Low-Tech Babyhood

As we push academics and curriculum further and further into childhood it is important that we step back a bit and look at what developmentally appropriate practice looks like for our youngest learners. Good choices for infants and toddlers do not involve electronics and high technology; they involve simple, real-world experiences, and lots of one-on-one interaction with mindful caregivers.

            Yet, there are plenty of good intentioned (and not so good intentioned) people who would have you believe that even the youngest children require technology to learn. Some even think pre-infancy is the best time to start assisting children with their learning. The makers of the BabyPlus Prenatal Education System (http://www.babyplus.com/) claims it helps children hit developmental milestones earlier, enhances intellectual abilities, increases attention spans, improves school readiness, and more—all before a child leaves the womb. Just shell out $150, strap the thing over your womb, and play the curriculums, “16 naturally derived sounds that resemble a mother's heartbeat.” According to the BabyPlus website, “The rhythm of the sounds increases incrementally as the pregnancy progresses. The BabyPlus sonic pattern introduces your child to a sequential learning process, built upon the natural rhythms of their own environment.”

            Although listening to mother’s actual heartbeat and the actual natural rhythms of their environment was OK for us and our parents (and all of human history until this device hit the market), it now appears we even have to enhance the prenatal environment to make sure children get a leg up on the competition. This company and many others attempt to make parents and caregivers feel guilty, as if children not exposed to their products are deprived and destined to become slack jawed, drooling, fools instead of super achievers.

            However, maybe…just maybe…the quest to create super babies is a bit misguided.

            Maybe the best way to prepare babies to one-day take over the world is to let them be babies and use of all the inborn learning strategies they came with.

            Maybe we can forget about the prenatal learning devices, and the Leapfrog Lapware, and the teach-your-baby-to-read silliness, and the computers, and the DVD’s, and the TV, and the fancy swings and exersaucers.

            Want research that supports avoiding these things? Here you go:

·         According to The Timing and Quality of Early Experiences Combine to Shape Brain Architecture from the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, "There is no credible scientific data to support the claim that specialized videos or particular music recordings (e.g., 'the Mozart Effect') have a positive, measurable impact on developing brain architecture,” and, “Well-documented, scientific evidence of the negative impacts of deprivation on brain circuitry does not mean that excessive enrichment produces measureable enhancements in brain architecture.” (http://www.ecdgroup.com/docs/lib_005471954.pdf )

 

·         According to the Executive Summary of Fool’s Gold: A Critical Look at Computers in Childhood published by The Alliance for Childhood, “Those who place their faith in technology to solve the problems of education should look more deeply into the needs of children. The renewal of education requires personal attention to students from good teachers and active parents, strongly supported by their communities.” (http://www.allianceforchildhood.org/publications )

 

·         According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children under two years of age should be exposed to NO screen time and, “Although certain television programs may be promoted to this age group, research on early brain development shows that babies and toddlers have a critical need for direct interactions with parents and other significant care givers (eg, child care providers) for healthy brain growth and the development of appropriate social, emotional, and cognitive skills. Therefore, exposing such young children to television programs should be discouraged.” (http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;104/2/341 )

 

·         As for the overuse of swings and other devices to contain small children (something University of Maryland professor of kinesiology refers to as “containerized kids”), well respected infant care authorities Emmi Pikler and Megda Gerber, recommend babies should never be placed in positions they cannot get into themselves.

(http://www.rie.org/ and http://www.parentingworx.co.nz/fantastic-reading/emmi-piklers-8-guiding-principles )

            Many babies will grow into adults who drive cars--and some of them will become adults who use chainsaws--but we know better than to give them these technologies before they are developmentally ready. We need to be as mindful when it comes to television, computers, and other technology. Our babies will one day be ready for these things, but exposing them in infancy is not developmentally appropriate.

            So, what is developmentally appropriate for say a nine or ten month old? How about these things:

·         Lots of time in the arms of a caring adult listening, looking, touching, smelling, and tasting the world around them.

·         Plenty of opportunities to explore the world on their own and at their own pace, time where they can build muscle strength, hone muscle control, and develop new physical skills.

·         Exposure to their immediate universe and frequent chances to engage the world within a few blocks of where they sleep and eat. Safe chances to engage their physical environment with all their senses.

            Babies are born with an innate curiosity and a drive to learn, our job is to provide opportunities and assure their safety. Mothers and families have done this quiet effectively for hundreds of generations. All of humankind’s greatest achievements came from people who used to be babies—and the overwhelming majority of them were never exposed to prenatal learning devices or high-tech teaching gadgets. When it comes to developmentally appropriate practices for babies, think low-tech and focus on consistently feeding all of their senses a steady diet of new and interesting morsels from their surroundings.