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Managing the kids' computer time is even easier and more fun with the latest enhancements.
In This Issue
- Diabolical ComputerTime Software Ruins Kid's Online Lives
- USA TODAY Health columnist recommends ComputerTime as a gift that is good for you.
- Merry Christmas to Me!
- Father treats himself to ComputerTime; His kids discover fun outdoors; Everybody wins. Even the snowman!
- Tweaking ComputerTime to Better Serve Your Family
- An overview of ComputerTime 3.1's new options, with examples of when you might want to use them.
- Read on for the great stuff…
Diabolical ComputerTime Software Ruins Kid's Online Lives
So says Kim Painter, in a column called "Gifts that are Good for You" in USA TODAY. Her ComputerTime recommendation is based on her own experience using it for her family.
Protests of "You're ruining my life!" are to be expected, but you know better. ComputerTime introduces balance in their lives and peace in their parents' lives.
It's a gift that is very good for the whole family. Have you been telling other parents about it so that they can start using ComputerTime and enjoying "the gift of peace"?
Merry Christmas to Me!
Breaking News: Frosty the Snowman steals computer mouse and forces kids to play in the snow!
Actually, Keith Erickson is simply enjoying the self-given gift of ComputerTime.
He purchased ComputerTime before the holidays, and commented during the checkout, "This program is great. Needless to say the kids have begged me not to buy it. Merry Christmas to me."
I emailed him back and said, "I hope there is snow where you are, so the kids can get outside to build a snowman!"
Keith replied, "We have 5 kids and computer time for everyone was becoming an issue. There was fighting over who was on first, who played the most, and even tantrums when we told the kids to get off the computer. ComputerTime has changed all of this. We did the trial and it worked great. The only catch was that the kids begged us not to purchase the program. Well, we still did, and things are still going great. Chores are being done for extra time and the kids are doing things other than sitting at the computer. With money being tight these days, this is a purchase that has helped our family and well worth the money we spent."
The holidays have passed, but it's never too late to treat yourself to one more gift; the gift of peace in the new year with the help of ComputerTime. Thank you so much Keith, for making our day so much brighter with that email and picture.
If anybody else has a story to share…
…make our day, write us at KidsNeedLimits@softwaretime.com.
Tweaking ComputerTime to Better Serve Your Family
Some of our customers have been a bit disagreeable. We decided how ComputerTime should work, but then they disagree with us and… well… sometimes they have a good point.
So we've added ComputerTime Options that let you decide how things should work if our default choices aren't right for you.
In ComputerTime 3.1
These new options are in ComputerTime 3.1. If you are using ComputerTime 3.0, then you should update to get the latest. If you are using ComputerTime 2.0, then you might want to consider upgrading to ComputerTime 3.1 for $24.95. You get these options and a number of other nice features.
Time Tokens can extend Time of Day limits
The default behavior of Time Tokens is to extend any and all limits. In that way, they are essentially "free time" to be used anytime.
Some parents didn't like that Tokens would extend Time-of-Day limits. They gave their kid an extra half-hour earlier in the day, but they still wanted them getting ready for bed at 8pm. Because of unused Token time, at 8:20pm, the kid was still on the computer. Unchecking this option will cause Token time to respect Time-of-Day limits.
Time Tokens override Disabled Profile
Same thing as above. We thought that some parents might "disable" a child's ComputerTime Profile and grant them ComputerTime purely as a reward or other handout via Time Tokens.
Most parents give out time tokens in addition to other limits and see "disabling" the profile as a method of temporarily preventing access, for example, as a punishment. Accumulated Token time would circumvent the punishment. Turn off this option to ensure that a Disabled Profile cannot be logged onto with Time Tokens.
Automatic logon when Profile name matches Windows account name
Do you have one of those computers that came from the store with a single "Owner" account that everybody in your house uses? That is the reason that ComputerTime has it's own logon window that pops up. Because each person has to log onto their own ComputerTime Profile for their time to be accounted for.
However, if you created Windows accounts for Jenny, Michael, Brian, Mom and Dad, and you've created ComputerTime Profiles for Jenny, Michael, Brian, Mom and Dad, then you probably would rather eliminate the double-log-on that occurs when somebody logs into Windows. Turn on this option, and when Brian logs into Windows, ComputerTime will automatically start monitoring Brian's time automatically without asking him for the ComputerTime password. (If you've set up a Windows Domain on your network at home, see this note.)
Mute speaker and microphone volume on Log off and Away mode
Is listening to iTunes music considered being "on the computer"?
Depending on how you answer that question may help you decide what to set this option to. When ComputerTime hides the desktop, it can also optionally mute the sound. Parents may consider listening to music a non-computer activity, even if it is coming from the computer, but some do not.
Another parent wrote us, "My daughter sends IMs and logs off of ComputerTime. When she hears an alert sound that an IM came in, she logs back in, reads it, types a reply, and logs out, thus extending her time limits considerably." So check the "Mute speaker…" option and that problem is solved.
Synchronize clock on this computer with the time on Computer Server (clients only)
When you have a network setup and ComputerTime is using shared limits, you can have Jenny, Michael, and Brian's clocks maintain the same time by synchonizing with the computer that you chose as the ComputerTime Server.
ComputerTime does its best prevent changing of the time on the computers when it's monitoring, but if you see clock changes occuring, you might want to try turning on this option.
Allow Away feature to be used
Away prevents the computer from being used until the currently logged on Profile's password is typed in. Then it restores the desktop and resumes monitoring time. We might have called this feature, "Bathroom Break", because that's how we intended it to be used.
Think about three children sharing a computer, each gets an hour a day. One needs to take a bathroom break, but one of the others jumps on. Fights break out this way.
The Away feature was helpful, except when a kid went into Away mode, and then went to soccer practice. Now nobody else can get onto the computer. Frustration ensues.
If it's a problem for your family, you can disable Away from being used.
When screen saver starts…
It is a good indication that the computer isn't in use if the screen saver kicks on. When this happens, ComputerTime can take action. The default action, if a person is logged onto their Profile in ComputerTime, is to log them off. This preserves their time instead of running down the clock.
If the ComputerTime Admin is logged on, there is no monitoring going on. So if somebody walked up to the computer, they could sit down and use it endlessly. It's probably a good idea to let the screen saver kicking on also log out the Admin in this case.
Warnings when end of time limits approach
Are the audible warnings too disruptive in your home? You can turn them off and just leave the visual warnings on. Or selectively choose which ones you want. Maybe your kids would like just a one minute warning.
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