Disconnect The Digital Babysitter

Trade the device for face-to-face time, touch and movement

- Melanie Hempe

Interactive screens, while entertaining for sure, do not lead to healthy brain development and smarter babies. Recent research by the National Institutes of Health gives reason to hit the pause button and look at the science first before adding another “educational” app to your tablet or phone for young kids.

Toddler Minds and Screens

“My baby is so smart. Look, she can work an app on my tablet.” Did you know that your cat can, too? There is a fishing app designed to keep a cat’s attention. The brain-orienting response is a reflex action necessary for survival, so it’s important to not confuse your child’s instinctive reaction to movement on a screen with brilliance.