Who needs to love children when you have technology? [discuss]
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Creep-o-rama! I would love to know what parent think of this. But to quote “Nothing replaces a parent’s love and affection, but gosh if technology isn’t going to try.” There are two products in this rant. The Lullabub offers a $229 remote-controlled, crib-rocking solution, which will rock the crib at one of four speeds: mothers womb, mother’s heartbeat, drive in the car, or boat on the water, without requiring parents to take a fussy baby out of bed. Hmmm.
And in case you’re worried that babies being mechanically rocked, there’s always the (extremely creepy) Zaky hands [via]. They are pillows designed to “mimic the size, weight, touch, and feel” of a parental hand, which you could put inside the robotically-rocked crib.
I’m extremely curious what parents feel about technology stepping in roles that parents usually filled.
here soon we’ll be like animals, show up, do the deed, drop a baby and then just run away and let the cities of robots raise it.
And besides all those things, those “hands” miss the much needed warm of a real hand.
I would have expected the hands to have some sort of heating element within to mimic the warmth of human hands. It’s the little details that would add up to make this a viable solution for the type of parents who put their kids on leashes.
Having spent most of last night holding my 6 month old in an uncanny duplication of the picture above and now pretty much worthless to society from the lack of sleep I could see how something like this could be well worth the money to keep one’s sanity.
I’m with David. When my son was 6 months old and waking up every couple hours all night every night, I developed an appreciation for why there’s a city law requiring bars on windows of apartments where kids live. You just go nuts after a few months of it! Although, not so nuts as to use a leash in public. Although electric fences work pretty well if you have a yard…
Great idea!!
I plan on having robotic kids that I can turn off of a night.
No freakin’ way!
My opinion is that any parent that does, doesn’t give a damn about their child, and as such should turn the baby over to his/her mother-in-law, mom, grandma, whatever.
But most likely the kid will be kept and raised by TV. Poor kid…
You don’t have kids do you Dan? Children for the first year pretty much require 24 hour care/supervision. Where do you draw the line on what’s OK and what’s not? This is the question that you have to ask yourself as a good parent everyday.
(Do I let my child use a pacifier, what imunization shots does my child need and how should they be administered, how much TV should I allow my kid to watch, what medicine should I give my child when they are sick, or should I let thier body fight it itself, do I let my infant sleep on his/her stomach and risk sids…)
There are a lot of more important questions to ask yourself that affect your childs well being in his/her future than is a pillow shaped like hands, or an electric swing OK.
I will however agree with you that some can take it too far and todays modern devices should not be a subsitite for the love and care that a child needs from his/her parent.
David, I do not have kids. That is why I am very curious to know what parents think.
You made some EXCELLENT points, cheers!
(OH, the other Dan, whoops)
I read all your comments in interest.
THe Lullabub is a helping hand product, Please got to our web site and in the FAQ section read the first one. I am a parent of three gilrs 2, 4 and 6, and I know what sleep deprivation is all about. For those who think the Lullabub is a parent replacement, I strongly disagree, its a helping hand when you are totally stuffed or at the end of yout tether, with a crying sleep deprived baby. May I also mention it works fantastically well for babies who suffer cloic symptoms. Thankyou for your time.
Sorry, I was rushing too much and miss spelt a few words above.
I think you all are a little over-excited about the technology. Parents will either be good parents or they won’t and in varying degrees – handy helpers like cribs, play pens, pacifiers, rattles, rocking chairs, mobiles, music boxes, johnny-jump-ups, strollers, lullabubs, and zacky hands will be around as long as they work and aren’t detrimental to a childs health – and are cost effective. I think single parents may enjoy a little assistance – not everyone has the “ideal” situation for raising children. Take a moment and step out of your shoes and into someone elses – they may not have it as good. The only improvement I see is that the lullabub price point is a bit high. Be positive. Thanks for the opportunity.