Kids and Safe Computing

Aloha!

Well, I've finally broken down and bought my oldest child, who is six, an electronic game. It's called a Leapster. It's a little hand-held device that comes preloaded with some simple games, and includes a slot for plugging in cartridges for additional games. All games are geared towards a certain age range and are learning oriented, which means the games help kids develop skills and knowledge in reading, math, science, etc. using popular themes. The first cartridge we purchased is titled 'Digging for Dinosaurs'. (My daughter is gaga for dinosaurs and dragons.) She has figured out this game pretty quickly and is really digging it. (Sorry for the pun.)

I've been reluctant to open the door to this world of gaming because I have read several articles about the importance of unstructured play, such as being outdoors, exploring nature, or playing with neighborhood kids, etc. for young minds and bodies. My mom is a first grade teacher and she has reinforced this notion, as well as emphasized the importance of reading age-appropriate books. There are numerous studies out now, reported in books and articles, decrying what is happening to the human mind as it is focused for hours on computer-related work and play, especially web based activities, when our attention hops around like a flea.

But I have to be practical. I'm well aware that the modern world dictates that my children be adept with electronic devices and computers, and I vow that my fundamental philosophy of life - all things in moderation - shall not suffer in the face of this reality. So my compromise is to insist that when my children play electronic games and go online (I have been letting my daughter use an old laptop for several months now), anything they get involved in is educational in nature. And I know the day will come when they will be exposed to violent video games and indecent stuff online. I'll just do the best I can now to control the parameters of their electronic forays.

If you have young kids and are wondering what I do permit online, so far it's just pbskids.org and starfall.com. I'm sure there are plenty of other "safe" sites out there. But for now, the fewer to investigate and supervise, the better.

It will soon be time for me to tweak the web browser or install some parental control software, if I find the pre-loaded stuff is not adequate. We as parents in this online age cannot be too careful about supervising our children's gaming and online usage. There is so much gratuitous violence in games these days; one has to wonder what the future holds for the children who grow up playing these games, believing hurting and killing is socially acceptable. And with the proliferation of child pornography and predators online, we must be ever vigilant on behalf of our impressionable and vulnerable children.

Wishing you and your children safe and akamai computing!