Summer is almost over and my favorite season is almost here.... Fall! I love all the fun seasonal activities that occuring during fall! I have really great memories of apple picking, pumpkin carving, making apple pies, raking the yard and jumping in leaf piles, trick or treating, playing soccer, and participating in holiday traditions as a kid. Fall is the perfect time to plan some fun indoor and outdoor activities for your family that encourage your kids to get away from the TV, use their bodies and their imagination, and make memories that your kids will cherish even as adults.
In the fall the weather starts to get cooler, and if you live in the south like me, that means more time to comfortably be outside. This is a good time to take advantage of the outdoors and do things like taking walks, hiking, camping, riding bikes, picking seasonal fruit, playing sports, picking and carving pumpkins, fishing, etc. Even on weekdays when it's a little more difficult to do some of those activities, try getting out in the yard or a nearby park and playing for a little while each day. Take walks around the neighborhood.
The holiday season also begins during the fall, and with that, lots of fun and creative activities and traditions. Creating traditions is exciting for children; it gives them fun activities or events that don't happen very often to expect and look forward to each year. Can you think of some traditions that your family had when you were a child and how much you enjoyed them? Children really get into holidays and enjoy the seasonal crafts that can be done during these times. If you're not naturally creative, there are tons of websites with free ideas and print outs for holiday crafts to do with children of all ages. Your older children may even enjoy helping you decorate the house or make food for holidays. The holidays are also a good opportunity to reinforce values in your children, such as being thankful, giving back to others, cherishing family time. Children learn best from parents who lead by example. My mom used to take my sister and me to buy and deliver toys to families in need around the holidays, which is something that was, and still is, very meaningful to me. But even something as simple as buying some canned goods and bringing them to a local food drive can teach children about giving.
My kids are still young (17 months and almost 3), so our fall activities may be a little more limited than families with older children, but I'm still very excited about all the things we will be able to do together this fall!
* Hiking - we live in the Atlanta metro area, but we're still able to get to local Chattahoochee parks or drive an hour or more to get to some mountain trails. At this point in our family we look for short, easy trails (that we can use our BOB stroller or kid pack on) with something fun for the kids, like a waterfall to hike to or a nature center to visit and learn about animals. Hopefully next year our kids will be old enough for us to get back to camping.
* Apple picking, pumpkin patches and visiting farms - there aren't as many local opportunities to pick apples down here in Georgia as there were in Maine, where I grew up, but after doing some internet searching I've found a number of family friendly orchards where we can pick or buy freshly picked apples. Many of these places also have hayrides, corn mazes, and pumpkin patches. We have also found some farms with livestock to look at and pet, as well as cow milking and farm tours.
* Playing outside - now that it's starting to get out of the 90s, we'll be able to spend more time in the yard playing with outside toys, in the sandbox, bubbles, chalk and paints, going on walks, and playing on the playground at local parks. My kids are fascinated by the rocks, leaves, and sticks they find in our yard - fall is a fun time to make leaf pressings or laminate leaves into bookmarks or other crafts; and sorting rocks can be a good cognitive skill for toddlers to practice. Invite your kids friends over to come play in the yard too - children often use their toys more or come up with creative games when they have peers to play with.
* Crafts and decorating - my daughter is really into arts and crafts already and this year she will have the fine motor skills to participate in some fun, simple holiday crafts. Like I said above, I use the internet to find ideas for crafts and I also shop at a local craft store for inexpensive projects. Last year she had fun putting holiday windwod stickers up, but this year she'll also be able to help me with decorating the house for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
* Reading - I love seasonal and holiday books and my daughter really got interested in them for the first last winter. We have a few of our own classic holiday books and will also be visiting the library frequently to check out new ones. We have also created some family traditions around holiday books, such as Elf on a Shelf and Twas The Night Before Christmas.
* Holiday videos - Pull out old family photos and videos from when your kids were younger or from when you were a child and share memories with your kids. My kids are still a little young for this, but for older children there are some great, classic holiday movies that are short, share good messages and don't have the violence and mature language that some modern movies do. Watch them together as a family! The Peanuts movies, the old animated Grinch Who Stole Christmas, Frosty's Winter Wonderland, Jim Henson's Emmett Otter's Jug Band Christmas, etc.
* The smells, tastes, and sounds of fall - I love the hearty foods associated with fall and really enjoy making them. My kids already help me make homemade applesauce (my son peels the stickers off the apples and my daughter washes and dries apples, then chops them with her kid's crinkle knife). My daughter helps me chop vegetables for soup too. As they get older I will involve them in making more of my favorite fall foods, like chili, breads, apple pies, and soup. Teaching your children about sensory experiences (smells, tastes, sounds) helps them expand their language, gain better awareness of their environment, and helps them enjoy experiences more. Take the time to talk about the smells and tastes (spiced apples, pumpkins, apple cider, pine trees, etc) and about sounds (crackling fires, animal sounds, the weather, etc) as your kids experience them.
* Music - Play and sing seasonal and holiday songs with your kids. If they're young, teach them the words to simple songs, like 5 Little Pumpkins; if your kids are older and musical, try learning to play some seasonal music on instruments. Also, it has nothing to do with fall, but we've enrolled in a local music class once a week that my kids love!
These are just a few examples of activities to do with children in the fall that are simple, wholesome, encourage movement and thinking, and involve doing things together as a family. What are some fun fall activities that you do with your kids or remember doing as a child? Please share them with us by posting a comment!
Memories are created when there are stong sensory and emotional components to experiences; your children will fondly remember these experiences from their childhood and not the TV shows they watched or the video games they played. Their minds and bodies will also benefit from getting outside, playing, being creative and sharing experiences as a family. And you will cherish these memories as well when your children are grown and living on their own. Take the time now to enjoy the fall season with your family!
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Too Much Technology?
"In primitive times, human beings engaged in physical labor, and sensory stimulation was natural and simple. Rapid advances in technology and transportation have resulted in a physically sedentary society with high frequency, duration and intensity of sensory stimuli" (Nelson M 2006) - from the Zone'In Fact Sheet, Rowan, 2010.
It is apparent that technology now plays a major role in the daily lives of adults, adolescents, and young children. But how much is too much? Basically any technology entertainment below the age of 2 is too much, and even beyond that the TV and video games do nothing to improve a child's intellectual or physical development. Below are some statistics, taken from the Zone'In Fact Sheet by Cris Rowan, on the current overuse of technology concerning children and then below that are some facts on what children actually need for their developmental growth.
The current state of technology use by children:
* On average, children ages 0-2 years are watching 2.2 hours of TV per day, children ages 3-5 are watching 4.5 hours a day, and elementary aged kids are watching 6.5 hours a day (Christakis, D., 2007)
* Elementary aged kids are using a combination of technologies (TV, cell phone, internet, video games, ipod) for an average of 8 hours a day (Kaiser Foundation Report, 2010)
* Over 60% of children report their parents do not restrict their access to technology; 75% of these children have TV’s in their bedrooms (Kaiser Foundation Report, 2010).
* For every 1 hour of TV watched each day between the ages of 0 and 7, the risk of attention problems by the age of 7 increases by 10% (Christakis, D., 2004)
* A large body of research over the past 3 decades has linked the content and hours of technology use to the following: obesity, attention deficit disorders, drug and alcohol use, sexual behavior, and low academic achievement (Nunez-Smith M 2004, Zimmerman F 2007, Hancox R 2005, Murray J 2006), as well as violent behaviors, developmental delays, and attachment disorders
* 30 % of children entering kindergarten are developmentally delayed (Petersen, 2006)
* The incidence of obesity in children is on the rise and as of 2001 5% of boys ages and 10.8% of girls age 2-5 were considered obese (Harvey-Berino J 2001); the percentage today has most likely increased
* "These environmental changes are faster than human being’s ability to adapt and evolve. Children who immerse themselves in virtual reality may exhibit signs of sensory deprivation, as they become disconnected from the world of physical play and meaningful interactions" (Tannock M 2008).
