Jim Karpen Tips

December 2000

I sometimes receive appreciative fan e-mail from readers, most recently a thoughtful message from David from Fairfield explaining the challenges he faces as a parent in the computer era.

And being a programmer, he didn't just worry about his kids using the computer too much, he created a shareware program that controls it very efficiently. It's called TooMuchPC, and you can download it at www.BlairSoft.com.

I'm an Internet champion of course, but I also realize that computers and the Internet will change us--even how we think. I recently heard from a retired preschool teacher who said that in recent years she noticed that the children who played computer games at home were quite different at school. In particular, they didn't at all enjoy the group games and singing that she had involved the children in for so many years. Their interests and outlook were simply very different.

I believe that just as the advent of universal literacy changed our thinking and perception, so too will other new media. It's hard to judge if it's good or bad. In my opinion, it's less important to judge than to understand. But if you're a parent concerned about young minds, you may have an immediate and urgent need to judge--and to control.

David's software gives parents total control over their family's computer use, he says. It allows them to limit the total amount of computer time per day for each child. It also enforces sharing. By setting limits on how long each computer session may last, parents can eliminate the incessant arguments over "hogging" the computer.

It also lets parents decide who may or may not use the computer. They can revoke a child's computer privilege at any time, and he or she won't be able to use the computer when they're not looking. "This turns the computer into a very effective disciplinary tool --the mere threat of taking away the computer is a powerful deterrent," says David.

It's also possible to set a bedtime limit for each child, beyond which he or she can't use the computer without parental permission. Parents can even set the software so that it requires a child to ask permission before using the computer.

David says his own two teenagers are thoroughly addicted to ICQ, Quake3 and Indiana Jones, besides the Internet. He got fed up with refereeing fights over who should get to use it, and nagging them to get off it and go to bed at a decent hour. "We've been using this software for almost a year now, and it's amazing how much more peaceful our home has become. We've only had to actually revoke their computer privilege a few times; now the threat is usually sufficient."

© 2000 by Jim Karpen, Ph.D. (#243)