters at the playground

cause her feet were nice and rough.

She didn't take well to being rushed out the door in the morning, or

to excessive running around. So, we kept things easy and slow. When

she was two, she rode a horse at a park, and was obsessed! She wanted

to go there all the time. They eventually wanted to GIVE us a horse

they were retiring.

When she was 3, her baby sister was born.

When she was four, most of her friends went to preschool at the

Waldorf school, but she couldn't separate from me for them to do their

" observation. " They said she just wasn't *ready* for school. I simply

refused to do the leave and cry it out thing (it was done to me and it

was extremely painful).

When she was five, I found a school that suited her, but it was an

hour away and my husband refused to move there. The school was so

respectful, and GET THIS the parent (and siblings) were allowed to

stay w/ them until they were comfortable. My friend's son, who was

much like my daughter was OK w/ his mom leaving after THREE DAYS!

When she was six, we officially called it homeschooling, though it was

mostly carefree days and playdates. She also started horseback riding

lessons, which she *loved* more than anything in the world. She was a

great skiier by this age too. She was especially attached to animals

(we've had cats, dogs, hamsters, gerbils and rabbits over the years.

When she was 9, after a car accident that killed her uncle, she

developed OCD habits which included excessive wiping, checking

animals, and a fear of jumping (her horse). She went to therapy and

took Luvox. She was able to stop the medication after about a year.

Part 2 later

Any thoughts?