What children need for development:
•The most critical factors for optimal child development are movement, touch and connection to other humans (Insel R 2001, Korkman M 2001)
* Children need 3-4 hours per day of active play and movement to achieve enough stimulation to the vestibular, proprioceptive and tactile sensory systems (National Association for Sport and Physical Education 2002) in order to develop their posture, bilateral coordination and optimal arousal states necessary for handwriting and reading literacy (Schaff R 2007, Braswell J 2006, Rine R, 2004)
* The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under the age of 2 should not watch any TV and that all children over the age of 2 should be limited to no more than 1-2 hours of TV a day (Children, adolescents and television. Committee on Public Education, AAP 2001)
These statistics are from the Zone'In wbesite and I recommend that you look at the Fact Sheet page for more shocking facts on how overly-obsessed our children (and parents) have become with technology and entertainment and the impact that it's having on the development of our children's intelligence, literacy, motor skills, social skills, behavior, emotion/psychological healtth and physical health.
After reading those facts, you might be starting to worry that your children are watching too much TV or playing too many video games. Listen, it can happen to parents with the best of intentions. I'm an occupational therapist, therefore specializing in child development, and I should have known better, but TV managed to become a habit in our household and I had never really intended it to. After the birth of my son, my daughter (who was 18 months at the time) was introduced to TV and in a span of a few months went from watching an occasional PBS show to probably watching 1-2 hours of TV a day. By the age of 2 she was obsessed and was constantly asking for the TV at home and in the car. That's when I realized what a problem I had on my hands. My issue is that I was juggling a toddler and a new baby with working part time and all the other household duties. I'm no different from any other mom - my struggles are not unique - and my fix in a situation where I needed to have my child entertained so that I could get something done was to turn the TV on for a little while; something, I know, that many other moms do. But after listening to a webinar by, occupational therapist, Cris Rowan (Zone'In Inc) on The Impact of Technology on the Developing Child, I recognized the terrible path of technology over-dependence my family was starting to go down and I became instantly invested in this topic both for the sake of my family and the families that I serve in my OT practice.
After already having cut back on TV when my toddler became a TV-fiend, I then cut out the TV altogether after listening to the Webinar. My son had just turned 1 and he didn't need to have it on around him anyway. For the first few days after the switch to no TV my 2 1/2 year old daughter begged for her shows constantly. Every time we were in the car she whined to watch something and every time I heard her desperate requests I calmly reminded her that we didn't watch TV anymore and she could earn it as part of her good behavior incentives (along with books and games). I would also follow up with a quick explanation of why we weren't watching TV (i.e. it wasn't good for our brains) and would offer her an alternative activity. If we were in the car I kept books and travel games handy as well as books on CD. But here's the best part..... after a few days she stopped asking for TV! She stopped telling me she was bored and she started playing with her toys independently, reading her books, playing with her brother, and asking to go outside. She's always been a creative child, but I really saw her creativity expand once we turned the TV off for good. She can turn any object (toy or non-toy) into something to play with now all on her own. I feel good knowing that she is happily engaging in activities that are good for her development and not craving TV anymore.
Now, in our house TV is something to be earned on special occasions; my daughter watches about 1 show (or children's movie) a week, sometimes none. My 1 year old son does not watch any TV. My husband and I have made the decision to keep limiting the TV in this way, even though our daughter is of the age when the AAP says it is ok for her to watch an hour of TV a day. We feel that it's much better for her if she doesn't. When she's not watching TV she's using her brain and body to do other things and interacting with the rest of the family more and that's what we like to see. Plus, when she knows that TV is only a reward and for special occasions, she doesn't ask for it and I don't have to constantly deal with the negative behavior backlash that always occur with turning the TV off. This is a choice that I'm sure we'll stick with for a while and implement with our son when he gets older. It has also affected us in a positive way by naturally decreasing the amount of TV that my husband and I watch. In fact, we even downgraded our rediculous cable package and save about $50 a month now.
As adults and unresitricted TV watchers, we don't usually stop and think about the effect the TV or video games are having on our children's developing minds and bodies and therefore, may not think it is harmful. Or, we do know, but keep telling ourselves, "I just have to get through this busy day or busy week and then we'll cut back on TV/video games/computer when school starts" (or insert any number of justifications for continuing to watch TV). The problem is, that time never comes because we keep thinking of new reasons why it's too hard to make such a big transition in our lives. We know our kids will fight this change and it's hard to muster up the energy to deal with that, knowing that on the other end WE'RE going to be the ones to have to entertain the kids now. But guess what, it's only hard in the beginning and your kids will be SO MUCH better off because you restrict their TV, video game, and computer use!
When these forms of technology are no longer passively entertaining them, kids have to use their brains, their bodies, their social skills, their imagination. Here's what happens when kids aren't watching TV: they get creative; they learn new things through exploration and discovery (therefore, making them smarter); their reading comprehension improves; their athletic ability improves as they engage in physical activities more; their interests in new activities and topics expands to make them more well rounded and iteresting people; their social skills improve as they play more with other kids, which in turn makes them more successful with making friends and interacting with peers; the list goes on and on. The possibilities are limitless to what children can do when they get involved with activities that use their mind and bodies.
What happens when children watch TV: their brains shut down as they are passively entertained; they are not interacting with anything or anyone as they sit and watch TV; there are no opportunities to be creative, explore, discover, or use analytical thinking; their weight and body mass index are increasing as they eat while they sit and watch TV, thus contributing to obesity; their motor skills do not have a chance to improve; they are fine tuning their brains to use only certain parts when they spend so many hours playing video or computer games or watch TV -which means other important areas of the brain do not get the chance to develop and in neuroscience there is a saying about the brain, "Use It or Lose It!"
Bottom line: Everything in moderation - limit your children's use of technology as entertainment and replace most of that time with activities that get them moving and thinking. TV, video games, and the computer should be treated as a reward, much like sweets. They are not necessary activities for children and adolescents to grow and develop. In fact, there is a large amount of research out there linking time spent watching TV, video gaming, internet surfing, and using other forms of technology to a number of negative childhood problems that can have lasting effects. Research has not found that this type of technology benefits children in any way - in fact, Disney has even recalled all of their Baby Einstein DVDs and France has banned the broadcasting of all TV shows aimed at kids under 3.
Parents should take an active role in controlling and limiting their children's exposure to these technologies and encourage more developmentally appropriate activities instead. TV is not going to teach your child to talk, to engage socially, to move, to read, to think critically. Video games and the computer will not teach your child to be compassionate, athletic, explore and discover, and much as some might think, playing video games will not improve overall fine motor skills. It is the job of parents to take the time to engage with their children, teach them these things, and create opportunities for children to learn and experience more. Being a parent is a huge responsibility and an amazing gift, but we only get one chance to mold and shape our children into the best people they can possibly be. Children only get one childhood and it is our job to make it a wonderful experience for them. The best way to do this is to limit the technology and play with your kids, read to them, cook with them, take them places...... turn every day, ordinary moments into wonderful teaching opportunities and chances to grow closer as a family. You will never regret taking the time to do these things, but in the future you may regret not doing it.
For tips on cutting out TV and activities to do instead, read the next post: Simple Steps for Turning the TV Off (and what to do instead).
It is apparent that technology now plays a major role in the daily lives of adults, adolescents, and young children. But how much is too much? Basically any technology entertainment below the age of 2 is too much, and even beyond that the TV and video games do nothing to improve a child's intellectual or physical development. Below are some statistics, taken from the Zone'In Fact Sheet by Cris Rowan, on the current overuse of technology concerning children and then below that are some facts on what children actually need for their developmental growth.
The current state of technology use by children:
* On average, children ages 0-2 years are watching 2.2 hours of TV per day, children ages 3-5 are watching 4.5 hours a day, and elementary aged kids are watching 6.5 hours a day (Christakis, D., 2007)
* Elementary aged kids are using a combination of technologies (TV, cell phone, internet, video games, ipod) for an average of 8 hours a day (Kaiser Foundation Report, 2010)
* Over 60% of children report their parents do not restrict their access to technology; 75% of these children have TV’s in their bedrooms (Kaiser Foundation Report, 2010).
