Children Test Subjects

SHELLEY
I was reading this article about "Test Subjects Who Call the Scientist Mom or Dad".

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/18/science/18kids.html?_r=1&hp

These are Scientists who test on their children. I believe practices like this can be beneficial as they can learn more about their children's behaviors. (I guess you can consider this 'quality time together')

The impact of society is that have we turned to our own family to conduct research? These scientists believe it is convenient and low cost to involve their own family in their observations and tests.

I was shocked to hear this because I strongly feel that children need to be able to live in a 'normal' environment and have supportive parents that separate their personal life from work.

If scientists continue to conduct this type of research on their children I can't imagine how it'll shape the way they think about the world as they mature. Doesn't this defeat the purpose of studying them if you expose them to tests and electronic testing equipment at a very young age?

What do you guys think after reading the article? Is it a good idea or a bad one?
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