Getting the Kids Online

Eric • 13th Dec 2006 • Family, Technology

Jason’s been learning a lot at St. Paul’s about computers – he can verbally walk through how to start Paint, or Wordpad. He even opened Wordpad and typed in a website address he saw on TV for Laura to go to later. Since then, Morgan has discovered the computer and we’ve been forced to put a password on it, so she doesn’t accidentally start doing things.

However, it’d be good for Jason to get online, and maybe even start blogging (keyboarding skills, writing, grammar, etc.). However, either Laura or I would need to stay with him, as he still doesn’t fully understand things, and the Internet isn’t a really safe place for kids.

As he gets older, I’m sure he’ll have his own computer in his room, at which point I’d install some computer monitoring software, and he’ll know it. I’m looking at this SpectorSoft company, and their “Pro” version seems to have it all! I was wondering how one would review the information, but they seem to have a Tivo-like function that will record screenshots, and allow you to review them, fast-forward, etc.

To top that off, if the user goes to an inappropriate site, I can receive an instant email. Very cool.

If you don’t have the time to sit with your kids while they surf the net, you need to have some sort of monitoring software installed.