Why did I choose to revisit my blog? I go back to work tomorrow, so God knows I probably won't have time after that. I'm a new mother, and no parent is perfect. I'm not coming from a place on a pedestal, but rather as someone expressing a dilemma regarding technology and health. I know we live in the technology dominated twenty-first century. Computers and iPads weren't available when I was a kid, nor when my younger siblings were growing up. Raising a baby in this environment is challenging.
It is easy to give in to technology. Like moths to a streetlight, the television's glow entrances children, and hey, you can probably clean your kitchen while occasionally throwing glances towards the living room where your child sits in awe. My kitchen? It's a mess. Seriously, you would never know I spent hours cleaning my house just last week. Keeping our bundle of joy distracted while my husband and I watch tv is an ongoing battle.
And, I, too, have given my child the iPad to hold his attention for a few minutes. Or at least for a cute photo op.
If I'm guilty, then why does it bother me? I spent two years obtaining a graduate degree in Library Science---believe me, I understand that the world is turning towards tablets and apps. But is it healthy? The American Academy of Pediatrics would say no. In fact, they advise no screen time until at least the age of two. Babies need people interaction, and too much media in kids has proven to lead to attention deficit disorder, academic difficulties, and even weight problems. Okay, so the "be a perfect parent" part of me (amazing how that drive can develop overnight) wants to pull him from all glowing objects--the tv, cell phones, tablets, computers (night lights??). But how can I prepare him to be competitive with his peers in the future who do have a lot of experience with such devices? I've heard parents talk about their kids spending hours on the tablets they got for Christmas. There are products such as the iPad potty training chair on the market. More and more studies are produced showing that kids are spending record amounts of time on electronic devices (and the results of those studies aren't necessarily positive).
Since the iPad photo op, we've limited the only time W has with it to Face Time with his overseas grandparents. It's a daily fight to keep him from watching tv (I suppose you could tell me to give up my vices of Young and the Restless and competition cooking shows, but let's not take drastic measures just yet). He finds our phones more interesting than his bottles sometimes. Though I feel I'm doing the right thing, I worry that he'll be behind others who are familiar with the devices that are taking over the globe.
I really just want my kid to play the apps like "go outside" and "read a real book" and "use your imagination." Is that so bad?
