School Aged Computer Usage

B.,

I have noticed the same thing with my 6 year old! I try to limit what I will allow him to go on the computer with. I basically only allow him on the computer once a day after all his homework is complete and he had a good listening day. I try to use it as a reward. Byt the time his homework is done we eat dinner, ect he usually has about 30 min maybe 2-3 times per week. I also don't let him on the computer if it is nice outside. Same rule applies to tv. I tell him we need to take advantage of the nice days! Good luck!

My son is almost 6 and we allow him to use the internet, but only for educational, fun games. I have bookmarked PBSkids.org, Starfall.com, Sesamestreet.org, and his Webkinz. he is able to go on there an start himself. He knows he is only allowed to go to these games, and I am not sure that he is interested in doing anything else. Webkinz is great because it is a safe place for him to play games. There aren't any popups or ads that take you to other sites. Sometimes we look at other things together. He really like Google Earth. We just look at places and zoom in on stuff.

But, bookmarking the places he is allowed to go sets boundaries for him to keep, while letting him play.

Good luck,
KATIE

B., if it were me, I'd just ban her going to any site for any product -- toy, cereal, snack, yogurt, anything. When she goes to these sites she probably is unknowingly leaving an electronic trail; many web sites can collect information about you the minute you click into their site, even if you don't fill out an online form or give them an e-mail address. And if she's filling out forms to get prizes, they're getting even more information about you - and your young child, and your family's buying habits. I wouldn't be surprised if you've even seen an increase in junk e-mails since she started going to product web sites. No junky prize from a snack company is worth it. Explain to her that these "prizes" or product-related online games are a way for these companies to get information that you don't want them to have and to make her want things she doesn't need. Seven years old is old enough to start learning what advertising is and how it tries to sell you what you don't want or need, and that you can indeed resist those enticing offers on packages.

B.,

Every now and then I'll let my 4 year old get on PBSKids or Disney.com. I have the browser set up so she can only go to these two sites. She also doesn't now how to navigate away from the sites which is a plus right now. I don't allow her to play for more than an hour on the computer. This way she has to find other things to do. Lately since the weather has been nice, her brother (2 years old) has been convincing her to go outside. He's my outside kid. I think if you just limit what she can and can't do on the computer, she should be fine. There is nothing wrong with going to the internet for things as long as you know how to protect your children (and the computer) from inappropriate information. Have fun. God Bless.

I let my son (8y) go to the sites when the computer happens to be on because an adult has been using it. Then he can play games, etc. but he's not allowed to go to a different site without getting us first. I don't always stick around in the room, and don't always say yes.
M.

I limit the time exposed to TV as well so they don't get too bombarded with advertisements. I let the kids have a very limited amount of time on the computer - but never without asking or me knowing about it. Some moms let their kids go wherever on the net, but it's not safe, so I have their own account set up that only I know the password to so they cannot sneak computer time. Plus security settings - I have their account on kid-settings, so no unfriendly sites are allowed, and I also tell them the rules, never give out personal information, don't go to certain sites, etc....I have 'pre-approved' sites set up that they are allowed to go to and if there's something else they want to see, then they have to ask first. No surfing the net.
My daughter is only in second grade and she is already doing reports, etc and needs to do research on the Internet....I have to realize we are in the 21st century...haha...so I set the computer up in the sunroom so I can see the screen while I am making dinner....she can do her research online and I can watch each page she is looking at while chopping veggies or washing dishes, etc. We have a set 'game time' rule, so if they choose to use their game time on the computer instead of the DS or PS3, etc, then they can....but they cannot go over the time limit (11 yr old gets 45 min/8 yr old gets 30 mins on school days, and both get one hour on weekend days). They have unlimited time for research, but we don't usually have enough time for unlimited - we are always going somewhere or eating dinner or doing other things, etc...so research doesn't last more than 30 minutes usually.
The schools actually teach them how to use the Internet as well....I would make an appointment with your child's teacher and see exactly what they are teaching them, what computer access they have, etc. My DSS said that they let him surf the net during recess, which I informed the teacher was completely unacceptable...she said that she didn't let them do that, so I think he was talking about a rain day or something - but it's our jobs as parents to set guidelines for what is appropriate and inappropriate for our children. However, I do think Internet skills will help them in the future. If I were you, I would only let my daughter go to age appropriate sites where she can read for herself...and if she can't read them, then just let her know that is her choice to be on the computer and she has to fend for herself, but it's not your job to read it for her because that is not necessary...and maybe she will take more initiative to figure it our herself. I would not waste my time trying to help her play on websites...but most sites, like Barbie or Noggin or whatever are kid-friendly and don't require much reading....also, Internet is good for eye-hand coordination, typing, etc - it would be good to get her language CDs, reading CDs, typing CDs, etc - so even if she can't get on the Internet, she can go there and just learn from pre-selected CDs you buy for her -that is super safe! And she will love them and have fun...plus learn at the same time. I remember playing Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego on the computer and it was fun but taught me critical thinking skills...and these days computer games are even better! Of course, I would still limit that time because it takes away form fresh air and exercise outside!
The companies' job is to market the best way they know how - through the kids straight to the mom - and the sad thing is, most of the time it works - so I'm glad you are taking control of the situation and hopefully you can work out something that's right for your family. Good luck!

My daughter will be 6 next year and has been using the computer in our office on her own for over a year now. She has her own profile, which has blocks on it, and she knows how to write down the websites she wants, go to them, and save them to her favorites. She has not been introduced to search engines yet, or even anything like checking the weather. She does have email, that only close family has, and she knows how to go in and write back :). I think it is completely fine as long as you are monitoring in some fashion. My 4 year old son is interested in the computer, so we will start him on it soon too. At first it is a lot of work, but we normally set them up on a laptop in our living room so we can still be with the other kids, do laundry, cook, etc...and they get the hang of how to use it pretty quickly! Good luck!

Yes, this shameless marketing would bug me, but I haven't noticed this on food products because I try not to buy products that are heavily marketed to kids. It is tough to avoid this marketing even if your kids don't watch TV or you don't buy them licensed character toys/gear. Even in the library the section that is most accessible to kids is filled with licensed characters, which as I tell my daughter, I prefer to avoid because they are just advertisements to try to get kids to buy stuff. My daughter does see things in the store marketed to her, and I try to use it as an opportunity for her to learn what an "impulse buy" is and and let her know that such displays (and this would apply to websites in your case) are advertisements that are designed for your kids to ask their parents to buy them lots of stuff that they might not need.

In addition to perhaps not buying the product if you are so annoyed by the marketing, I would set limits on computer time to avoid having you the hassle of being badgered by your daughter.