As a mom to a seven month old, there is nothing more frustrating than trying to figure out how to entertain a human whose attention span is that of a goldfish and whose play skills are limited to what’s on the floor and what is safe to go in the mouth. Of course, I love technology, so I tend to turn to my devices to help me entertain my kid once in a while.

I was a technology junkie long before this kid came out. In fact, when I was in labor for 22 hours, I updated everyone via social networking from my iPhone (News - Alert). I used my iPad to play games, music and watch videos as I waited for my kid to make his grand entrance into the world. My iPhone captured the first moment I saw my son’s face. Technology is and always will be a big part of my life.

I never had intentions to withhold technology from my baby. I know there are many parents out there who are petrified of the idea of getting baby slobber on their mobile devices. In my mind, it’s cruel because technology is such a part of their world. I can’t just sit there as my little one bites away on his Sophie the Giraffe teething toy while I’m clearly doing productive and fun things on my iPhone or iPad. He knows I am doing something that involves light and visual stimulation, and frankly, it looks and sounds more interesting than a rubber squeak toy, so he will reach for it.

I don’t deny him that experience. He is infinitely curious, and while I do set boundaries as a parent (in that I make him wait his turn to use said device), I don’t hold back a moment that could potentially be educational.

Seeing that my little technophile was clearly taking after his momma, I went ahead and purchased the Laugh & Learn Apptivity Case by Fisher-Price. This contraption is heaven-sent, as it not only has fun rings for budding teeth (my son’s favorite), but it protects my iPhone pretty darn well. There are some free apps to accompany this nifty toy, simple ones that are activated by a light baby touch, and when nothing else seems to assuage my frustrated child, this does a good job for at least little while.

I think many parents are also afraid to introduce their babies to any sort of technology device because in the fall of 2011, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued their latest findings that basically say do not give any child under the age of 2 an iPad or smartphone, and do not put them in front of a television.

Because it’s the American Academy of Pediatrics, parents tend to take this sort of stuff pretty seriously. I think what happens when a study like this is issued from an organization like the AAP is parents forget that it’s one study and one study is not the golden rule of parenthood. In fact, there is a study for everything related to parenting. It’s enough to drive parents to the conclusion that everything is terrible for their child.

This study came out a few months after my son was born – in those months that, I admit, I not only used technology with my little one, I also let him watch Sesame Street – and as a first time mother, I freaked out a little bit thinking I all but broke my child for the rest of his life.

 “In today’s ‘achievement culture,’ the best thing you can do for your young child is to give her a chance to have unstructured play—both with you and independently. Children need this in order to figure out how the world works,” says this Dr. Brown guy in the study.

Great. Not only was I not doing the best thing for my child, I was clearly not letting him figure out how the world works because I let him play “Spot the Nose” on my iPhone and allowed him to have a FaceTime (News - Alert) chat with Elmo.

Then I snapped out of my first-time-mother paranoia and got real. Upon further reading of the study, and after talking ad nauseum with my husband about the findings – my husband who, by the way, is a teacher – I realized there is some nonsense to what the AAP is saying. While I’m no medical professional nor do I pretend to be a child psychologist, I’m a mother with a decent amount of thinking skills, and I have somewhat of an educated opinion on this matter.

It is easy to dismiss a dumb blogger or an intern at a news-mill, but the copy editor for the AAP should not be cut as much slack.

“Many video programs for infants and toddlers are marketed as ‘educational,’ yet evidence does not support this. Quality programs are educational for children only if they understand the content and context of the video. Studies consistently find that children over 2 typically have this understanding,” the study writes.

This is not so much a condemnation of media for those under as it is yet another reminder of Caveat Emptor, or the more timely expression “RTFM!”

“Unstructured play time is more valuable for the developing brain than electronic media. Children learn to think creatively, problem solve, and develop reasoning and motor skills at early ages through unstructured, unplugged play. Free play also teaches them how to entertain themselves,” the study further says.

The comment about motor skills might be true. I’m not sure how one measures what stimulates creativity more, but the problem-solving bit is utter nonsense. Well-developed scenarios with carefully paced hints develop problem-solving skills. Leaving your child alone with simple toys do not. If it did, there would a lot more Amish toy-like test-prep programs for everything up to the LSATs, now wouldn’t there? Saying that leaving your child alone with toys promotes problem-solving is like saying that leaving them with keys and locks will somehow turn them into a master locksmith, or at least a lock pick, and surely, the latter is not exactly what you want to see your child doing later on in life.

“Parents who watch TV or videos with their child may add to the child’s understanding, but children learn more from live presentations than from televised ones.”

Unless I am missing something, does the iPad keep you from going to a live presentation? Are the parents who keep their children away from tech rushing of to attend lectures or other educational events far more frequently than I use an educational app with my kid? I didn’t think so.

“When parents are watching their own programs, this is “background media” for their children. It distracts the parent and decreases parent-child interaction. Its presence may also interfere with a young child’s learning from play and activities. “

This is not news, this is common sense. Parents should always strive to minimize distractions in any learning situation. No one learns at a three-ring circus.

“Television viewing around bedtime can cause poor sleep habits and irregular sleep schedules, which can adversely affect mood, behavior and learning.”

So can using a trampoline just before bed, eating sugary foods just before bed, or anything exciting, for that matter. This is a poor argument, in my opinion.

“Young children with heavy media use are at risk for delays in language development once they start school, but more research is needed as to the reasons.”

I’m guessing because they never actually talked to someone, unless there was some speech-recognition software in there?

While the AAP’s findings are with the health of our children in mind, and while I do appreciate what their aim is as an organization, sometimes you have to sit yourself down as a parent and figure out the jargon for yourself. It really is as simple as taking these statements at face value and doing what you feel is best for you and your family. Parenthood, particularly motherhood, is rife with those who are doctrinaire when it comes to how they rear children and often believe every word that comes out of every study.

I doubt my little guy is going to have social problems once he’s hits preschool. I’m more concerned with how I’ll potty train him than I am with his iPhone or iPad use.

Here’s a question: isn’t there a social element to your electronic devices? My seven month old can use FaceTime with Elmo a heck of a lot better than the kid in preschool who thinks he is talking to someone when he screams at a painting. I’m not knocking that kid, but when my kid interacts with Elmo, he’s happy, cooing, laughing, babbling and, you know, interacting. Sometimes, he gets so excited, he hangs up on Elmo. I love sharing my gadgets with my kid and I have no intentions of stopping anytime soon. It’s one more way I can bond with him and I absolutely love that he gets such a kick out of them, just like me.

Never let it be said that there are no parental benefits to being a technophile mom who shares her love of technology with her baby.

My son, chatting with Elmo via FaceTime. Get the Elmo Calls app for your little one over at the iTunes store.