My son doesn't watch TV very much.
My son is now 10 but first became a 'gamer' at age two with Reader Rabbit's Preschool (mouse only) and I have encouraged him to use the computer ever since.
Yes, I admit that he has broken nearly $1000 USD worth of DVD drives, keyboards, and other peripherals, but I consider that to be 'collateral cost damage' to his education.
As a parent, I don't believe in restricting my child on the computer: I want him to learn as much as he can as fast as he can.
Since I myself can fix any software problem he can cause I let him use my account.
I want him to have the 'full arsenal.
' If I worry that he is going to come across things on the Internet that will be harmful to him, I also know that I can always check wherever he's been.
An emptied history cache is a tell tale sign that something's up and it's time for a talk.
Kids are learning the Internet and computer databases very quickly.
Filters prevent kids from learning in my opinion.
I believe in talking, and trust.
The day that my son can outsmart me on the computer will be his rite of passage.
In any case, I trust my son.
My son has always been a gamer.
He was playing "Where in the World Is Carmen San Diego?" when he was five.
He branched out.
Recently Pokemon came out with a new game called Pokemon Black and White and my son went nuts for it.
I haven't bought him the DS game yet though- he's crazy for the Pokemon Black and White cards and loves browsing the websites featuring the spinoffs.
I just bought him a Pokemon Plushie at a realtor near us that he, unfortunately or not, is sleeping with.
He seems content playing Crystal though, and knows his mother- he doesn't nag for new games.
One private reason I don't buy him the Pokemon Black and White game (apparently you have choice between the two colors) is that I don't feel he really understands Crystal yet.
Allow me to put this way.
My son does a lot more on the computer than play games.
He knows the file system, can navigate like nobody's business, and knows how to solve problems.
He has a good knowledge of the basic database, which is what computing is all about.
He knows HTML 1 well enough to make a simple homepage, and knows a little PHP as well.
He can troubleshoot and fix problems.
I strongly feel that gaming adds to his knowledge, and that computers are the thing he is best yet.
So I encourage gaming- I think he has a good career ahead of himself.
My son is now 10 but first became a 'gamer' at age two with Reader Rabbit's Preschool (mouse only) and I have encouraged him to use the computer ever since.
Yes, I admit that he has broken nearly $1000 USD worth of DVD drives, keyboards, and other peripherals, but I consider that to be 'collateral cost damage' to his education.
As a parent, I don't believe in restricting my child on the computer: I want him to learn as much as he can as fast as he can.
Since I myself can fix any software problem he can cause I let him use my account.
I want him to have the 'full arsenal.
' If I worry that he is going to come across things on the Internet that will be harmful to him, I also know that I can always check wherever he's been.
An emptied history cache is a tell tale sign that something's up and it's time for a talk.
Kids are learning the Internet and computer databases very quickly.
Filters prevent kids from learning in my opinion.
I believe in talking, and trust.
The day that my son can outsmart me on the computer will be his rite of passage.
In any case, I trust my son.
My son has always been a gamer.
He was playing "Where in the World Is Carmen San Diego?" when he was five.
He branched out.
Recently Pokemon came out with a new game called Pokemon Black and White and my son went nuts for it.
I haven't bought him the DS game yet though- he's crazy for the Pokemon Black and White cards and loves browsing the websites featuring the spinoffs.
I just bought him a Pokemon Plushie at a realtor near us that he, unfortunately or not, is sleeping with.
He seems content playing Crystal though, and knows his mother- he doesn't nag for new games.
One private reason I don't buy him the Pokemon Black and White game (apparently you have choice between the two colors) is that I don't feel he really understands Crystal yet.
Allow me to put this way.
My son does a lot more on the computer than play games.
He knows the file system, can navigate like nobody's business, and knows how to solve problems.
He has a good knowledge of the basic database, which is what computing is all about.
He knows HTML 1 well enough to make a simple homepage, and knows a little PHP as well.
He can troubleshoot and fix problems.
I strongly feel that gaming adds to his knowledge, and that computers are the thing he is best yet.
So I encourage gaming- I think he has a good career ahead of himself.