* For every 1 hour of TV watched each day between the ages of 0 and 7, the risk of attention problems by the age of 7 increases by 10% (Christakis, D., 2004)
* A large body of research over the past 3 decades has linked the content and hours of technology use to the following: obesity, attention deficit disorders, drug and alcohol use, sexual behavior, and low academic achievement (Nunez-Smith M 2004, Zimmerman F 2007, Hancox R 2005, Murray J 2006), as well as violent behaviors, developmental delays, and attachment disorders
* 30 % of children entering kindergarten are developmentally delayed (Petersen, 2006)
* The incidence of obesity in children is on the rise and as of 2001 5% of boys ages and 10.8% of girls age 2-5 were considered obese (Harvey-Berino J 2001); the percentage today has most likely increased
* "These environmental changes are faster than human being’s ability to adapt and evolve. Children who immerse themselves in virtual reality may exhibit signs of sensory deprivation, as they become disconnected from the world of physical play and meaningful interactions" (Tannock M 2008).
What children need for development:
•The most critical factors for optimal child development are movement, touch and connection to other humans (Insel R 2001, Korkman M 2001)
* Children need 3-4 hours per day of active play and movement to achieve enough stimulation to the vestibular, proprioceptive and tactile sensory systems (National Association for Sport and Physical Education 2002) in order to develop their posture, bilateral coordination and optimal arousal states necessary for handwriting and reading literacy (Schaff R 2007, Braswell J 2006, Rine R, 2004)
* The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under the age of 2 should not watch any TV and that all children over the age of 2 should be limited to no more than 1-2 hours of TV a day (Children, adolescents and television. Committee on Public Education, AAP 2001)
These statistics are from the Zone'In wbesite and I recommend that you look at the Fact Sheet page for more shocking facts on how overly-obsessed our children (and parents) have become with technology and entertainment and the impact that it's having on the development of our children's intelligence, literacy, motor skills, social skills, behavior, emotion/psychological healtth and physical health.
After reading those facts, you might be starting to worry that your children are watching too much TV or playing too many video games. Listen, it can happen to parents with the best of intentions. I'm an occupational therapist, therefore specializing in child development, and I should have known better, but TV managed to become a habit in our household and I had never really intended it to. After the birth of my son, my daughter (who was 18 months at the time) was introduced to TV and in a span of a few months went from watching an occasional PBS show to probably watching 1-2 hours of TV a day. By the age of 2 she was obsessed and was constantly asking for the TV at home and in the car. That's when I realized what a problem I had on my hands. My issue is that I was juggling a toddler and a new baby with working part time and all the other household duties. I'm no different from any other mom - my struggles are not unique - and my fix in a situation where I needed to have my child entertained so that I could get something done was to turn the TV on for a little while; something, I know, that many other moms do. But after listening to a webinar by, occupational therapist, Cris Rowan (Zone'In Inc) on The Impact of Technology on the Developing Child, I recognized the terrible path of technology over-dependence my family was starting to go down and I became instantly invested in this topic both for the sake of my family and the families that I serve in my OT practice.
After already having cut back on TV when my toddler became a TV-fiend, I then cut out the TV altogether after listening to the Webinar. My son had just turned 1 and he didn't need to have it on around him anyway. For the first few days after the switch to no TV my 2 1/2 year old daughter begged for her shows constantly. Every time we were in the car she whined to watch something and every time I heard her desperate requests I calmly reminded her that we didn't watch TV anymore and she could earn it as part of her good behavior incentives (along with books and games). I would also follow up with a quick explanation of why we weren't watching TV (i.e. it wasn't good for our brains) and would offer her an alternative activity. If we were in the car I kept books and travel games handy as well as books on CD. But here's the best part..... after a few days she stopped asking for TV! She stopped telling me she was bored and she started playing with her toys independently, reading her books, playing with her brother, and asking to go outside. She's always been a creative child, but I really saw her creativity expand once we turned the TV off for good. She can turn any object (toy or non-toy) into something to play with now all on her own. I feel good knowing that she is happily engaging in activities that are good for her development and not craving TV anymore.
Now, in our house TV is something to be earned on special occasions; my daughter watches about 1 show (or children's movie) a week, sometimes none. My 1 year old son does not watch any TV. My husband and I have made the decision to keep limiting the TV in this way, even though our daughter is of the age when the AAP says it is ok for her to watch an hour of TV a day. We feel that it's much better for her if she doesn't. When she's not watching TV she's using her brain and body to do other things and interacting with the rest of the family more and that's what we like to see. Plus, when she knows that TV is only a reward and for special occasions, she doesn't ask for it and I don't have to constantly deal with the negative behavior backlash that always occur with turning the TV off. This is a choice that I'm sure we'll stick with for a while and implement with our son when he gets older. It has also affected us in a positive way by naturally decreasing the amount of TV that my husband and I watch. In fact, we even downgraded our rediculous cable package and save about $50 a month now.
As adults and unresitricted TV watchers, we don't usually stop and think about the effect the TV or video games are having on our children's developing minds and bodies and therefore, may not think it is harmful. Or, we do know, but keep telling ourselves, "I just have to get through this busy day or busy week and then we'll cut back on TV/video games/computer when school starts" (or insert any number of justifications for continuing to watch TV). The problem is, that time never comes because we keep thinking of new reasons why it's too hard to make such a big transition in our lives. We know our kids will fight this change and it's hard to muster up the energy to deal with that, knowing that on the other end WE'RE going to be the ones to have to entertain the kids now. But guess what, it's only hard in the beginning and your kids will be SO MUCH better off because you restrict their TV, video game, and computer use!
When these forms of technology are no longer passively entertaining them, kids have to use their brains, their bodies, their social skills, their imagination. Here's what happens when kids aren't watching TV: they get creative; they learn new things through exploration and discovery (therefore, making them smarter); their reading comprehension improves; their athletic ability improves as they engage in physical activities more; their interests in new activities and topics expands to make them more well rounded and iteresting people; their social skills improve as they play more with other kids, which in turn makes them more successful with making friends and interacting with peers; the list goes on and on. The possibilities are limitless to what children can do when they get involved with activities that use their mind and bodies.
What happens when children watch TV: their brains shut down as they are passively entertained; they are not interacting with anything or anyone as they sit and watch TV; there are no opportunities to be creative, explore, discover, or use analytical thinking; their weight and body mass index are increasing as they eat while they sit and watch TV, thus contributing to obesity; their motor skills do not have a chance to improve; they are fine tuning their brains to use only certain parts when they spend so many hours playing video or computer games or watch TV -which means other important areas of the brain do not get the chance to develop and in neuroscience there is a saying about the brain, "Use It or Lose It!"
Bottom line: Everything in moderation - limit your children's use of technology as entertainment and replace most of that time with activities that get them moving and thinking. TV, video games, and the computer should be treated as a reward, much like sweets. They are not necessary activities for children and adolescents to grow and develop. In fact, there is a large amount of research out there linking time spent watching TV, video gaming, internet surfing, and using other forms of technology to a number of negative childhood problems that can have lasting effects. Research has not found that this type of technology benefits children in any way - in fact, Disney has even recalled all of their Baby Einstein DVDs and France has banned the broadcasting of all TV shows aimed at kids under 3.
Parents should take an active role in controlling and limiting their children's exposure to these technologies and encourage more developmentally appropriate activities instead. TV is not going to teach your child to talk, to engage socially, to move, to read, to think critically. Video games and the computer will not teach your child to be compassionate, athletic, explore and discover, and much as some might think, playing video games will not improve overall fine motor skills. It is the job of parents to take the time to engage with their children, teach them these things, and create opportunities for children to learn and experience more. Being a parent is a huge responsibility and an amazing gift, but we only get one chance to mold and shape our children into the best people they can possibly be. Children only get one childhood and it is our job to make it a wonderful experience for them. The best way to do this is to limit the technology and play with your kids, read to them, cook with them, take them places...... turn every day, ordinary moments into wonderful teaching opportunities and chances to grow closer as a family. You will never regret taking the time to do these things, but in the future you may regret not doing it.
For tips on cutting out TV and activities to do instead, read the next post: Simple Steps for Turning the TV Off (and what to do instead).
