Savvy Auntie Staff Writers

For long-distance aunts (LDAs) and aunts who travel often, being separated from our young nieces and nephews can be full of strife. Do they understand who we are? Do they feel a meaningful connection with us? Will they recognize us when we visit them?

LDAs can now relax. A new study by a team of Lafayette College psychology researchers found that from about 17 months, "children begin to get something out of live video interaction with real people and are able to apply the interaction to people--like [Auntie] and other people they know--with whom they have a relationship in real life. "They start to understand who that person is on the screen, and they're able to get something meaningful out of the live video interaction with them," says Myers (a researcher on the study.)

The researchers found that little ones can tell the difference between someone on screen who doesn't interact with them, like a cartoon character, and one who does, like you. This kind of screen-time is definitely quality time, the researchers say (although we prefer the term: QualAuntie Time.)

So go ahead, get on FaceTime and have a nice visit with your little niece or nephew! It's (almost) like you're there!

More at ScienceDaily.com

Photo: oksun70
Published: August 3, 2016