Just wait a second before you go rolling your eyes--I am looking for some serious input here! As you can see to the left, I posted a new poll that asks the question, "How much computer time should kids be allowed daily?" I ask because I recently set Tyler and Darcy up with their very own gmail accounts, and boy are they excited to use them! Tyler has a buddy in Florida with whom he has been wanting to correspond, and Darcy, who loves to write as it is, wants to send an e-mail to anybody with a cyberaddress!
It's gotten me to wondering, therefore, just how much time I should allow the kids to be on the computer daily. They are currently allowed only 30 minutes a day and I'll be the first to admit that 30 minutes is hardly enough time to sign in and get to your chosen website on our computer! So now I'm thinking, "If they want to send an e-mail should that count toward their 30-minute total" (teaching them that they have to make a choice--games or correspondence) "or should I give them an additional time allotment for e-mail correspondence?" They don't even play computer games every day--sometimes I randomly tell them that the computer is off limits simply because that's the mood I woke up in!--so I could probably get away with keeping the 30-minute rule and just force them to choose how they want to use their 30 minutes. But then I wonder, is that unrealistic? Should kids be allowed, say, an hour per day? For us the problem becomes how to allow three kids (Sawyer is not interested in the computer as of yet) 30 minutes of computer time in one day when so many other things are conflicting, things like, say dinner!
If you have an opinion I would love to hear it! You may either answer the poll (you don't have to register or give your name or anything) or I'd love it if you left me a comment with your arguments for or against more time. Thanks in advance!
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6 comments:
Oh that's easy! They should be allowed to be on the computer 24hrs and it is your responsibility to keep them supplied with Jolt cola or Red Bull. Seriously, what kind of answer did you expect from a computer geek? But really, seriously... This could be looked at a couple different ways. First, if the kids are hanging on the computer for hours at a time and not interacting or expanding their minds and doing physical activities that has obvious implications. On the other hand, becoming proficient using a computer has its upside as well. There are always arguments for hand-eye coordination improvement because of playing video games and also there are lots of educational games where being on the computer is also learning other skills. I'm not sure there is a totally definitive answer to this question. A lot has to do with each child also. One child may not have the desire to spend that much time on the computer while another may. My personal opinion is that if they are spending what I consider reasonable time (so they are doing other activities as well) and not spending time on the computer when they have other obligations (chores, homework, etc) then life is good. We have never had to restrict computer time thankfully ... now ... tv time ... that's a whole different story (with the older ones anyway).
Thanks for opening up THAT can of worms! Sure, add TV viewing into the mix and suddenly it's nothing but screen time! My kids actually don't watch TV per se, but I'll be the first to admit that as a family we enjoy watching movies (and going to the dollar movie occasionally) so I do think that needs to be taken into account when determining how much time a child should spend passively viewing a TV/computer screen. I know the arguments about hand/eye coordination and all that (and there was a time when Tyler would probably have benefitted from MORE video-game playing, back when he was doing vision therapy) but I, personally, don't like the idea of kids sitting idly by hour after hour (or in my kids' case, minute after minute!) when they ought to be running around and playing. (And then when my kids are running around and playing I think, "Why can't they just be still?!" Ha!)
Thanks for your input, Firewyvern! (I have to confess I have no idea who you really are but I appreciate your occasional comments!)
I thought, why not 45 minutes. Does it have to be on the hour. I think you will just have to start and see what happens and adjust the times if it interferes with other things. At first I am sure they will want more time,but as time goes on they will probably grow tired of it and want to spend time doing other things. You are over thinking this. Just start and go with th flow and adjust if need be.
Hey Lynn, thanks for your input! But I just have to ask you one question: When have you ever known me NOT to over-think something??? That's my specialty!
I allow my girls 15 min. per day, which sometimes turns into 25. It's harder now since we've entered the Webkinz world. They do so love them though!
Oh Nancy, my kids are very into the Webkinz craze thanks to Aunt Lynn! There is so much to do on their website that they rarely visit any other sites anymore! And they are always disappointed when they hear that timer go off!
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