Amount of time children spend on computer?

[jmarie]

How much is too much? I'm not talking about surfing the web or anything like that, just playing computer games.

Do you have a set number of hours that you allow your children to sit in front of the computer, playing games?

[mrswaz]

For us it totally depends on the day. Of course DD is only 5, so I'm sure it makes a huge difference versus a teen who wants to spend all day playing Warcraft. We don't have a set time limit, but I would guess that some days we cut her off at 90 minutes, but most of her computer game time is of an educational nature. However, there definitely are days where she is crabby and unpleasant to everyone, so we just let her spend the day vegging at the computer.

I'm sure once she is into more non-educational gaming, and has schoolwork to attend to things will change.

[memartha]

We allow both children 2 30-minute "screens" each day. They can choose computer, TV, Playstation or Gameboy. No screens before school on school days. No eating and drinking during screen time.

Exceptions: Going to the movies, or watching the Olympics or some nightly news with us, doesn't count towards the 30 minutes.

[Peggy]

My DD is 16 and a junior in high school. She has never been into computer games so most of her computer time is spent with e-mail, instant messaging and surfing the Internet. She uses the Internet a lot for her school work. I would say she spends on average 1 hour a day on the computer hooked up to the Internet. She also has a computer in her bedroom that isn't on the Internet. She uses that one for writing papers for school. There just isn't a lot of time in her day for "computer play". Her homework load is very heavy and she's fairly disciplined at using her time well.

Peggy

[Curiosity Hears]

Am glad to see this thread. Both daughters are currently allowed 2.5 hours a day on the computer/play station during on track times and 4 hours a day when off track. This rule is in place as long as they keep their grades up (no C's) and are staying on the right track. They are both very good students with big goals for their lives. The computer is in the office with mine so I watch what they are doing rather carefully. They both know if a screen suddenly shuts down when I walk in the room I will snoop and be suspicious. Also, I have access to their MySpace (which my husband & I keep close tabs on) and when I ask w/ whom are they chatting the tell me. They both know they have privacy but only up to a point and this is a privilege that is earned.

Think computer time is better spent than watching tv or talking on the phone. The oldest daughter is really good at design and the younger is quickly following. They love taking pictures and drawing on paint and designing their Myspace page. This makes me somewhat nervous but between the photobucket and everything else involved they also are learning skills. Teenage years are about belonging to a group and searching for one's uniqueness. A complicated and sometime daunting task.

We also use current events to remind and educate on the real dangers of reckless Internet use and the predators that are very much out there and on the hunt. but there are risks with everything and our job as parents is to raise young adults who are ready for the real world with good decision making skills.

Dag ... all this babble, can you tell the whole subject is one of concern? lol

[Aubergine]

Am glad to see this thread. Both daughters are currently allowed 2.5 hours a day on the computer/play station during on track times and 4 hours a day when off track. This rule is in place as long as they keep their grades up (no C's) and are staying on the right track. They are both very good students with big goals for their lives. The computer is in the office with mine so I watch what they are doing rather carefully. They both know if a screen suddenly shuts down when I walk in the room I will snoop and be suspicious. Also, I have access to their MySpace (which my husband & I keep close tabs on) and when I ask w/ whom are they chatting the tell me. They both know they have privacy but only up to a point and this is a privilege that is earned.

Think computer time is better spent than watching tv or talking on the phone. The oldest daughter is really good at design and the younger is quickly following. They love taking pictures and drawing on paint and designing their Myspace page. This makes me somewhat nervous but between the photobucket and everything else involved they also are learning skills. Teenage years are about belonging to a group and searching for one's uniqueness. A complicated and sometime daunting task.

We also use current events to remind and educate on the real dangers of reckless Internet use and the predators that are very much out there and on the hunt. but there are risks with everything and our job as parents is to raise young adults who are ready for the real world with good decision making skills.

Dag ... all this babble, can you tell the whole subject is one of concern? lol

i find that i must agree with CH (even tho' i'm not familiar with programs she's mentioning). the average person would be surprised to learn the skills computer usage in general, and games in particular, teach children. my older kids are in their young 20's, and our first computers 20 years ago were exasperating (remember DOS? remember pre-internet?)---but our 3-y-o DS figured it out so fast!!!

i used to rage to my ex about the time the kids were spending on the computer with games, etc., when they were in middle school and HS, but he (several years older than me, and with a Ph.D. in Psych and experience with the 1st generation of computers--me, too; key-punch cards, anyone?) kept reassuring me that they'd be fine. and they are, at 20 and 22, in good schools. they had sports as well, and theatre, and scouts, and church, and other things that interested them.

in today's world, i'd definitely agree that a couple of hours/day on the computer -- in balance with other activities--is not a bad thing, and far better than passively watching TV, because computer usage is a very active brain-involving activity. lotsa neurons, dendrites, and neurotransmitters getting a workout. and in the world they are going to inherit, they must have those skills, if nothing else.

think it through. i do respect your worries and concerns.

[AvrilH]

My 2 older DSs get one hour per day of screen time - whether it is computer, gamecube or tv. This does not include a weekend movie or homework time on the computer. My 4 yo has looser rules bc sometimes (sigh!) I need the screen to babysit him while I am occupied with another son.

But I agree that computer time can be very beneficial time. My middle DS was not into reading until he discovered that reading and typing opened up the world of the Internet for him. Now he cares about reading.

I also agree that Computer use requires supervision.

[gobluem82]

I have to confess, we're pretty restrictive about computers and television. We allow our kids 30 minutes of computer time 4 days a week or so, not including any time they may be working on school projects (they're 10 and 12). They probably watch a total of 2-3 hours of TV per week and ask before they turn the TV on. And to make matters worse, we don't own a Playstation, X-box or the like. I'm surprised the kids don't run away! ;)

All that being said, DH and I know that as they get older and are in the house by themselves more often, their screen use will increase. We just hope that by that time their good habits will still be in place (they love to read, for example). I just hate to see kids staring like zombies at a TV/computer screen all day.

[krhm]

The rule right now is one hour of on the computer or video games, and one hour of tv per day. That's somewhat higher than normal though because our dear sitter is having some health problems and just isn't as active. DD1 is 9 and DD2 is 5. I would prefer one hour maximum, and that's what it used to be.

[funnybone]

We don't have a rule about the computer because the boys are not excessive about it. When not using it for homework, both DS's tend to use it to look up sports info (DS2 is constantly researching basketball shoes :rolleyes: ). As for other things, we don't allow them to play video games during school nights, but they are involved with sports, so they don't miss it. DS1 played freshman basketball and either had practices or a game every week night, and DS2 plays travel bb and has lots of practices as well. They keep active, so the couple of hours a week on the computer is no biggie to us.