I feel sad hearing about parents who can't stand to hear their child cry for a few a few minutes, a few nights in a row, and instead have children who take years to learn to properly sleep, causing sleep deprivation for the entire family.
It is a hard one to get right. I learned rather fast that there are a variety of cries ranging from 'look at me' to 'I am hurt' each with own modulation, pitch and sense of urgency.
In a practical sense, I agree with you. Unless there is a clear cause for distress ( and there well may be ), I usually just wait. It is actually quite amazing how well kids pick up on our willingness to react to their cries.
Naturally, the instant switch from cry to laugh upon distraction was a big eye opener for me.
