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- Thread starter CandyNJ66
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It's not a bad idea for a baby that small. Put on some music and something that is colorful and moving and a baby will love it. But I certainly wouldn't use it for more than maybe a half hour or so at a time. Maybe to occupy the baby while I did the dishes, or laundry, or started dinner. At that age it's not a lot different than the battery powered moving mobiles some folks use.
I wouldn't use it in place of holding the baby and interacting with him/her. Using it for a constant babysitter would be really bad. Short bursts only. Baby's need human interaction. There have been studies on kids raised in orphanages where the only human contact they had was changing and feeding. It didn't turn out well for the kids when they grew up. They grew up rather anti-social.
I wouldn't use it in place of holding the baby and interacting with him/her. Using it for a constant babysitter would be really bad. Short bursts only. Baby's need human interaction. There have been studies on kids raised in orphanages where the only human contact they had was changing and feeding. It didn't turn out well for the kids when they grew up. They grew up rather anti-social.
Now I don't need to post what I think, you stated along my train of thought.
The most important and valuable thing for any child that young and OLDER is healthy interaction with his/her parents. No substitute. To answer the OP's question, I would not get one.
It's not an either or question. You can't interact with infants 24x7. And exposure to technology early on will help develop critical skills. So there is room in a balanced approach to parenting for a device like this.
Do you want to plop a kid every waking moment in front of an iPad? Of course not.
Do you want to deny then any interaction with tech? Of course not.
Balance people. It doesn't have to be all or nothing...
Do you want to plop a kid every waking moment in front of an iPad? Of course not.
Do you want to deny then any interaction with tech? Of course not.
Balance people. It doesn't have to be all or nothing...
Lol, I know some young parents these days who really think you not only can interact with the child 24/7 but actually try to. A child actually needs time by themselves to learn and explore.
You're right, balance is the key. But tell that to the 'helicopter' parents.
To add to my post above, I doubt I would spend the money to get one. I didn't even buy a mobile for my son when he was little. But then, we didn't have the money to spend on such things. I suspect my son (who is now grown) would have bought one when his kids were little. Just because it would be 'tech' related. But then he would have sat beside the baby and talked about what was on the screen.
I really get tired of people saying how bad this is and they need human interaction. Of course they need human interaction. And, the more the better. BUT...
God forbid if someone lets them look at a book - ALONE?
Or look out the window - ALONE?
Or play with blocks - ALONE?
etc. etc. etc.
Meanwhile, an excellent video series I would reccomend is "Baby Einstein".
Our well adjusted, top of her class, wonderful 13 year old is doing fine and she watched lots of them.
God forbid if someone lets them look at a book - ALONE?
Or look out the window - ALONE?
Or play with blocks - ALONE?
etc. etc. etc.
Meanwhile, an excellent video series I would reccomend is "Baby Einstein".
Our well adjusted, top of her class, wonderful 13 year old is doing fine and she watched lots of them.