Playpens - Baby Jail or Parenting Necessity

Depends on how you look at it. You can't hold the child 24/7. The child needs time to play on its own. The child needs something to occupy itself while you do other things. Safety is the first concern. I see nothing wrong with play pens. Give the hcild some toys and let them learn how to entertain themselves and use their imagenations and have fun. While they are doing that, you can be doing the dishes or vacumming or paying bills. Better than having them moving around the house and the only words he/she hears is "don't touch that!" and "Get away from there" and "don't do that" and "I told you to stay here" and on the list goes. Better than them crying for attention and you fussing at them to be quiet and stop crying.

Some parents may feel a little guilty putting their baby in a playpen with wooden bars and a vinyl-covered, padded bottom. It may seem too much like a padded 40-by-40-inch prison cell. But these days, your child's playpen, sometimes called play yards, is more likely to have features such as toy bars with removable soft toys. It may play classical tunes, lullabies and nature sounds to entertain and soothe your baby.Many playpens may also be used as bassinets or changing tables. But Nychelle Fleming, the public affairs specialist for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in Bethesda, Md., says consumers need to use extra caution when it comes to multiple-use playpens. "The thing for consumers to keep in mind with multiple-use ones [is that] a lot of them have warning labels and instruction use labels on when to use, how to use, age, [etc.]," says Fleming, who used a multiple-use playpen when she had her daughter. "Each one will differ from one manufacturer to the next. For instance, I know they have the new built-in changing table on one side and then the other side may be a bassinet for a younger age, and when you reach a certain age they tell you to remove that completely."

I have a pack and play but I have used it twice since getting it. Mainly got it for when my girls are at my sisters house and my little one needs to lie down and take a nap.

I jokingly call my daughters playpen her baby jail. She really does not spend much time in it. She will occasionally play in there when she is sleepy and refusing to sit down and keeps bumping into things. It keeps her contained long enough for her to calm down and take the nap she is fighting. If I don't put her in there she will walk around bumping into things. I think they are fine for an occasional use, but they are way over used by some parents.

Well when my son was born I went out and brought one of them pack and play playpens. Just so that I could have something to lay him in if we were going to be out all day such as my sister's house etc.. He hated the thing. If I tried to put him in it he would start to cry instantly. so This 100 dollar playpen that you could fold up and take everywhere ended up being a toy box for the longest time for all of his toys. My sister son is about to turn one and he hated the playpen as well. I have never known any kids to actually stay in one. Personally I think they are just a waste of money. Money that could be well spent on something else

There are times when a playpen is a definite neccessity. For example, when I was a first time mom I could never figure out what to do with my little one while I went to the restroom. The baby went in the playpen. There are just somethings that baby does not need to join in on! Cooking was another time that I just felt uncomfortable letting my baby be on the floor. The playpen came in handy then, too. I didn't always use the playpen, though. Sometimes I would set the kids in their bouncy chairs on the floor near me, or the exersaucer, or any number of different ways to keep baby safe while I did what I had to do. I would never put the baby in the playpen as any sort of punishment and never for long periods at a time. I would say 30 minutes at the most while I was cooking a meal.

I think they are good for times when you need to do something in the same room as the child or at times when you want to have something to eat and you don't want your child to hurt themselves. You can still watch them while they are in them, you just don't have to chase after them aswell. I haven't used one before, but i've always thought they could be useful for occasional use. I would only use the kind that have soft sides and no cover over the top myself, but thats only because i would prefer to still see what my son was doing instead of being in one that has a cover which is more like a tent.

No a playpen is not like a baby jail. The children want to come here and want to enjoy the different games. They also pay for games in our town. So we should not call it a baby jail. Playing is a need of children. They want to enjoy the beginning of their life. And here they come and enjoy it well.

No a play pen is not like a baby jail. The children want to come here and want to enjoy the different games. They also pay for games in our town. So we should not call it a baby jail. Playing is a need of children. They want to enjoy the beginning of their life. And here they come and enjoy it well.