Should I Use a Playpen? | Minimalism can help add a much-needed sense of control, elegance, and style within the home especially for new parents, but there are just some things you can’t cut out. If you’ve been looking for ways to help minimize the amount of baby gear you require without feeling as though your child would miss said piece of gear this article is for you. Think back to the months before your child was born, you probably sat down and made a lengthy list of all the things you thought you’d need over the first year of their life. In your list of items, there was most likely a playpen, a piece of gear you didn’t necessarily put too much thought into but added to the list anyway. In this article, we wanted to help dispel the recently arising notion that simply owning a playpen is a bad thing within itself.
Should I Use a Playpen?
Isn’t It Bad for The Child?
If you search online you’ll find various websites and forum conversations that point to “studies” demonstrating placing babies in playpens will cause developmental delays and negatively affect learning patterns, but none of these allusions point to any real or credible sources. In fact, according to Alison Gopnik, a professor of psychology at Berkeley’s University of California and author of The Philosophical Baby, there has been no conclusive systematic research on these claimed effects. I firmly believe that the confusion arises from the fact that it is very important to allow a baby to move and explore their environment throughout their day to help them learn and thrive. While this is assertion is undoubtedly true, it is not intended to bash or speak negatively against the use of playpens.
Should I Use a Playpen?
Striking a Balance
Just as with many other things in life it is important not to abuse or overuse the resources we are given. While there is nothing specifically wrong with owning or using a playpen it is certainly not healthy or okay to confine your child to the playpen space for extended periods of time. Doing so would inhibit essential exploration and experimentation time of your child’s surroundings. With that being said, we wanted to go over some of the ways playpens can be used correctly and can work for you and your family.
Should I Use a Playpen?
The Benefits of a Playpen can Include:
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- Playpens provide you with a safe area to place your child in when you need to engage in tasks such as going to the bathroom, cooking dinner, or answering an unexpected but important phone call.
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- Many playpens in today’s market are what is referred to as being “multi-purpose”. This means that they can be essentially transformed into other useful pieces of baby gear including a baby gate or a changing station, and most can be easily folded down or broken down flat for traveling. (If you’re looking on ways to cut back and minimize on items finding multi-purpose gear is definitely the way to go)
- Playpens provide your child with a safe area that is his or her own and is ideal for independent play.
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