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Families and Technology
Are you interested in topics that relate to families and how technology helps or interferes? Then check out our blog.
It is appropriately called "Families and Technology". Each article is open for comments, so let us know your two cents on any of the topics.
In This Issue
- FRONTLINE: "Growing Up Online" Review
- A well spent hour seeing the online world from the eyes of our kids and other parents.
- Combining Limits in ComputerTime
- Use a variety of types of limits to create a more flexible usage plan for your family members.
- Did the New Year Ring in with New Computers?
- If you need ComputerTime on your new computers economically upgrade to the Family Pack.
FRONTLINE: "Growing Up Online" Review
"Growing Up Online" — the January 22nd episode of PBS's acclaimed FRONTLINE news program — was a worthwhile hour spent.
In "Growing Up Online," FRONTLINE peers inside the world of this cyber-savvy generation through the eyes of teens and their parents, who often find themselves on opposite sides of a new digital divide. From cyber bullying to instant "Internet fame," to the specter of online sexual predators, FRONTLINE producer Rachel Dretzin investigates the risks, realities and misconceptions of teenage self-expression on the World Wide Web.
The program presented a balanced view. It did not come out against the online world, nor did it play down the real risks.
On display were educational benefits, such as a teacher using online resources and interactive whiteboards in the classroom. A teacher talked about how the current generation interacts with the world in a very different way than previous generations. Continuing to force kids to learn in the traditional ways may not be preparing them for the world ahead, so educators must adapt. To adapt, they must look at new methods to deliver knowledge through channels that are familiar to kids. Lesson materials and study aids as podcasts, interactive learning, and looser rules that allow kids to cut and paste from their internet research would help. However, the downside is that kids are doing less reading. Some never read books. Books like Hamlet are now five-minute affairs with sites like SparkNotes.
Threats to our children — internet stalkers and cyber-bullying — are real issues. On the other hand, it's not as prevalent as many scaremongers make it out to be. Most kids who receive propositions online are perfectly capable of recognizing the threat and know to ignore the stalker. Kids who are already in trouble and are looking for some form of encounter online actively seek it.
A girl with an eating disorder hides it from her parents. She finds communities online that actually deify anorexia. This helps her to live with anorexia as opposed to seeking treatment. Ultimately, she wises up and talks to her parents about it. She is on the road to recovery.
Kids will be kids! That is a safe bet. Put cell phones in their hands and give them YouTube and that doesn't change the kids. It just gives them the tools to document their typical, risky, teen behavior. In one scene, hundreds of high school kids ride the train into the city for a concert. Drinking occurs. Kids act like a wild pack of partiers. It all ends up on YouTube. The mom who is the president of the PTO finds out and decides to mail every parent in the school system with links to the "appalling" videos online. She receives mixed reviews from the other parents. How far do you go?
The take away from this is that bad stuff on the Internet doesn't just happen. Kids know how to block or avoid it, or they are out there seeking it. If they are seeking it, you probably can't stop it by taking the computer away. They will pursue it elsewhere. Parents need to get back to basics: Talk with your kids; know your kids; teach your kids to act responsibly.
Every concerned parent should watch the program. It does a nice job of showing you the realities of the environment that your kids are growing up in. Afterwards, I felt like I was more aware of how pervasive all of these technologies are in our kids lives. As they move through middle school, high school and into college, you could adapt your parenting styles. Be more effective at getting through to your kids through the channels that they are more likely to be paying attention to already, just like the teachers mentioned earlier.
If you missed the program, it will be re-broadcast, or you can watch it online.
Combining Limits in ComputerTime
Many people use only one type of limit in ComputerTime, such as setting a daily limit (e.g. two hours per day) or a time-of-day limit (only on between 6:00PM and 9:00 PM). But did you know you can combine different types of limits? There are six types of limits in ComputerTime to consider:
- Daily amount of time
- Weekly amount of time
- Monthly amount of time
- Session time limit
- Time-of-day
- Disable entirely
Perhaps you want to give your child a three hour daily limit, but don't want them sitting at the computer for three straight hours. In addition to the daily limit, you can set a session limit which controls the amount of time at one stretch. Perhaps you only want them on the computer for one hour at a time, with 15 minute breaks. Then set a one-hour session limit with a 15-minute wait period.
Let's build on that. You only want them using the computer after you're home from work and until one hour before bedtime. Set a Time-of-Day limit for Monday through Fridays that restricts their time from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
The effect of those combined limits: Your child can have a total of three one hour blocks between 5 and 9 PM. Perfect!
Let's look at another example. This time, you believe that ten hours per week is plenty of time for your kids, but there are some days that they might need more or less, but you don't want them to use it up in one or two days. So give them a ten-hour weekly limit, and a two-hour daily limit. The result? Worst case they use it for five days for their full two hours and then have no computer time for the remaining two days. Alternatively, they can budget and be able to use the computer a bit on all seven days in the week, but never more than a total of ten hours!
It's possible for you to set some combinations that might not make sense. Like a two-hour daily limit and a twenty-hour weekly limit. The daily limit would only allow fourteen hours across the seven days in the week, so the weekly limit is superfluous. ComputerTime will let you know that.
Combining limits provide more control and flexibility.
Did the New Year Ring in with New Computers?
You’ve enjoyed peace and quiet with ComputerTime on one computer. When you get another computer, the ComputerTime Family Pack lets you activate ComputerTime on all of your computers.
You can choose the Family Pack at the time of purchase, or if you already bought ComputerTime for a single computer, you can visit our Buy ComputerTime page, and buy the Family Pack Upgrade. You’ll need your ComputerTime Product Key, which you will find by clicking on ComputerTime Admin Help menu, and clicking on About. The product key looks like PK-XXXX-XXXX-XX, and can be found on the About window.
If you have any questions or need help, simply contact Customer Support.
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