Call for Co-sleeping Essays

Are you a co-sleeper?

You have the opportunity to be included in a new book, “Are You Co-sleeping? Me Too!”, by producing some short “feel good” essays to head 7 of the chapters. These essays should be written by parents who love or have loved bed-sharing with their babies or children.

The 7 prospective winners will have their story included in the book. The top essayist will win the Dr. approved bed-sharing aid, The Humanity Family Sleeper, a $200.00 value!

Modern society has worked tirelessly at isolating, ostracizing, and condemning bed-sharing families. That very negativity created the fuel source, and parents who had been hurt stood up for themselves. By logging in at http://www.co-sleepingsurvey.com/ these families created a number that can not be refuted. In the process, men and women alike, left strong comments that painted a very clear picture…We love bed-sharing! Those comments were compiled and the “you are not alone” book emerged.

The book has been completed but, true to it’s “participant created nature”, we wanted to offer you and your readers the opportunity to be included! The book, “Are You Co-sleeping? Me Too!” is not another doctor written, scientifically scrubbed, manual of “how too” or “why too”. Significantly, it’s a community of peers who relayed from the heart their very personal experience. We all know that a friend’s kind voice resonates a very powerful message. Through this book, parents who are currently experiencing, or have experienced negativity about their bed-sharing will easily be able to find community and acceptance. So, in the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi, many voices will be heard in unison!

Popular media often unleashes it’s wrath on what it can.

Breastfeeding as a form of parenting is essentially untouchable. Rightfully so! Nobody dares question its place in child care, in part because lactivists are ready to stand up for the next breastfeeding discrimination. The La Leche League has worked hard at defending breastfeeding. However, bed-sharing does not have the same protection. There is no Bed-sharing League. Even though breastfeeding and co-sleeping/bed-sharing often goes hand in hand, the family bed doesn’t really have any regular “guardians”.

As you have probably noticed, the popular media does not like bed-sharing. Relentlessly and unchecked, news sources continue with the bashing. They highlight only tragic co-sleeping “accidents” and label them as the standard. All too often the destructive words LAZY, SELF-CENTERED, and IRRESPONSIBLE dominate the articles that are often punctuated with “you will kill your child”! There are only a few brave souls that get any respect in the ‘bed sharing’ arena and even they get minimized. You know, just like Dr. McKenna and Dr. Sears, that there is more to the story. What is going to change this pattern?

Essay guidelines…

Essays (250 words or less) should focus on the writer’s personal experience with one of the following topics. Bloggers are also invited to enter their own essays. There are no international boundaries, all countries are invited to enter. Prizes will be shipped for free (essays need to be in English).

1. Oppression or negativity they received (Mother-in-law, parents, media, doctors, general society).

2. How bed-sharing enriched their parenting experience.

3. How bed-sharing helped breastfeeding (extended duration, adverse physical limitations, etc.).

4. How they got better sleep.

5. A Dad’s perspective, written by a Dad.

6. How it saved their child’s life.

7. How they intended to use a crib, and chose not to.

The 7 winning essays will be included in the book (the blog name associated with the entry will be listed as well). “Are You Co-Sleeping? Me Too!” will be ready for delivery before April 10th!

Entries need to be received by March 22nd 2010.  Winners will be chosen and announced by April 1st. The grand prize will be delivered to the winning entrant before April 20th.  Contestants need to log their entries at   Co-Sleeping Essay Entry form