Simple Steps for Turning the TV Off (and what to do instead)
Here are some easy steps to help you find a balance between the use of technology in your childrens' lives and creating opportunities for simple, natural, active, childhood play that they need for optimal development.
If your child is a baby: Just don't even start with the TV habit. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends waiting until the age of at least 2 before introducing TV (and this includes baby videos) because it can have a detrimental impact on the developing brains of babies. Your child won't crave what never becomes a part of their daily routine and you will be saving yourself a lot of trouble by waiting until he or she is 2 or 3 (or even later) to introduce TV - and even then, do it in moderation.
If your child is over the age of 2: If your child still doesn't watch TV and you like it this way, then keep holding off on it - why not? Children don't need TV anyway. But when you do decide to introduce it, think about how you want to manage the situation first so you can avoid letting it get out of hand in the future. I have found that the best way to control the TV situation is by treating TV as a reward or something used for special occasions. Or, if the TV becomes a daily habit in your house, then it is easier to manage your child's exposure by creating a TV routine, such as the TV is only on for 30 minutes after naptime. Pick a time of day and a length of time that the TV will be on and then make sure you stick to this routine. Also, let your children know why it's important to limit TV and do other things instead.
If TV has already become an out of control issue with your child/children (at any age): There are things you can do to get the situation back under control and reduce the use of TV (or other technologies, like video games, the computer, or phone). I suggest going cold turkey as opposed to trying to slowly cut back. Like ripping a band-aid off, just get it over with so everyone can go through the adjustment period and move on. The initial transition period will be rough, and the amount of difficulty probably correlates with the age of your children, the amount of time they were spending each day using these technologies, and how unrestricted the kids had been in their use. Before you initiate this transition, decide how you want to manage the use of TV, video games, the computer, and even texting on cell phones by your children first and then STICK TO IT! If you don't, your children will pick up on your inconcistencies like pirahnas at a pool party and totally take advantage! As I mentioned above, I recommend managing the use of technologies as entertainment by using them as rewards or in the context of a predetermined and consistent routine. Here are some examples:
As a reward:
Earn a 30 minutes TV show or a full length movie on Fridays for good behavior 4 out of 5 days (Mon-Fri). The standards for behavior or conditions for getting the reward can vary in any number of ways.
Earn 30 minutes of video games, a TV show, or computer time each day after all homework is done and child has had an hour of active play.
As a routine:
Younger child: 30 minutes of TV each day from 4:00-4:30. Can be taken away for bad behaviors.
Older child: 30 or 60 minutes of TV, video games, computer, or phone time each day (or 30 min of TV and 30 min of computer/video games) after all homework is finished and after child has had 1 hour of active play/non-technology time
So figure out a routine or game plan for controlling when and how much TV is watched or video games are played, communicate it to your children repeatedly, and stick to it. I promise that they will eventually figure out that you're serious, when you don't give in, and they will adjust to this new way of life. Plus, you will be substituting their TV/video game entertainment with new, fun activities that they will eventually come to enjoy and engage in automatically. See below for suggestions. Also, TV and video games are expensive when you add up the cable bill, cost of the gaming console, games, movies, etc. A number of the activities below are free or inexpensive; they are a good way to cut back in these economically challenging times and a good way to really connect with your kids.
Click here for more information from Cris Rowan on strategies for "Unplugging" your child from technology.
What to do instead of watching TV or playing video games:
Many of these activities are things that children can do independently once they are old enough or have had the activity modeled for them once or twice. This will allow you to get some things done around the house while they play, instead of setting them in front of the TV. But remember that your children really love playing with you - so make efforts to spend time doing some of these activities with your children, even as they get older.
* Read with/to your child; allow them access to their books at home
* Visit the local library to check out new books (instead of buying new ones) and books on CD, play with puzzles and games, listen to story time, and participate in other child programs the library may offer
* Play in your backyard or at local parks - meet friends there for a playdate
* Paint, or make a craft or art project - there are hundreds of websites with free information and printables for kid crafts
* Allow your children access to toys that they can play with safely and independently and put away all toys that they need supervision with - this gives them the opportunity to learn to play on their own for short periods of time
* Create forts, kitchens, club houses, etc. with household furniture, large boxes, empty (and clean) food containers and pots and pans
* Put on music for a dance party (my kids do this almost every day)
* Plan outings to local museums, children's play centers, nature centers, the zoo or animal reserve; do outings with friends who have children too
* Start a regular playgroup with friends/neighbors or join a local playgroup - there are local mother's groups all over the country and most can be searched for on the internet
* Enroll your children in enrichment programs: music class, art class, sports programs, dance, gymnastics, etc
* Go for walks; exercise together
* Ride bikes
* Play with play-doh
* Put on puppet shows, plays, and other performances; help your children act out their favorite books
* Include your children in everyday activities like, cooking meals, doing laundry, cleaning, yard work, taking care of pets, etc - most little children love to help mom and dad and for older children, these are good ways to earn an allowance or (gasp) TV time
* Teach your kids how to play with their toys - if they've been watching TV all this time or are still very young, then they may not have the creativity or understanding of how to play with their toys and may need you to model how to play; then they'll start doing it on their own without you, thus allowing you to do get stuff done (except this time their not watching TV while you're trying to get things done). Kids will become frustrated with or ignore toys that they do not know how to play with - it doesn't mean they won't ever like the toy, it just means they need a little help to get started
- teach them how to play with: dolls, dressup clothes, trucks, kitchen, tea party, puzzles, blocks, Legos, trains, cars, water toys, sand toys, bubbles, bikes, sports equipment, games, etc
- kids also typically need help with learning how to play with new toys or games
* Buy or make musical instruments for your kids to play with - there are ideas for making musical instruments out of things like, paper towel rolls
* Search the internet for ideas - there are hundreds of websites with the free information on activities, crafts, and projects to do with your children at any age
* Search the internet for a list of free and cheap places to take children around where you live - Macaroni Kid is a great website and has local websites for cities all over the country
* There are endless posibilities of things to do with your kids instead of watching TV, playing video games, or playing on the computer - be creative and talk to other moms to get more ideas
What to do instead of TV/video games when you need your child to behave:
First of all, teaching your child to behave in certain, especially public, situations without the use of technology to entertain them is important. It's an important social skill that they do need to learn and parents are the ones who are responsible for teaching it. There are plenty of alternatives for helping your child behave in public and with consistency and good modeling from parents, children will learn to have good manners and to behave appropriately. Try using interactive activities that keep them engaged longer:
* Books: books with flaps, music, pop-ups, textures for younger children; age appropriate books for children who can read; coloring books, sticker books, work books, puzzle/maze/word game books for kids old enough to use them
* Magna-doodle, paper and crayons
* Magnetic games (travel-size/car game), so that you don't lose pieces
* Play with stuffed animals, dolls, cars, plastic animals, and other small toys (when kids learn how to use their imagination, they can play for long periods of time with these types of toys)
* Puzzle type games for older kids to solve - either word games or manipulative games (like rubix cube)
* Use behavior incentive strategies to help your children earn rewards for good behavior and remind them of this when they are out in public - teach them how to practice good behavior by modeling it for them first!
* Paper and crayons
* Give them jobs to do to keep them busy (i.e. carry the bag, help you get groceries, reorganize your wallet (a good job for an older girl), pass out napkins at dinner, etc. - be creative
What to do instead of TV/video games in the car:
* Listen to music: kids music, classical music, introduce them to your favorite (appropriate) music
* Listen to kids books on CD (books on CD can be bought for cheap on Amazon or you can also download audio books from itunes)
* Play I Spy or Car Bingo
* Have a stash of toys, coloring books, books, magna-doodles, etc. in the car for the kids to play with
* Talk to your kids or sing songs
* For older kids, make sure they bring along the current book they're reading; have puzzle books, workbooks, and car games in the car to keep them busy
* Check out Walmart and Target for magnetic travel size games and puzzles to play in the car
* Go online and search "games to play in the car" to find lots of other ideas
What to do instead of watching TV at meal times:
Turn the TV off when you're eating!!! There is research to support that eating meals as a family, without the TV on, can have huge benefits! It brings family members closer and nurtures positive relationships; it's a time to talk to each other and show your children you care about them; it's a good time to model manners and problem solve with your children; it can expand your children's food likes; it can decrease negative behaviors in children (drug use, smoking, and sexual behavior); it can improve your children's academic success; it saves money.
