Electronics and child development seem to go at war with one another and yet seem inevitable. We all can judge the mom or dad who lets their child watch tv or play on a phone or device but is it really as harmful as everyone says. Here are some guidelines to use:

Rule 1

There is much to be said about all things in moderation, so lets use that as our first rule. Set a parameter. All the time is too much. Never can also be a bit extreme. I am not saying if you have a ‘never’ rule you are doing it wrong. I know my niece watched TV starting as a baby. Her dad always liked it on as a background noise. By the time she was in 5th grade, she could read at a college level as well as accomplish many other brilliant tasks. Not saying your child will have the same results. Just meaning the TV itself did not ruin her mind. With that in mind, expert suggest holding off on electronic until kids are three, so do keep electronic time minimized compared to all the other fun things kids have going on.

Rule 2

Look at what your child is watching. Think about it from their perspective. Really think about it. What are they learning? What information are they gaining? Finding something that is not only interesting to your child but also teaching them some great information, even if it seems none important, is wonderful! This is helping their brain grow. The brain grows in these first few years of life, so yes your son does not need to know random dinosaur facts to succeed in life but having a bigger brain will pay off huge long term.

Rule 3

How engaged is your child? An engaged child is more actively learning. This is what is SO great about smart devices like iPads. It allows interaction. This means electronics and child development reach a different level then they did before with just television.

Rule 4

Monitor your child. Know what time of day works best, what environment, and all the other ins and outs of your child. With our son, we notice if we let him play too long, his tantrums really start to flare. This is not OK. This means he is getting too much time for him, and we have to scale it back. I know it’s harder with the more children you have, but staying on top of it will really make a difference.

Rule 5

Watch what you are watching around your children. Even the news can be a bit much. Think of their sweet innocent eyes. Keep them that way as long as you can.

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Baby Talk is an important part of development. It is a bridge stone to so much more. Early language will lead to success in school later on. Research shows that children who are more successful with early communication will arrive to school more on time, more ready to learn, and have an easier time learning to read.

The first five years are when a child’s brain are doing its primary developing. This means stimulating language in this time frame is crucial. Here are some fun ways to make communication exciting! Remember baby talk is more than just speech. It is also about gestures, imitation, listening, and all kinds of imitation. Most importantly keep the environment positive and safe for your kids! Encourage them to keep trying and remember that they are young.

1. Music  – Music is a great way to stimulate a child’s brain. It doesn’t have to sound good, so do not worry if you cannot carry a tune. Make up the song. Get silly with it. Drum along.
2. Label – The world is full of so many great things and children are just now getting to see them for the first time. Label them. Do not spend to much time making your children repeat or trying to label it themselves. This can feel like pressure to them and give them anxiety around speech. If they are older and expanding their vocabulary, make a game out of labeling items.
3. Be a Commenter – Yes it is like you have your own show. Talk tell your littlest one all about your every move. They just do not know. They are new here to this crazy place called earth, and they are not use to our ritual’s yet. (Think vacuuming, cleaning, bathing, cleaning, diaper changes, getting dressed)
4. Read – Books can just be a jumping point and do not need to be literal. Little ones can learn speech patterns like rhyming from books, but you can also label all the pictures
5. Sign – Gestures are an important part of language so do not worry you are teaching essential early communication skills. If you do not know baby sign, goggle them…that is what the internet is great for
6. Engage – Even before my son could really talk I would say tell daddy about your day when my husband got home then I would bridge the conversation between the two of them until eventually (years later) I didn’t need to help him at all. This is just one example of how you can include children in a conversation you are going to have anyway. Do not talk over them. Include them!

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