Mom Confessions
Parents Who Put Baby on Spinning Vacuum Need an Infant Safety Refresher Course (VIDEO)
You know those little circular Roomba vacuums that scoot back and forth across your floors to clean them up so you don't have to do it manually? Yeah, they're pretty cool, and they're major time savers.
But (call me crazy) -- something tells me they aren't supposed to be used as a mode of transportation for infants.
The parents of a baby girl named Aria thought it would be cute and funny to sit her down on top of their Roomba and let her take a spin around the living room and help tidy up the pine needles left over by their Christmas tree. Yes -- they let their baby ride their Roomba.
And of course, they caught the whole thing on video. Sure, it's kind of cute. But I couldn't help but gasp and want to hide my eyes throughout the whole thing. Watch the clip below, and then we'll discuss my paranoia.
OMG! Um, can you say dangerous -- not to mention pretty darn stupid?!?
Yes, I realize the thing is going very, very slow, and it's obvious that little Aria has mastered the art of balancing on top of spinning vacuums.
But the one thing that kept popping out at me was that perfect little head of hers -- and the hardwood floor beneath it. One sudden jerk or shaky move and that little girl could've toppled over and banged her head on that hard floor -- a thought that made me cringe over and over again.
When my son was a baby, I constantly worried about him smashing his head into something. I remember not even wanting to sit him on a floor that wasn't carpeted without some sort of padding beneath him out of fear that he'd hurt his poor little noggin.
And yes, I realize I was probably a bit overprotective and extreme (what new parent isn't?), but isn't that better than sitting him on top of a moving household appliance because you're too naive to think anything will go wrong?
What do you think? Were these parents being irresponsible in letting their baby ride the Roomba?
*UPDATE FROM PARENTS*
I’m both the person filming the
video and also Aria’s dad. I don’t normally make a habit of jumping into
internet debates, but since there are over 500 comments about our
parenting (the most I’ve seen regarding our video on any website), I
thought I would add a few cents to the conversation.
First,
my wife and I have really enjoyed reading most of the comments in this
thread. It is always great to get feedback, even if it only covers a
small sliver of life.
Second,
our parenting style is about exposure both physically and mentally. The
video shows one small slice of life where Aria is riding a Roomba. That
slice of life by itself doesn't add up to much more than a silly
minute, but summing her exposure to lots of different activities over
months and years gives Aria confidence in different situations and makes
her a more well rounded person. The video was taken ~3 years ago and
Aria will be 4 in April. I’m confident in our parenting style because I
can see the amazing little girl she has become and a glimpse of the
adult she is becoming. Aria was walking at 11 months, riding a bike
without training wheels, ballet classes, and zip-lining when she was 2,
rock climbing outdoors, caving (she calls it looking for bears) and
skiing when she was 3. Not only are we proud of her for these
accomplishments, but she is proud of herself. She simply loves trying
new things and has confidence in herself (and us) that she will always
be reasonably safe. We do science project Saturdays, take her to the
museum, build volcanos, shoot model rockets, and do color experiments to
expose her mind to new things as well. The more we can expose her to
the better, even crazy Roomba rides at 7 months as long as the danger
level is acceptably low.
Could
she have fallen off the Roomba? Sure, it is possible, but we had
confidence that she would be able to stay on and we were nearby to help
prevent a fall. Does the Roomba ride look pointless? Yes, if viewed as a
single slice, but it is just 1 small experience amongst a myriad of
others that collectively expose her to new things and build her
confidence and abilities. Were we having fun making the video?
Absolutely, just like all the other crazy things we do with Aria,
although I’m a little embarrassed by my “woooooing.” :-) This whole
viral video thing is a new experience for her as well. Just last night
we were talking with her about how she has become “internet famous.” She
seemed to get a kick out of it. She got a big smile when her aunt
called to tell her that she saw her on the internet.
But
ultimately, the people to best asses what a specific child can or
cannot do is the child’s parents. Other parents should absolutely raise
their children in the best way they see fit. For us, we feel successful
in the way we have raised Aria and are proud of her. Most importantly,
she is proud of herself.
I intended to throw in 2 cents but I ended up throwing in 10, I guess that is because I’m her dad.
Replies
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Yeah, I can totally relate to overprotectiveness. I ERF in the car, otherwise obsess about carseats and their installation, would never ever put a baby in a baby bucket on a shopping cart, didn't leave the room my baby was in for a good three months and didn't leave her to go on a date for like 13 months, etc.
But, this did not strike me as scary or shocking. I felt like baby was going pretty slow and if she had fallen, it would have been no worse than the injuries kids recieve when they learn to crawl, pull up, walk, etc.
Maybe I wouldn't do this but I don't think they were being irresponsible.
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Has anyone noticed the look on baby's face while she's trying to balance on the machine? I haven't seen any giggles or even a smile! Her parents may be enjoying the ride, but she obviously doesn't share the fun! The main irresponsible part is ignoring your baby's reactions for your own joy! Sad for the little girl! -
This is exactly why posting your every single moment on the internet is dangerous.
I see nothing wrong with the video as the parents were only foot steps away from their child.
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Oh come on. The mother was right there watching. Maybe you think she should wear a helmet when she starts to walk on that hardwood floor or they should cover it with foam rubber. I would be more worried about damaging the Roomba than the baby.
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He was clearly right with her! She hit the floor how many times trying to walk? Thats closer to the floor,how stupid where they for doing this? Clearly not that stupid it made it on tv!
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I would have had a heart attack.
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What a STUPID couple,, and they shamelessly DISPLAY such foolish VIDEO on here,, what are they trying to TEACH ¨other mothers??,,They are so IGNORANT,, that they dont care much DANGER is INVOLVED in the many times their BABY missed to fall or how many times he hit his HEAD on the SOFA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I don't feel the baby was in any immediate danger. Both parents were right there.
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Wow, some of these replies. That thing is nothing. The baby is fine and she's a BABY. Babies hit their heads. It's part of a baby's life!! -
Heavens people calm down. The mom was right there. Maybe putting the baby on his belly might be better.