Also, there is a correlation between eating with the TV on and childhood obesity. Kids (and adults for that matter) tend to eat more while they are watching TV. If you have a child who is a picky eater or has other feeding problems, do not use the TV as a way to distract the child to get him or her to eat - contact your child's pediatrician and get a referral to an occupational therapist or speech therapist for a feeding consultation. It is better to have the help of a professional to work out these feeding issues as early as possible.
If you must....
If you're reluctant to totally get rid of the video games, hand held video games, and television that's fine - just make good decisions about it.
* Remember that the AAP recommends no more than 2 hours a day of combined technologies - that means the TOTAL hours of all TV, movies, video games, and computer time combined - for children over the age of 2. So set your time limits accordingly to stay within 2 hours. The brain actually shuts down and goes from an active mode to a passive mode after 20 minutes of watching TV, so it's a good idea to limit technology exposure to only 20 minutes at a time.
* Choose wisely.
- If you're going to have a video game console at home, then buy a Wii and buy Wii Fit accessories and games or buy other games that involve a lot of movement. Stay away from games with violence or sedentary games.
- Pay attention to age level recommendations and warnings for games.
- If you're going to give your children hand held video game devices, then look for educational ones, like Leap Frog or Leapster, and continue to impose your limits on using them.
- When deciding which TV programs and movies your children are going to watch, check out the programs first. Watch an episode or two without the kids, look up information and reviews on the internet, talk to other parents, check out the recommended age for viewing or warnings, etc. It is important to make sure that the content of the programs they are viewing are consistent with the morals, values, and information that you feel are important for them to learn. Sesame Street is one of the only children shows that actually does research to ensure that its content is actually making an educational impact on children.
Avoid shows and movies with violence and sexual content, even for older children, especially until they are of an age where they have the cognitive skills to distinguish fiction from reality and right from wrong. It is ok to restrict your children and adolescents from watching TV programs and movies that you feel are unsuitable, even if your kids' friends are watching them; really, it is! My sister and I were not allowed to watch The Simpsons or MTV when we were growing up and we survived; we were not shunned by friends because we didn't watch these shows and I don't remember feeling an emptiness in my childhood because I missed out on Simpson episodes. As an adult I can appreciate why my parents chose to impose those restrictions and am thankful that they cared that much about protecting our innocense.
* If you're going to give your children your iphone to play apps on, choose age appropriate, educational games or childrens books on itunes and continue to limit the amount of time they spend playing on it to around 10 minutes. However, unless you have an insurance plan on your phone that covers accidents and damages, I wouldn't recommend letting a child play with your iphone.
* If you have a DVD player in the car, you don't have to use it every time you ride in the car. Try reserving it only for long car trips, so then it becomes a special treat. Even then, play only 1 show or 1 movie. The more movies you show in the car, the more the kids will come to depend on it and will kick and scream to get a movie put on. If you limit it, stay consistent with the limits, and provide the kids with other things to do in the car (besides hand held video games), then they will get used to this and not put up such a fight for the movies. I promise it can be done - we managed to drive with our 2 year old and 1 year old for 7 hours without ever putting on a movie (and we have a DVD player in our car).
* Don't expose your kids to the shows that you watch. Wait until your kids are sleeping to turn on the TV for your own entertainment. Better yet, if you have TiVo or a VCR, then record shows you usually watch during the day and wait to watch them when your children are asleep.
** I really encourage other parents (with kids of all ages) to post comments with your own ideas and experiences with cutting out technology and activities that you do with your children instead; especially parents of adolescents and teenagers!**
If your child is a baby: Just don't even start with the TV habit. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends waiting until the age of at least 2 before introducing TV (and this includes baby videos) because it can have a detrimental impact on the developing brains of babies. Your child won't crave what never becomes a part of their daily routine and you will be saving yourself a lot of trouble by waiting until he or she is 2 or 3 (or even later) to introduce TV - and even then, do it in moderation.
If your child is over the age of 2: If your child still doesn't watch TV and you like it this way, then keep holding off on it - why not? Children don't need TV anyway. But when you do decide to introduce it, think about how you want to manage the situation first so you can avoid letting it get out of hand in the future. I have found that the best way to control the TV situation is by treating TV as a reward or something used for special occasions. Or, if the TV becomes a daily habit in your house, then it is easier to manage your child's exposure by creating a TV routine, such as the TV is only on for 30 minutes after naptime. Pick a time of day and a length of time that the TV will be on and then make sure you stick to this routine. Also, let your children know why it's important to limit TV and do other things instead.
If TV has already become an out of control issue with your child/children (at any age): There are things you can do to get the situation back under control and reduce the use of TV (or other technologies, like video games, the computer, or phone). I suggest going cold turkey as opposed to trying to slowly cut back. Like ripping a band-aid off, just get it over with so everyone can go through the adjustment period and move on. The initial transition period will be rough, and the amount of difficulty probably correlates with the age of your children, the amount of time they were spending each day using these technologies, and how unrestricted the kids had been in their use. Before you initiate this transition, decide how you want to manage the use of TV, video games, the computer, and even texting on cell phones by your children first and then STICK TO IT! If you don't, your children will pick up on your inconcistencies like pirahnas at a pool party and totally take advantage! As I mentioned above, I recommend managing the use of technologies as entertainment by using them as rewards or in the context of a predetermined and consistent routine. Here are some examples:
As a reward:
Earn a 30 minutes TV show or a full length movie on Fridays for good behavior 4 out of 5 days (Mon-Fri). The standards for behavior or conditions for getting the reward can vary in any number of ways.
Earn 30 minutes of video games, a TV show, or computer time each day after all homework is done and child has had an hour of active play.
As a routine:
Younger child: 30 minutes of TV each day from 4:00-4:30. Can be taken away for bad behaviors.
Older child: 30 or 60 minutes of TV, video games, computer, or phone time each day (or 30 min of TV and 30 min of computer/video games) after all homework is finished and after child has had 1 hour of active play/non-technology time
So figure out a routine or game plan for controlling when and how much TV is watched or video games are played, communicate it to your children repeatedly, and stick to it. I promise that they will eventually figure out that you're serious, when you don't give in, and they will adjust to this new way of life. Plus, you will be substituting their TV/video game entertainment with new, fun activities that they will eventually come to enjoy and engage in automatically. See below for suggestions. Also, TV and video games are expensive when you add up the cable bill, cost of the gaming console, games, movies, etc. A number of the activities below are free or inexpensive; they are a good way to cut back in these economically challenging times and a good way to really connect with your kids.
Click here for more information from Cris Rowan on strategies for "Unplugging" your child from technology.
What to do instead of watching TV or playing video games:
Many of these activities are things that children can do independently once they are old enough or have had the activity modeled for them once or twice. This will allow you to get some things done around the house while they play, instead of setting them in front of the TV. But remember that your children really love playing with you - so make efforts to spend time doing some of these activities with your children, even as they get older.
