Babies and Screens

After reviewing several articles on the unhealthy effects that screen time has on babies I find myself very disturbed by the results. I am not a mother but have spent many years raising other people’s children as a nanny for newborns to teens. I know that every parent has a unique way and approach to nurturing and helping their child grow. We are living in a very interesting day and age. It is so hard to keep up with technology and to find a healthy balance between screen time and real time. After over a decade of experience working with babies and toddlers, I know how quickly children can test your patience, adaptation energy, and sanity. Giving your baby a phone is not funny, it is overstimulating and harmful. Watch this video

Distracting your Baby with Technology

Sometimes you need a break from the constant needs and demands from these little humans and are willing to do anything to give yourself a moment of peace. Maybe you are trying to sneak in a quick shower or cram a bite of food in your mouth. Often poor choices are made in these moments of desperation and despair. So what do you do? In today’s world Mothers are turning to technology to soothe their babies, distract, and entertain them. Unfortunately, the quick fix of screen time is harming the development of babies brains and other cognitive functions, especially before the age of two. Most mothers are unaware of these dangers and should educate themselves on the use of screens with their babies in this ever growing matrix of technology. Caring for children is a challenging full-time job, but we need to find healthier ways of entertaining and distracting our little ones.  Check out this article from ” American Academy of Pediatrics”, Why to Avoid TV for Infants and Toddlers.The Harmful Effects that Screen Time has on Babies

Babies Need to Learn in Realtime, not Screentime

Another very informative article that I reviewed from ” The Swaddle”, indicates that even videos, games, and media geared toward education for babies are actually inhibiting the growth of their language skills. Babies brains, even as old as fifteen months are not able to process the information they are viewing on screens. Babies truly learn better in real-time, not on screen time. I was surprised to discover that even a television playing innocently in the background can affect their language development.More information on Screen Time and Babies

This is your Babies Brain on Screens

All over the world, there has been an increase in myopia, nearsightedness in the last decade amongst children. Obviously, this would indicate that perhaps our little babies have been staring too long at a screen right up in their little faces and of course it is affecting their vision. I was surprised to find, that lack of time outdoors out of the sun is the direct cause of this. Nobody wants to be told how to parent, but I believe that it is your job as a parent to be informed. We ultimately need to go back to the basics and recall what our childhood was like, before Ipads and smartphones. How did our mothers deal with teaching and entertaining us?

Ditch the Screens and Go outside

Take your baby out in nature. Read to your baby. Having real-time interaction is going to teach them the most and is most important. When you need a break, take a few deep breaths, find a neighbor or relative that is willing to step in when you need backup. Afterall, it does take a village. Try not to let the screen be your nanny. OPTOFF.