Would you use an app to read your child "Goodnight Moon?"

[kckady]

iTunes is selling a new app (it's $4.99) that will narrate "Goodnight Moon" for you if you're bored with reading it yourself to the kids.
Would you buy it? Let the iPad read the story while you doze off?
Read more: http://bit.ly/V9yQB6

[JayhawkKaty]

No way. It's not a very long book, and part of the fun is finding the mouse with your child. I'm sure the app is cool, but it detracts from bonding with your child while reading and helping your child to learn how to read.

[jeano]

This is wrong on many levels. Reading to a child establishes a bond between parent and child as well as child with book. Children learn that being read to (and eventually reading for themselves) is a natural thing to do and gives them both pleasure and relaxation. Any parent that uses a machine is just plain lazy and/or has poor parenting skills. Years ago, when my youngest was a toddler, her favorite book was the Little Red Hen. Sometimes we read it two or three times a night but it always delighted her so I was not going to stop simply because I was bored. As a retired reading teacher I know that reading time is a powerful motivation for kids to read on their own and do better in school. This is one time technology is not the solution.

[sahmiam43]

No.

And not just because all my kids are past the Goodnight Moon stage. Reading a book to a kid isn't about the words, it's about the time together interacting. Sure, I raced through a few readings of that book (and others that my kids loved) a few times but it was still our time together. Kids need more opportunities to cuddle up to parents and interact than cuddling up with electronics and zoning out from everyone.

[sashamae]

No.

And not just because all my kids are past the Goodnight Moon stage. Reading a book to a kid isn't about the words, it's about the time together interacting. Sure, I raced through a few readings of that book (and others that my kids loved) a few times but it was still our time together. Kids need more opportunities to cuddle up to parents and interact than cuddling up with electronics and zoning out from everyone.

I agree with the above!

[seabiscuit]

Hmmmm....depends. Is the choice reading your child "Goodnight Moon" 500 times or making dinner? I can see where the app might come in handy. It's over priced though. The older sister only charges .25 cents an hour.

[JoLynne]

I have very fond memories of reading Goodnight Moon over and over again to my child. And I am sure the experience of playing an app for her would pale in comparison.

[vengholm]

Well, I know I wouldn't buy it, but I don't like to pay for apps. I agree with a lot of the other comments that part of reading Goodnight Moon is spending time together, but I'll just say this: There are lots of other books that you can use to spend time with your child, AND you can still read Goodnight Moon even if you have the app!

The app looks like kind of a cool game that kids might enjoy, and I don't think it's fair to call other parents names like lazy or having poor parenting skills. I have apps on my phone that my kids play with, unsupervised, and I'm not sure how that's different. I still have snuggle time with my kids. I'm willing to bet that even without this app, those parents who don't want to spend time with their kids will find other ways to avoid them.

I think the article is poorly written and makes it sound like the app is for laziness. Like I said, I wouldn't buy it, because I don't like to pay for stuff. But maybe we shouldn't judge other parents who do.