The Continuum Concept

The Continuum Concept is an intense read. It has been a favorite of the "natural parenting" niche for many years and I thought it fitting to be the first review on this site.

Parts of the book are hard to get through. I greatly enjoyed the author's stories, but when she moved into her theories it slowed the book down a lot. I truly had to focus on what I was reading and move slowly to grasp exactly what she was saying.

Jean Liedloff spent time with the Yequana tribe of South America. She noticed that they seemed to be remarkably joyful people. Their attitudes towards work and challenge were of enjoyment, a sharp contrast to the attitudes of the teams of "white men" she was in the jungles with. She wanted to figure out why the Yequana, and their neighboring tribes, had such a different outlook on life.

The Theory

The theory that Liedloff developed is the "continuum concept." She begins her concept on the base of evolutionary theory. She explains that all things have evolved to "expect" certain things. For instance, an ear "expects" to hear. She takes that to the human being in whole, and theorizes that a human baby is evolved to "expect" certain treatment. If they receive the expected treatment, their need (their "continuum") is fulfilled and the child moves on to the next phase of life.

It is when the need is not fulfilled and the child's continuum "interrupted," that problems spring forth. Liedloff states that a person will spend the rest of their life trying to fulfill their infantile needs, striving towards them until they are met.

She also describes our continuum as working hard to stabilize us. This is hard to explain. Basically, if we expect something, then it will happen - for instance, if we expect to fail, then we will fail. Our continuum kicks in to fulfill our expectation and keep us in balance. She believes that this happens when others expect something of us too. An example: if a child is climbing and a parent says "don't fall," the child may fall. The child falls because it is expected.

It was challenging to wade through Liedloff's theories even though the book is not long. When she begins describing how all the ills of mankind spring from seeking treatment that was not fulfilled during its proper time, the book feels a little over the top.

The Effects

However, I did pull some valuable lessons from the book. The first jumped out at me close to the beginning of the book. Liedloff says:

All were doing the same work, all were experiencing strain and pain. There was no difference in our situations except that we had been conditioned by our culture to believe that such a combination of circumstances constituted an unquestionable low on the scale of well-being, and were quite unaware that we had any option in the matter.

Liedloff makes this observation as the Yequana men are laughing and joking even as their shins are being busted by a heavy canoe, yet the white men are complaining and hating every minute of the ordeal. She also notices a different attitude towards urgency of work. She finds herself carrying a sugar cane pole and grumbling as she tries to speed through the jungle. She then notices that her companions are in no such rush and take the time that they need to get their work done instead of hating it and trying hard to get it over with.

She states that the Yequana enjoy their work and have a fundamentally different perspective about it than Westerners do. They also expect that they will succeed at their work, yet Westerners often expect to fail. It was a most interesting paradigm to consider.

The Babies

Liedloff believes that part of the reason that the Yequana are able to enjoy their work and live such a joyful life is because they are given the treatment that they need as infants and children. She states that babies "expect" to be held close, nursed at the breast, and sleep with their parents. Recall that "expect" is referring to their evolutionary "continuum" - not the child consciously wanting this.

Liedloff describes the "expectations" of babies and how they feel when those expectations are not met. This part of the book is heart-wrenching. The description from the baby's point of view is so vivid that it leaves one to wonder why babies would ever be robbed of the close contact and constant care they need from the adults in their lives. She goes into great detail explaining what the infant "expects" and how his body is primed for the movement and jostling he receives on his mother's hip, and the comfort at her breast.

She believes that babies and children "expect" to be part of the adult world but not the center of it. Babies enjoy being carried about on mother's hip or back while she goes about her daily tasks. Children enjoy playing nearby, occasionally joining to help a little or speak with their parents, or perhaps to sit in their lap for a few minutes. Again, though, they only want to be a part of adult culture and not the center of it. Liedloff states that observation and imitation is the primary work of children. It is what they "expect" to do and it is what they thrive on.

The Lessons

I feel like the most valuable chapter in the entire book was the final chapter. In it Liedloff summarizes her view that it is vitally important for the baby and child's continuum expectations to be honored. In that way they can grow properly throughout life and be fulfilled adults who enjoy life and working. She states that children should be a part of adult life and not the center of it. She suggests that baby be carried on mother's back as mother moves throughout her day, and that older children be allowed to play nearby, helping and interacting when they wish. She also suggests that parents trust their children's innate continuum to keep them safe - in other words, parents shouldn't hover and should allow their children to take risks.

Liedloff also notes in this chapter that if one has been deprived of their continuum "expectations," that it is possible to fulfill them. She gives examples of hand holding or sitting in a loved one's lap for those who were isolated during infancy. She believes that those reluctant to work should be given ample opportunity to observe others working (and enjoying it), until they, too, desire to find the satisfaction that work can give.

I enjoyed the sections of the book dealing directly with Liedloff's observations of the Yequana, as well as the sections discussing what she feels is good child care and what proper attitudes towards work are. I found her theory a little hard to digest though, and that made parts of the book tedious. I really believe that the last chapter is the gem of the entire book. It describes how to live out the "Continuum Concept." No matter how much of her theory is true or not, her observations on child care and work attitudes seem solid.

Natural Birth and Baby Care.com