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Managing the kids' computer time is even easier and more fun with the latest enhancements.
In This Issue
- Eeek! A Mouse! And Web Browser! Eeek!
- Experts continue to weigh in on the safety of our kids on the Internet.
- Kids That Need to Limit their Parent's Computer Time
- Sometimes the kids have to give their parents a little "tough love".
- Recent Bits from Families and Technology
- Some humor, some serious stuff, always fun and informative.
- Two Families who Rock!
- Great stories from a few who shared their ComputerTime experiences with us.
- Read on for the great stuff…
Eeek! A Mouse! And Web Browser! Eeek!
"Your kids may be in danger!" says the news media. They know fear gets people's attention; attention let's them sell advertising. The truth may just be less attention-grabbing.
Is the Internet a dangerous place where evil lurks and kids are at risk? Do we need to worry?
No. Probably not. Recent findings from a task force created by 49 state attorneys general suggests that parents can relax.
Report Calls Online Threats to Children Overblown. There is no significant problem after all according to the report.
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal criticizes the report and insists that "Children are solicited every day online. Some fall prey and the results are tragic. That harsh reality defies the statistical academic research underlying the report."
Actually, most of the children are being solicited online by other children, and most children that get involved with adults online are actively pursuing such activity. Statistics don't always tell the whole story and the fear mongers will withhold details if it doesn't serve their purpose.
The whole report can be found here: Enhancing Child Safety and Online Technologies.
Porn and violence have become more prevelent in various media, yet teens are having less sex and there is less real violence. Is there a relationship there? Glenn "Instapundit" Reynolds asks, are porn and violence good for America's children? Then he says:
Maybe the porn, and the videogames, provided catharsis, serving as substitutes for the real thing. Maybe. And maybe there's no connection at all. (Or maybe it's a different one — research indicates that teenagers, though safer and healthier, are also fatter — so perhaps the other improvements are the result of teens sitting around looking at porn and videogames until they're too out-of-shape and unattractive for the real thing…) Most likely, the lesson is that — once again — correlation isn't causation, despite policy entrepreneurs' efforts to claim otherwise.
In another report, video games do not lead to violence.
If we can trust these reports, then kids are not at increased risk of physical harm. Good! How about other detrimental psychological effects? Does it affect their brains? They're social skills? Will it give them ADD?
Psychologist Dr. Helen Smith asks, Do social websites harm children's brains? Helen points to the news about a neuroscientist, Susan Greenfield, who refers to sites like Facebook, Twitter and the like and says, "My fear is that these technologies are infantilising the brain into the state of small children who are attracted by buzzing noises and bright lights, who have a small attention span and who live for the moment…"
Wait a minute… haven't kids of all ages, over the past century, been attracted by buzzing noises and bright lights? Don't all teenagers have small attention spans and live for the moment? That's a safe bet.
But let us not be so quick to be entirely dismissive. Parents are witnesses to their kids growing up around 24/7 cartoon cable channels, Internet access, Facebook, YouTube, cell phones, and instant messaging. Many have seen that when they don't impose limits, hell breaks loose. Raising teenagers regardless of technology is one big exercise in imposing limits.
So what's a parent to do in the absense of a definitive study that gives us clear results on if technology is beneficial or detrimental? Set limits, of course. Make sure the kids are finding time to do all of the other things that kids should be doing. Everything in moderation. Take everything the media tells you with a grain of salt and trust your parental instincts.
For a smattering of links to related stories in the news, or to share your insights with other readers click here.
Kids That Need to Limit their Parent's Computer Time
How's that for a twist in the title? It's usually the parents who desire the ability to limit their kids access to Facebook, MySpace, online games, and YouTube.
In an interesting comment on a website, a homeschooler said that her oldest child was not yet old enough for Facebook, and she limits her kids to about 3 hours a week.
Her husband is the only computer addict in the home though. She says, "I wish I could limit my husband's computer time like I do the kids. He's addicted to Facebook. I would like him to play checkers or ball or something — anything — with the kids."
Hmmm. ComputerTime can help in that situation, but would it create a sticky situation? Parents are expected to have authority over their kids. Married couples are on equal footing (usually), so she can't really force ComputerTime's limits onto him as if she was his mom.
She can ask for his consent, but he may not give it. She has surely pleaded with him to spend more time with the kids and less of the computer. If that didn't work, he may just see her as nagging if she keeps trying.
What if this concerned Mom turned over control to the kids? Let the kids negotiate some reasonable limits with thier dad. "Dad, we will let you have five hours per/day, but not between 3:30pm and 9:00pm. Instead we want you doing stuff with us. We're only going to be kids for a few more years you know." (Cue the Harry Chapin here)
What reasonable parent would have a problem with that?
This tactic might work as well for workaholic moms and dads too. Don't squander away the time you should be enjoying with your kids. Set limits with ComputerTime if you need to.
What do you think about kids being able to limit their parents' time on the computer? Leave a comment here.
Recent Bits from Families and Technology
How about something to make you laugh? Some of the recent posts at Families and Technology have been fun. For those of you who like your humor dark and full of sarcasm, you will love Violent Video Games: Teaching Skills for the Apocalypse?
And there is another post with a link to a video of comedian Louis CK on Conan O'Brian's show talking about how technology is truly amazing, but yet, we all take it for granted and complain about it.
Usually things are a bit more serious on Families and Technology, but with so much doom and gloom about the economy in the news, humor was in order.
As for recent serious topics on the blog, some researchers feel that World of Warcraft is More Addictive than Cocaine, and a 15-year-old boy collapsed from lack of food and sleep after a marathon session. Jeez! They might have a point. Don't cocaine addicts at least stop to eat once in a while?
Another study concludes that what makes cell phones dangerous while driving is the distraction of the conversation itself, not that one hand is tied up holding the cell phone. So the laws that allow people to get away with hands-free devices… probably not effective (other than for generating revenue for the states that have the laws).
Hop on over and leave comments with your thoughts.
Two Families who Rock!
While the experts debate the issues of safety on the Internet, we find that most parents are turning to ComputerTime for other reasons. Mainly to save themselves from too much grief!
Here are a few comments we've gotten from happy parents who are using ComputerTime...
Chris N. from England:
May i first congratulate you on you program computer time, it is absolutely brilliant and has been keeping my step daughter under control for two years now.
I would like to tell you of a new twist i have added. Now Hazel's growing up we are trying to encourage her to manage her own time better. Rather than just set limits and hand out time tokens if she needs more time for home work or the occasional weekend treat, I have set up a new user, called it extra time and given Hazel the password. I have then set the limits for this user to 5 hours a month at 1 hour a day max and not after 10pm.
This is like giving out 5 time tokens a month, where and when they are used is up to Hazel, and when they've gone, they've gone, no extras. It works very well, i haven't been asked for a time token in months.
Leanne S. from Canada:
Computer Time has changed our home life dramatically. I no longer have to insist over and over again for the kids to turn off the computer as ComputerTime gives them a 5 minute warning so they can finish up what they are doing. Amazingly there have been no complaints when ComputerTime automatically logs them off. When my eight year old son gets home from school the first thing he asks is 'What chores can I do?' and when he is done, he asks to do more so that he can earn more computer time vouchers. Thanks, ComputerTime.
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