If you live far away from your friends or family, video chat programs – like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger or FaceTime – probably feel like a godsend. For the first time in history, it’s possible to see people on the other side of the world in real-time and to catch up over your respective cups of coffee or glasses of wine.
For parents with babies, video chat can seem even more precious; it allows grandparents and other relatives in distant states or countries to see a brand new baby laugh or watch a toddler teeter as they take their first steps. Aunt, uncle, grandma, or grandpa can read stories to kids, watch them play with their favorite toys, and create and maintain relationships in a way that was simply not possible 20 years ago.
Common Concerns About Video Chat
While there’s no denying that this technology is convenient – or even downright miraculous – many parents still have concerns when it comes to exposing their kids to screens. As you consider using video chat with your family, you may have questions like:
- Is WhatsApp safe for my baby?
- Is video chat recommended for babies by the experts?
- Can FaceTime create a real connection my baby will remember?
In Era’s podcast “Fostering Healthy Screen Habits”, we explore the latest research about how screens affect a developing baby’s body and brain – and how that impacts their behavior. We also provide expert recommendations about screen-time and offer ideas for creating rules about screens and content as your child grows.
Expert Recommendations for Baby Screen Time
You may have heard that babies shouldn’t be exposed to screens – and that’s true, with one notable exception. The American Association of Pediatricians recommendations state that:
- Infants and toddlers 18 months or younger should avoid all screens except for video chatting
- Toddlers 18-24 months can be introduced to high-quality programming, along with continued video chatting
Initially, experts recommended no screen time at all for infants – but that was revised to allow video chatting because parents were reporting that programs like Skype or Facetime were helping their little ones maintain relationships. In fact, more and more parents are allowing their infants and toddlers to use video chat:
- 85% of parents with children aged 6-24 months have allowed video chat at least once
- 37% use video chat on a weekly basis
Research on Video Chat Safety
While studies are still ongoing, current results are positive and have found that Skype is safe for your baby. Researchers have shown:
- Babies respond better to video chat with a real person than to pre-recorded video
- Video chat qualifies as one of the “socially-contingent interactions” that help infants with language learning
Building Meaningful Connections Through Video Chat
While there’s little doubt that video chatting with your baby is meaningful for the adults on the other side of the screen, many parents wonder if these virtual interactions can help their child form genuine connections.
According to psychologist Dr. Ruth Burman, these experiences do matter, and your child will remember them: “They may not remember in concrete ways, but we hold on to feelings from these early years in an implicit way that doesn’t even have to be verbalized. We have warm feelings about people that we’ve spent time with, and we remember it on an emotional and a sensory level.”
In short, your kids will keep those warm fuzzy feelings about grandma and grandpa in ways they can’t even articulate. Video chatting is safe for your baby, and it’s also beneficial in forming connections that really matter.
Expert Tips for Healthy Screen Use
While screens have been shown to affect the way a young child’s brain develops and some content has been linked to aggression or behavioral issues, it doesn’t mean that screens are completely evil and should be avoided entirely. Like anything, it depends on how we use them – and how much we use them.
Screens have the potential to connect us across distances long and short, and video chatting lets your baby and your relatives create a bond no matter where they’re located. As your baby grows, you can also use screens to:
- Enhance your own connection through co-viewing and mediation
- Learn new skills or information together
- Show your kid how to make smart content choices that support your values
- Teach your child about limits and boundaries as you create a family media plan to use screens in a healthy way
