>Some people believe that parents who drop everything in order to comfort a
>crying infant teach a baby that he is in charge and can control his
parents.
>This is also a myth. The fact is that babies are unable to think about how
>their behavior affects their parents.

I wonder if Ms. Abell has children of her own, or is simply a product of
"book lernin".
Where is her empirical evidence that for her statement above?  I suppose
since this comes from an Extension Office Booklet there need be no
bibliography, research manifest or supporting documentation.

Anecdotally, I am of the opinion that babies can be manipulative from an
early age.  Heck, it's the same conditioned response B.F. Skinner
demonstrated with various and sundry quadrupeds: Baby doesn't have to have
developed higher-order intellect to grasp the connection between crying and
immediate attention.  Parents of multiple children (such as myself) often
remember wryly how they jumped at the first-born's every cry.  Within a few
days, said child understands, albeit on a primitive level, "If I cry, there
is a response".  Net result = no sleep for Mom & Dad for weeks/months on
end.

By the third kid you can pick up on the difference between, "Hey! I really
need help here!" and "Hey!  I don't WANNA go to bed now."

Remember..."Spare the rod and spoil the child", so take your kids fishing
every chance you get!

-Kyle

Ellen Abell, Extension Family and Child Development Specialist, Assistant
Professor, Family And Child Development