When Niko was born, we were able to watch a lot of dumb television shows (mostly reality home and food shows), because we didn’t have the brain power to watch anything else. Now that he is older (9 months old), when I do turn the TV on (and even if I have the volume on low and the subtitles on), Niko sees the images and just stops doing what he was doing and stares at the TV or he screams and cries for attention (which basically means, stop doing something else and play with me). He also really wants to eat the remotes!!! So, what I am trying to tell is I haven’t watched TV in several weeks. Yes, I do have several shows I want to watch (but, that will have to wait). And, I will be honest and tell you it is nice not having the TV on…it allows me to pay attention to Niko and Nina.
We aren’t going to deprive him of watching TV. Hopefully, when he can understand what is happening on TV, we can show him some animated kids movies.
Niko is a smart cookie (well, that is a given…I mean, look at his parents) and he knows that the phone is important to us. Most of the time when I am playing with him in the baby jail, I have my phone out and am clicking and scrolling thru Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and email and also at the same time, trying to photo and video Niko. But, once Niko sees the phone, he wants it in his mouth and if that doesn’t happen, he cries!!! That is when my phone goes away (not in his mouth), but either in my pocket, outside the baby jail, or next to my laptop. Even in the middle of the night when he is sleeping on me, he sees the light from my phone and pops his head up to look!!! But, he is so sleepy (he just plops his head back down on me) and goes back to dreamy land of eating phones. One of his toys he does get to play with (and put in his mouth) is an old fashioned rotary telephone courtesy of Fisher-Price!!! I am glad he can’t make calls yet because he is constantly gossiping to nobody.
One of my pet peeves is seeing kids playing games or watching movies on their parent’s phones. It doesn’t even matter the age. With Niko, we will teach him to use his imagination (there is so much to see and do in the world and you don’t need a phone).