* Read with/to your child; allow them access to their books at home
* Visit the local library to check out new books (instead of buying new ones) and books on CD, play with puzzles and games, listen to story time, and participate in other child programs the library may offer
* Play in your backyard or at local parks - meet friends there for a playdate
* Paint, or make a craft or art project - there are hundreds of websites with free information and printables for kid crafts
* Allow your children access to toys that they can play with safely and independently and put away all toys that they need supervision with - this gives them the opportunity to learn to play on their own for short periods of time
* Create forts, kitchens, club houses, etc. with household furniture, large boxes, empty (and clean) food containers and pots and pans
* Put on music for a dance party (my kids do this almost every day)
* Plan outings to local museums, children's play centers, nature centers, the zoo or animal reserve; do outings with friends who have children too
* Start a regular playgroup with friends/neighbors or join a local playgroup - there are local mother's groups all over the country and most can be searched for on the internet
* Enroll your children in enrichment programs: music class, art class, sports programs, dance, gymnastics, etc
* Go for walks; exercise together
* Ride bikes
* Play with play-doh
* Put on puppet shows, plays, and other performances; help your children act out their favorite books
* Include your children in everyday activities like, cooking meals, doing laundry, cleaning, yard work, taking care of pets, etc - most little children love to help mom and dad and for older children, these are good ways to earn an allowance or (gasp) TV time
* Teach your kids how to play with their toys - if they've been watching TV all this time or are still very young, then they may not have the creativity or understanding of how to play with their toys and may need you to model how to play; then they'll start doing it on their own without you, thus allowing you to do get stuff done (except this time their not watching TV while you're trying to get things done). Kids will become frustrated with or ignore toys that they do not know how to play with - it doesn't mean they won't ever like the toy, it just means they need a little help to get started
- teach them how to play with: dolls, dressup clothes, trucks, kitchen, tea party, puzzles, blocks, Legos, trains, cars, water toys, sand toys, bubbles, bikes, sports equipment, games, etc
- kids also typically need help with learning how to play with new toys or games
* Buy or make musical instruments for your kids to play with - there are ideas for making musical instruments out of things like, paper towel rolls
* Search the internet for ideas - there are hundreds of websites with the free information on activities, crafts, and projects to do with your children at any age
* Search the internet for a list of free and cheap places to take children around where you live - Macaroni Kid is a great website and has local websites for cities all over the country
* There are endless posibilities of things to do with your kids instead of watching TV, playing video games, or playing on the computer - be creative and talk to other moms to get more ideas
What to do instead of TV/video games when you need your child to behave:
First of all, teaching your child to behave in certain, especially public, situations without the use of technology to entertain them is important. It's an important social skill that they do need to learn and parents are the ones who are responsible for teaching it. There are plenty of alternatives for helping your child behave in public and with consistency and good modeling from parents, children will learn to have good manners and to behave appropriately. Try using interactive activities that keep them engaged longer:
* Books: books with flaps, music, pop-ups, textures for younger children; age appropriate books for children who can read; coloring books, sticker books, work books, puzzle/maze/word game books for kids old enough to use them
* Magna-doodle, paper and crayons
* Magnetic games (travel-size/car game), so that you don't lose pieces
* Play with stuffed animals, dolls, cars, plastic animals, and other small toys (when kids learn how to use their imagination, they can play for long periods of time with these types of toys)
* Puzzle type games for older kids to solve - either word games or manipulative games (like rubix cube)
* Use behavior incentive strategies to help your children earn rewards for good behavior and remind them of this when they are out in public - teach them how to practice good behavior by modeling it for them first!
* Paper and crayons
* Give them jobs to do to keep them busy (i.e. carry the bag, help you get groceries, reorganize your wallet (a good job for an older girl), pass out napkins at dinner, etc. - be creative
What to do instead of TV/video games in the car:
* Listen to music: kids music, classical music, introduce them to your favorite (appropriate) music
* Listen to kids books on CD (books on CD can be bought for cheap on Amazon or you can also download audio books from itunes)
* Play I Spy or Car Bingo
* Have a stash of toys, coloring books, books, magna-doodles, etc. in the car for the kids to play with
* Talk to your kids or sing songs
* For older kids, make sure they bring along the current book they're reading; have puzzle books, workbooks, and car games in the car to keep them busy
* Check out Walmart and Target for magnetic travel size games and puzzles to play in the car
* Go online and search "games to play in the car" to find lots of other ideas
What to do instead of watching TV at meal times:
Turn the TV off when you're eating!!! There is research to support that eating meals as a family, without the TV on, can have huge benefits! It brings family members closer and nurtures positive relationships; it's a time to talk to each other and show your children you care about them; it's a good time to model manners and problem solve with your children; it can expand your children's food likes; it can decrease negative behaviors in children (drug use, smoking, and sexual behavior); it can improve your children's academic success; it saves money.
Also, there is a correlation between eating with the TV on and childhood obesity. Kids (and adults for that matter) tend to eat more while they are watching TV. If you have a child who is a picky eater or has other feeding problems, do not use the TV as a way to distract the child to get him or her to eat - contact your child's pediatrician and get a referral to an occupational therapist or speech therapist for a feeding consultation. It is better to have the help of a professional to work out these feeding issues as early as possible.
If you must....
If you're reluctant to totally get rid of the video games, hand held video games, and television that's fine - just make good decisions about it.
* Remember that the AAP recommends no more than 2 hours a day of combined technologies - that means the TOTAL hours of all TV, movies, video games, and computer time combined - for children over the age of 2. So set your time limits accordingly to stay within 2 hours. The brain actually shuts down and goes from an active mode to a passive mode after 20 minutes of watching TV, so it's a good idea to limit technology exposure to only 20 minutes at a time.
* Choose wisely.
- If you're going to have a video game console at home, then buy a Wii and buy Wii Fit accessories and games or buy other games that involve a lot of movement. Stay away from games with violence or sedentary games.
- Pay attention to age level recommendations and warnings for games.
- If you're going to give your children hand held video game devices, then look for educational ones, like Leap Frog or Leapster, and continue to impose your limits on using them.
- When deciding which TV programs and movies your children are going to watch, check out the programs first. Watch an episode or two without the kids, look up information and reviews on the internet, talk to other parents, check out the recommended age for viewing or warnings, etc. It is important to make sure that the content of the programs they are viewing are consistent with the morals, values, and information that you feel are important for them to learn. Sesame Street is one of the only children shows that actually does research to ensure that its content is actually making an educational impact on children.
Avoid shows and movies with violence and sexual content, even for older children, especially until they are of an age where they have the cognitive skills to distinguish fiction from reality and right from wrong. It is ok to restrict your children and adolescents from watching TV programs and movies that you feel are unsuitable, even if your kids' friends are watching them; really, it is! My sister and I were not allowed to watch The Simpsons or MTV when we were growing up and we survived; we were not shunned by friends because we didn't watch these shows and I don't remember feeling an emptiness in my childhood because I missed out on Simpson episodes. As an adult I can appreciate why my parents chose to impose those restrictions and am thankful that they cared that much about protecting our innocense.
* If you're going to give your children your iphone to play apps on, choose age appropriate, educational games or childrens books on itunes and continue to limit the amount of time they spend playing on it to around 10 minutes. However, unless you have an insurance plan on your phone that covers accidents and damages, I wouldn't recommend letting a child play with your iphone.
* If you have a DVD player in the car, you don't have to use it every time you ride in the car. Try reserving it only for long car trips, so then it becomes a special treat. Even then, play only 1 show or 1 movie. The more movies you show in the car, the more the kids will come to depend on it and will kick and scream to get a movie put on. If you limit it, stay consistent with the limits, and provide the kids with other things to do in the car (besides hand held video games), then they will get used to this and not put up such a fight for the movies. I promise it can be done - we managed to drive with our 2 year old and 1 year old for 7 hours without ever putting on a movie (and we have a DVD player in our car).
* Don't expose your kids to the shows that you watch. Wait until your kids are sleeping to turn on the TV for your own entertainment. Better yet, if you have TiVo or a VCR, then record shows you usually watch during the day and wait to watch them when your children are asleep.
** I really encourage other parents (with kids of all ages) to post comments with your own ideas and experiences with cutting out technology and activities that you do with your children instead; especially parents of adolescents and teenagers!**
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Infant Development - It's more basic than you might think
Here's the scoop on Tummy Time and all those baby contraptions.......
Tummy Time - It's important, but do you really know why?
If you've become a new parent in the last several years then you've heard the term "Tummy Time." But there's always this big question of what tummy time really is, the importance of it, and how to do it.
