Ramblings of an old Doc
How About Kids And Computers?
Published on January 4, 2011 By DrJBHL In Personal Computing

 

 

Everyone makes New Year's resolutions (yep, I've heard the one about 1920 x 1080p). This one should bring peace of mind to WC'ers with children aged 6–12.

Bringing this to you makes me feel better about being a grandparent, and yes...talk to your children about it for your grandchildren. You might be accused of being a “helicopter grandparent”, but don't forget, helicopters are for rescue, too.

Ask Kids is a search engine designed exclusively for young people ages 6 to 12. It's a free, safe, fun way for kids and their parents to quickly and easily research school topics like science, math, geography, language arts, and history in a search environment that's safer and more age-appropriate than traditional, adult search engines.

Studies prove that visual learning improves children's comprehension, retention, critical thinking, and organization. Additionally, children are better at "mousing" than typing. Ask Kids was built with this in mind, and organizes search results in a graphically vivid three-panel display that includes SmartAnswers and related images, current events and encyclopedia results.

Each web site in the Ask Kids core search index was selected by the Ask.com editorial team as child-appropriate or as a relevant and practical site for reference and learning. Ask's proprietary search algorithm then identified communities and collections of web sites linked to the core list, and filtered those to remove adult content.

If your child has a computer, why not make “Ask Kids” it's home page? It's a great way to “suggest” that he or she should be doing home work.

The Ask Kids homepage is interactive to inspire artistic expression and fun with the tools in the “Draw It!” Pen Box, including a pen, pencil, highlighter and virtual stickers.

As always folks, I ask for your suggestions and opinions. Please keep me updated about what you see around the web. It's too big a place for me to skim all on my own.


Comments (Page 2)
2 Pages1 2 
on Jan 05, 2011

Cruxador, eventually every child rebels. It makes separating from the parent less painful. It's up to the adult parent to show the child that rebellion isn't necessary by allowing more and more decisions on the part of the child. It's called trust, respect and friendship. These things have borders and are secondary to the role of parent which dictates that your will be obeyed, especially if violations are demonstrable. Trust and respect are earned. At the get go therefore, rules must exist and be obeyed. They also need good examplars (role models).

The computer for the child's use should be in an observable area and before allowing the child to bring strangers into your home (that is what's happening) a baseline contract including punishments should be enacted. This is a good site to peruse:

http://www.getsafeonline.org/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=1123

Also, they can be made to understand "You don't have to like the rules, but you do have to obey them.".

Like school, the Armed Forces and other institutions, home exists in a democracy, but is not one. You are legally responsible until they reach their legal majority, and it's best they understand the chain of command (with great love) from the beginning.

 

 

on Jan 05, 2011

Well said Doc.

on Jan 05, 2011


"helicopter grandparent”

You keep saying that word. I don't think it means what you think it means

"Helicopter" parenting is a pretty specific definition, you basically have to not leave them alone.. ever. And it applies more to the middle/high school crowd who are getting to that rebellious age, because their parents basically always "hover" above them and not giving them any independence at all. In most cases, the parents mean well, but they just don't realize that teenagers need some independence because this is the age when they really learn how society works and how to fit in, and in most cases of heavy helicoptering parents, their kids end up more on the social misfit side because the parents were way over-protective - some things they need to learn on their own and not be constantly sheltered.

So, yeah, this doesn't really apply to kids ages 6-12. Now, if you were going to force this homepage on a 16 year old because you don't want them to see people's naughty bits on image searches, then you might be helicoptering

on Jan 05, 2011

Annatar11, I meant it to denote an overly hovering/overseeing noodnik of a grandparent. I guess the connotations vary with age, but I haven't been a 'helicopter'.... if anything, I'm more of an SR-71: High altitude recon at mach 4+.....

I support gradual, supervised (parent) decisions and privileges (evidence-experience based) in a partnership relationship: The parents being the senior/managing partners until adulthood is achieved.

on Jan 05, 2011

Welcome to "Club Al" (short for Alzheimer).

We call that CRS...I'd tell you what it stands for but I forgot.

on Jan 05, 2011

Chronic Regressive Syndrome. (I made that up)

on Jan 05, 2011

Chronic Regressive Syndrome. (I made that up)

No, that's not it...it's Can't Rememember Shit.

on Jan 05, 2011
I knew that. I think.
on Jan 06, 2011

I knew that. I think.

 

U prolly forgot

 

on Jan 06, 2011

Crap. I can't even remember what I forgot....errr..... I'm so confuzzled.

 

on Jan 06, 2011

The average 6 year old probably knows more about computers than their parents

on Jan 06, 2011

DrJBHL
Crap. I can't even remember what I forgot....errr..... I'm so confuzzled.

 

MeepMeep!

2 Pages1 2