calling all parents for feedback on my idea

Deliverance

Edited out...

Sorry, started to feel a bit uneasy about giving to much of the idea away.

metrovelvet

First let me say, Im not sure I entirely understand what you are talking about, so keep that in mind when you read my response.

I dont do facebook or any kind if skype or anything like that and am strongly considering getting rid of the internet in the house.

Im doing this because I have found that people have become far too dependent on technology to relate to people and their relationships are all refracted through these mediums and it develops conditions I don't like or find that interesting.

The idea of a virtual hug is repellant to me and worse than no hug.

All these things create an illusion that the absence is not there, and its trickery because in the end all it does is amplify the absence. Its a present/absent ambivalence which I dont think is that healthy for kids, and probably not that healthy for grown ups either.

smelltheglove

I would be the opposite to metro, I think it would be a fantastic thing for kids and parents in your position IF it was a case for families who are seperated rather than a facebook sort of thing where anyone can join in.

I cant comment on the autistic side of things as really I dont have enough knowledge for it but when it comes to for example my daughter, I know she would be delighted for her teddy bear to light up with a hug from her daddy out of the blue, I think it would be a great reassurance that he is thinking of her when they are not together!

For people looking at it from metros perespective, what is better, a virtual hug or no hug at all, no contact??? Some people just arent huggers, my parents werent I can say that much and when they seperated our contact with our mam was weekends, Im sure I would have loved more during the week, especially in my teenage years, just to know that she was thinking of me even if it was late at night and from the parents perspective I would be delighted to receive a midnight virtual hug from my child as she lay down to sleep at her daddies house.

How you could make it work...... well thats a whole other story isnt it, I mean walkie talkies only have so much distance so how would you be able to come up with something that will work across unlimited distance, from one to the other, if you could do that then Id say it would be a goer.

lynski

Not sure how old your child is, but my 2 yr old is very conversant in skype and mobile use. she 'talks' on remote controls. her hand, real and play mobiles all day to everyone, used to only be real people but now she is making people up and talks to them too. She also turns her books into 'puters' and 'uses' skype to talk to people.
She seems to be able to tell who normally uses what also, ie nana on the phone but uncle on skype.
she is very comfortable on the phone and on skype when we are actually using it and she expects all computers to have this available to her. She also expects that phones are video capable, so she has not figured that one out yet. Until recently she only spoke on the phone if the mobile had a photo of the person she was talking to on screen.
A quick phone conversation will satisfy her immediate need to talk to someone, but does not satisfy any greater needs to see them, when she wants daddy only daddy will do, the phone call is just a stopgap.
The reason I am posting this is because I think your idea is a good one, but I think that it is also limited as children are so much more technologically capable then we sometimes give them credit for.

Days

I'm afraid to say it wouldn't be for me! But when I heard about baby yoga I thought it was nonsense but then I got a present of it and loved it! So I'd say give it a go and if people like it word will get around!
Good luck and I have to say I'm very impressed and baffled with your use of technology!