Ward, March 4

Being a parent is hard, but there are some technological advances that can make the full-time job a little easier.

 

One advancement is the evolution of the video baby monitor. Far from the camera-less device it once was, this new and improved monitor has enough features to put the minds of parents at ease while their baby is fast asleep in the crib.

 

Tonya Culler, mother of two-month old twin boys and a 15-year-old daughter, believes what makes the new monitor special is its ability to allow a parent to view their baby from different areas in their home using a login and encrypted signal to view on Apple or Android smartphones, tablets and computers.

 

“All a parent could do was hear their baby on the old models, whereas with the new models the parents can actually see the baby,” Culler said. “I can cook, clean and workout all while watching my babies sleep peacefully on my iPad tablet.”

 

 Some video monitors, such as the Summer Infant Baby Touch Wi-Fi Video Monitor and Internet Viewing System, also have a two-way communication feature that allow parents to talk through the monitor or their device to the baby. As noted on SummerInfant.com, other highlights of this particular baby monitor include the ability to view multiple rooms on the same screen and infrared lights that come equipped with the monitor to enable monitoring in low-light conditions.

 

Not only can technology have an effect on how a baby is nurtured, it can also affect how a child learns.

 

Ever since the first iPad was released in 2010 Shannon Kenyan (owner of a private daycare facility) has noticed a steady increase in the use of the device by toddlers and young children for educational purposes.

“Children use the touch-screen device to learn in a way that is fun to them,” Kenyan said. “Most learning applications for iPad use characters that children have seen on television, which make the children excited about learning.”

 

Although the idea of using a video baby monitor and an iPad to take some of the stressors off of parenthood sound promising, there are some precautions.

Dr. Caroline DiBattisto, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics for Georgia Regents University, said she believes moderation is the keyword when talking about technology because children often overuse technology.

 

“The average child has 7 hours of screen exposure," Dibattisto said. “The American Academy of Pediatrics recommend 1 to 2 hours maximum.”

 

Even though technology is known for its ability to save time, it shouldn’t be used as a replacement for human interaction, DiBattisto said.

 

“I have a video baby monitor,” DiBattisto said. “But I still check on my baby as often as possible. No one should rely on technology.”