Tummy time is essentially giving infants plenty of opportunities every day to play on their tummies in order to build strength in the neck, torso, and arms for the development of motor skills, such as looking up, turning the head, pushing up, rolling, crawling, and so on. The whole reason for the campaign was in response to a major increase in the number of infants with plagiocephaly (or head flattening) and delayed motor skills, which was a result of the Back to Sleep campaign started by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 1992 in order to decrease SIDS. Up until this point babies had been sleeping on their tummies, getting their tummy time naturally. Also, the market for baby contraptions, to make life easier for parents of course, hadn't started booming yet and parents just did with their infants what their parents had done with them which was to lay the baby on a blanket on the floor to play when the baby was awake and not being carried. It sounds simple and yet all this time to play on the floor is exaclty what babies need in order to develop their muscles and motor skills. No new baby contraption is going to do that for them better than good old fashioned playing on the floor.
An Overview of Typical Infant Development and How To Do Tummy Time
First, let's explore the normal pattern of motor skill development of an infant before we discuss how to mess with it. In utero, a fetus is in fexion (i.e. the fetal postion) and after birth their bodies still want to be in this position for a while. They feel safe and secure like this, hence the swaddling. But infants need to develop their muscles, and especially their extensor muscles after having been in flexion for so long. When you see a baby on their hands and knees with head up, this baby is using the extensor muscles in their neck and arms. So to get to this important milestone (i.e. crawling on hands and knees) infants have to go through a developmental progression, building upon new skills, and it looks like this:
* An infant first needs to practice lifting their head and holding it up while laying on their tummy (from birth)
* Gradually, strength is built up and the infant can hold their head up for longer and turn it side to side around 1 month
* Then they begin to push up on their forearms around 2 months
* Around 3 months babies then push up on their hands to lift the whole chest off the ground
* Between 3 to 4 months of age babies start to roll one way and then a month later they're rolling both ways
* Babies then coordinate these abilities to log roll as an effective means of getting what and where they want
* Combat crawling then begins around 6 or 7 months (pulling themselves along the floor with their arms)
* Rocking on hands and knees comes next and eventually crawling on hands and knees occurs sometime between 8 and 10 months; and from a developmental standpoint crawling on hands and knees is extremely important!
But none of this happens without plenty of opportunities to practice. Athletes don't spontaneously become good at a sport; they have to practice to build their skills and the same is true for every baby. When babies are spending hours lying on their backs in a crib and then the majority of their awake time in carseats, infant seats, swings, and other contraptions they are not getting the opportunities to build up strength and work on their motor skills. This is why tummy time is so essential and why your baby's pediatrician is always asking "are you doing tummy time?" The problem is that doctors don't always have the time to explain HOW to do tummy time and what happens if you don't. So here's a quick overview of
How To Do Tummy Time:
* Place your baby on their tummy on a flat, safe surface: in a crib, on a blanket on the floor, on top of your chest if you're lying down, or hold the baby face down position in your arms (like an airplane)
* Provide some interesting toys to attract your baby's attention and to get him/her to look up: mirror (Sassy makes a great mirror for tummy time and to hang in the crib), soft colorful toys, musical toys (but not too loud or over-stimulating), your face at the baby's eye level, and talk or sing to your baby
* Start out with a goal of 5-10 minutes and keep increasing the time as your baby tolerates it - as they get older and stronger babies will prefer to play on their tummies and can do so for 20 minutes or more at a time. Newborns may love this position and may even fall asleep. To make it easier you can roll up a hand towel and place it under your baby's chest below the armpits.
* Remember: this is hard work for babies and it is new to them - most don't start off liking tummy time because it takes a lot of effort (think: doing 100 situps a couple of weeks after giving birth). And I know no one wants to see their baby cry, especially first time moms, but I promise you that this is not hurting them, it's just that it's not fun for babies for the first couple of months. And when they really start crying and throwing their heads back because they're so mad at having to work this hard they are actually building up the most muscle then. So don't be afraid to go 30 seconds or so past this point of screaming (not whimpering) before you give your baby a break and a cuddle and then do this again a couple more times. Eventually your baby will build enough strength to play on his/her tummy for longer without hating it, but it can take a couple of months.
* Start doing tummy time a few times a day as soon as you get home from the hospital and then do it EVERYDAY. It doesn't always have to be in the same way; see the first bullet for different ways of getting tummy time in. Doing it on your chest is sometimes how parents feel most comfortable doing tummy time with infants.
* Try to work doing tummy time several times a day into your routine (ex: for 15 min before every feeding or before nap times and bed time). But it's also more simple than that - most times you are about to put your baby down so that you can have your hands free, put him on a blanket on the floor instead of in the infant seat; when you're holding your baby, hold her tummy-down in your arms for a little while so that she can try to look up to see things around her; when you and your baby are playing, put him in different horizontal positions so he's working on getting his head up (airplane, tummy-down over your legs with his head off to the side, etc).
* Keep the floor space safe: young infants are pretty immobile, but keep them safe from pets and siblings; older babies who begin rolling, combat crawling, and crawling on hands and knees should be kept safe from stairs, unsecured cupboards and drawers, unstable furniture, and choking hazards.
Do they have an effect on development? And how necessary are they really?
The slings and infant carriers meant for wearing your baby (baby bjorn, ergo baby, etc) are great - they keep your baby in a fetal position and close to your body which is great for bonding. As babies get bigger they can start to move their head around while in the carrier and work on head control in a safe and supported way. These are also a much better option for transporting your baby during errands instead of keeping your baby in the carseat and using a carseat carrier the entire time.
Exersaucers are fine when used appropriately and for short periods of time. Babies can be put in exersaucers starting when they have very good head control and good trunk control but may not be sitting independently yet (meaning they can sit up on their own when someone is supporting their hips) and can bare weight on their legs when someone holds them in a standing position - so basically around 5 months, depending on the baby. The exersaucer needs to be positioned correctly: the legs should be low enough that the baby's feet are touching the bottom when sitting in the seat, but should be high enough that the baby can not stand up and lift his/her bottom up off the seat.
Tummy Time - It's important, but do you really know why?
If you've become a new parent in the last several years then you've heard the term "Tummy Time." But there's always this big question of what tummy time really is, the importance of it, and how to do it.
Tummy time is essentially giving infants plenty of opportunities every day to play on their tummies in order to build strength in the neck, torso, and arms for the development of motor skills, such as looking up, turning the head, pushing up, rolling, crawling, and so on. The whole reason for the campaign was in response to a major increase in the number of infants with plagiocephaly (or head flattening) and delayed motor skills, which was a result of the Back to Sleep campaign started by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 1992 in order to decrease SIDS. Up until this point babies had been sleeping on their tummies, getting their tummy time naturally. Also, the market for baby contraptions, to make life easier for parents of course, hadn't started booming yet and parents just did with their infants what their parents had done with them which was to lay the baby on a blanket on the floor to play when the baby was awake and not being carried. It sounds simple and yet all this time to play on the floor is exaclty what babies need in order to develop their muscles and motor skills. No new baby contraption is going to do that for them better than good old fashioned playing on the floor.
An Overview of Typical Infant Development and How To Do Tummy Time
First, let's explore the normal pattern of motor skill development of an infant before we discuss how to mess with it. In utero, a fetus is in fexion (i.e. the fetal postion) and after birth their bodies still want to be in this position for a while. They feel safe and secure like this, hence the swaddling. But infants need to develop their muscles, and especially their extensor muscles after having been in flexion for so long. When you see a baby on their hands and knees with head up, this baby is using the extensor muscles in their neck and arms. So to get to this important milestone (i.e. crawling on hands and knees) infants have to go through a developmental progression, building upon new skills, and it looks like this:
* An infant first needs to practice lifting their head and holding it up while laying on their tummy (from birth)
* Gradually, strength is built up and the infant can hold their head up for longer and turn it side to side around 1 month
* Then they begin to push up on their forearms around 2 months
* Around 3 months babies then push up on their hands to lift the whole chest off the ground
* Between 3 to 4 months of age babies start to roll one way and then a month later they're rolling both ways
* Babies then coordinate these abilities to log roll as an effective means of getting what and where they want
* Combat crawling then begins around 6 or 7 months (pulling themselves along the floor with their arms)
* Rocking on hands and knees comes next and eventually crawling on hands and knees occurs sometime between 8 and 10 months; and from a developmental standpoint crawling on hands and knees is extremely important!
