Safety Products
Before my son was born, the odd friend arriving with their infants were also accompanied by a nursery monitor. Frankly, they drove me crazy and for the life of me I couldn’t understand why they were enslaved to the things. I resented that every time that hideous little Fisher Price red light came on the conversation was abruptly cut off so we could all sit around in breathless anticipation. Was is the sound of an approaching disaster? The agonized cries of a tormented baby or far more likely a bit of shifting material, a sigh and a belch. I didn’t get it.
When my own son was born I didn’t want a monitor, but naturally was given several as gifts. I hated that little red light and given that it didn’t take long for me to realize that I had developed “Mother’s Hearing” – an early precursor to the eyes that grew in the back of my head- and the sound of a hiccup was enough to rouse me from a dead sleep- I didn’t use the monitor much.
But life has changed and the new generation of baby minders with pan and tilt remote controls, sound, motion activators and wireless technology mean that you never need to wonder what’s going on in the nursery. And you’re not tied to a set spot to keep an eye and ear on your baby, the nursery monitor can travel through the house with you.
Hidden nursery cameras are also hugely popular and while I am in dispair that such a product would ever be necessary, the sad truth is that they are – indeed – necessary.
What we should be pleased about is that the quality is going up, the price is coming down and in spite of the incredible leaps in technology, nothing has yet been developed that will slow down the growth of the 360 degree vision we all need by the time they’re up and running around in circles.
Child safety products are here to stay- just don’t sit them on the dinner table when you’re visiting your friends or you’ll find the invitations rapidly dwindling.
