It's 3:24 in the morning and the quarterly budget meeting, of which you spent the whole night preparing for, is scheduled to begin at 8:30. Your alarm is set to wake you at 6:30 and, by God, you are going to need every minute of sleep you can get. But just as the digital clock turns to 6:02, the baby monitor starts in with an ear piercing wail of a baby's cry.
"Just five more minutes, baby. That's all I want, is five more minutes."

It's a good thing that you have the new Baby-Snooze Baby Monitor. Every system is equipped with a monitor that has a snooze button that when activated, showers the baby in question with a mild soporific(Organic? Does that help? It's made with only the most non-toxic of ingredients and it's safe to use on Grandma, who's already got one foot in the grave as it is, I promise) in the crib that works for a maximum of 10 minutes, thus allowing you those precious few seconds of sleep. It works only once during a 24 hour period, so you better choose wisely before slapping your hand on that button.

Note: Although the clock is open source code and very easy to hack, we the manufacturers, don't recommend that you change the setting at all. But you will be tempted, oh yes, you will be tempted.
-- NotTheSharpestSpoon, Dec 10 2006

I've never taken care of kids, but it seems kinda dangerous...

Not the soporific part, the ignoring the child part.
-- notmarkflynn, Dec 10 2006


I would never put something like that in my baby daughter's crib. What if she was crying for some valid reason, like a pillow was covering her face, or some string was wrapped around her neck (or any part of her body)? It's the same with using cough supressants on babies, not a good idea. If they are coughing, there's something in there and they are trying to get it out.

I wouldn't risk my baby's life just to get some sleep.
-- twitch, Dec 10 2006


See, that's my point.
-- notmarkflynn, Dec 10 2006


Congratulations, NTSS!
Boy or girl?
-- methinksnot, Dec 11 2006


Not quite yet methinksnot, in February and they are boys (as far as we know). Thanks!
-- NotTheSharpestSpoon, Dec 11 2006


twins, of course. Now I remember. Sorry, I have been away for a few weeks and my brain needs to re-adjust to 'bakery mode. I'll delete my annotations in a little while.
-- methinksnot, Dec 11 2006


That's cool. I'm sure I'm not so big a part of your life that you would remember those little niggling facts like I'm HAVING TWINS! Don't worry about it, I'll be fine <sniff>.
-- NotTheSharpestSpoon, Dec 11 2006


We never used a baby monitor with our kids, they just make you jump at every snuffle and if you don't sleep, it's hard to be a good parent. If they need something, (a) your body is automatically tuned in to wake anyway and (b) they let you KNOW!

Mind you, our youngests room is next door to ours and we had both doors ajar.

It's funny, magazines and baby shops try and sell you all this stuff and you realise after your first one: ninety percent of the stuff you never need, want or use!
-- webfishrune, Dec 11 2006


You could hang a color-changing mobile in the baby's crib and only give the baby attention if it cries during the "red" color (although you secretly check on the baby every time). The baby learns that when it's white there's no point crying because (it thinks) no one comes.

Then just set it to turn red at 6:30.
-- phundug, Dec 11 2006


Once you get the baby on an organized feeding schedule, he will wake up only when its time to eat.
-- Jscotty, Dec 11 2006



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