But none of this happens without plenty of opportunities to practice. Athletes don't spontaneously become good at a sport; they have to practice to build their skills and the same is true for every baby. When babies are spending hours lying on their backs in a crib and then the majority of their awake time in carseats, infant seats, swings, and other contraptions they are not getting the opportunities to build up strength and work on their motor skills. This is why tummy time is so essential and why your baby's pediatrician is always asking "are you doing tummy time?" The problem is that doctors don't always have the time to explain HOW to do tummy time and what happens if you don't. So here's a quick overview of
How To Do Tummy Time:
* Place your baby on their tummy on a flat, safe surface: in a crib, on a blanket on the floor, on top of your chest if you're lying down, or hold the baby face down position in your arms (like an airplane)
* Provide some interesting toys to attract your baby's attention and to get him/her to look up: mirror (Sassy makes a great mirror for tummy time and to hang in the crib), soft colorful toys, musical toys (but not too loud or over-stimulating), your face at the baby's eye level, and talk or sing to your baby
* Start out with a goal of 5-10 minutes and keep increasing the time as your baby tolerates it - as they get older and stronger babies will prefer to play on their tummies and can do so for 20 minutes or more at a time. Newborns may love this position and may even fall asleep. To make it easier you can roll up a hand towel and place it under your baby's chest below the armpits.
* Remember: this is hard work for babies and it is new to them - most don't start off liking tummy time because it takes a lot of effort (think: doing 100 situps a couple of weeks after giving birth). And I know no one wants to see their baby cry, especially first time moms, but I promise you that this is not hurting them, it's just that it's not fun for babies for the first couple of months. And when they really start crying and throwing their heads back because they're so mad at having to work this hard they are actually building up the most muscle then. So don't be afraid to go 30 seconds or so past this point of screaming (not whimpering) before you give your baby a break and a cuddle and then do this again a couple more times. Eventually your baby will build enough strength to play on his/her tummy for longer without hating it, but it can take a couple of months.
* Start doing tummy time a few times a day as soon as you get home from the hospital and then do it EVERYDAY. It doesn't always have to be in the same way; see the first bullet for different ways of getting tummy time in. Doing it on your chest is sometimes how parents feel most comfortable doing tummy time with infants.
* Try to work doing tummy time several times a day into your routine (ex: for 15 min before every feeding or before nap times and bed time). But it's also more simple than that - most times you are about to put your baby down so that you can have your hands free, put him on a blanket on the floor instead of in the infant seat; when you're holding your baby, hold her tummy-down in your arms for a little while so that she can try to look up to see things around her; when you and your baby are playing, put him in different horizontal positions so he's working on getting his head up (airplane, tummy-down over your legs with his head off to the side, etc).
* Keep the floor space safe: young infants are pretty immobile, but keep them safe from pets and siblings; older babies who begin rolling, combat crawling, and crawling on hands and knees should be kept safe from stairs, unsecured cupboards and drawers, unstable furniture, and choking hazards.
What's with all the Baby Contraptions? Are they good for babies?
Todays parents, myself included, are being seduced by the fancy new baby contraptions that are advertized as essential for survival: The carseat carrier (so you never have to take your baby out of the carseat for an entire 2 hour errand fest or dinner at a restaurant), the singing/vibrating/rocking/visually entertaining infant seats, the bumbo, infant swing, exersaucer, jumping contraptions, slings, infant carriers, co-sleepers................... These are not all bad (the bumbo and johnny jump ups are the only two that should really be avoided), some are even great (like the slings and infant carriers) and the others are definitely a life saver and fine for your baby's development when used appropriately. But are these things really essential and what impact do they have on infant development? And how are they interfering with tummy time?
Do they have an effect on development? And how necessary are they really?
The slings and infant carriers meant for wearing your baby (baby bjorn, ergo baby, etc) are great - they keep your baby in a fetal position and close to your body which is great for bonding. As babies get bigger they can start to move their head around while in the carrier and work on head control in a safe and supported way. These are also a much better option for transporting your baby during errands instead of keeping your baby in the carseat and using a carseat carrier the entire time.
The infant seats and swings are convenient for parents because it gives us a chance to have both hands free (even though after having a baby having the use of two hands at the same time almost feels a little like cheating), but they really do nothing to enhance the development of our children. Although as long as babies aren't spending greater than 20-30 minutes at a time a couple times a day in these things (alternated with tummy time of course) then it's not going to impact their development. The movement can also be calming for most babies and infant seats can be helpful to work on things like visual tracking skills, reaching, and bringing the two hands together. But just keep in mind that extended periods of combined time spent in seats, swings, and carseats can increase areas of preferrential head flattening, especially for babies who do all of their sleeping on their backs.
Tummy time mats and play gyms can be great for entertaining babies on the floor and encouraging them to engage in tummy time for longer, but be careful of what you're buying. Don't buy items that are TOO over-stimulating with lots of bright colors, patterns, musical features, and obnoxious attachments. Contrasting colors with a couple of patterns and simple attachments are best. Look for tummy time mats with mirrors or visual toys that can be attached vertically so that it encourages the baby to look up instead of down. Look for play gyms that have attachments/mirrors on the mat as well as hanging ones so that babies can use it to play on their backs as well as their tummies.
Bumbos - hmmmm... where to begin on bumbos. Strictly from a developmental perspective I don't think that they are that great: they don't encourage a proper sitting position, they don't teach a baby to sit up independently, and can be dangerous if used inappropriately (i.e. unsupervised, on high surfaces, for extended periods of time, or with babies who are too young to have the necessary head and trunk control to use it). When in the hands of a parent who uses it responsibly I think they don't pose an issue, but when used inappropriately I think bumbos have the potential to be a problem. I did have one for my second child, but it wasn't used all that much; he wanted to be moving around on the floor anyway. So bottom line is that they really aren't necessary (unless you have multiples you are trying to keep track of) and for all babies the floor is a much better (and cheaper) option.Exersaucers are fine when used appropriately and for short periods of time. Babies can be put in exersaucers starting when they have very good head control and good trunk control but may not be sitting independently yet (meaning they can sit up on their own when someone is supporting their hips) and can bare weight on their legs when someone holds them in a standing position - so basically around 5 months, depending on the baby. The exersaucer needs to be positioned correctly: the legs should be low enough that the baby's feet are touching the bottom when sitting in the seat, but should be high enough that the baby can not stand up and lift his/her bottom up off the seat.
Johnny Jump Ups (or other jumping contraptions) are NOT good. Walkers, which are no longer made, would be in this category as well (and exersaucers that are used incorrectly could also be added). The reason being that these contraptions put babies in positions where they are putting too much weight and too much force on their developing joints before their bodies are really ready for it. When babies get to the stage where they can bounce on their own while standing and holding on to furniture, and the bouncing is of their own accord, not enhanced by shocks, then it is developmentally appropriate.
Bottom Line - Keep It Simple
The great thing about development is that if you give your baby opportunities to move and explore, the developmental progression will occur naturally. And unfortunately you can really mess with your baby's development by limiting these opportunities to build skills. So, the bottom line is that the floor is the best place for a baby to play and develop strength and motor skills (basically their only job besides eating, pooping, and bonding with caretakers). Other than the baby items we discussed that are good, babies do not need all of these other contraptions in order to grow and develop; they've been doing it for centuries without them. In fact, some of these contraptions inhibit movement and keep babies just sitting passively (not good for development). Plus, the floor is free and these baby contraptions are not. Limit the baby's sedentary time in baby contraptions; he/she should be spending more awake time moving, playing on the floor, or being held by a caretaker than not. Also, limit the use of things that passively entertain your baby (like TV and baby videos). You are your baby's best source of entertainment. So, keep it basic and allow your baby to do his/her job: move and interact with you!
**If you feel that your baby is not meeting developmental skills on time then you should speak with the pediatrician or seek a consult with a pediatric occupational therapist because early intervention is extremely important for helping a baby with a developmental delay catch up as quickly as possible and for preventing other developmental issues.**
I encourage readers to post comments about their own experiences with tummy time and any tips for other parents.
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