Screen Time

Depending on who is home, these are the electronic devices linking to the Internet that can be found at our house: three laptops, two desktops, four smart phones, and one gaming system. All of these pieces of equipment can quickly link my children to the huge cyber-world.

While Internet safety is something I've thought about, it was only recently that I actually engaged the parental controls on the main computer. Even better, I was able to lock the computer on certain days and limit the time for each user.

But have I sat down with my children and talked about Internet safety? No. It's something I should've done years ago. I found lots of games online that can help teach children how to be safe online. This site has particularly groovy background music.

Do you have recommendations on how and what to teach your kids about Internet safety? What are websites or programs you've used to teach the basics on how to make the right choices online?

Too much screen time can have negative consequences which are well documented. I sheepishly admit I've used screen time for ME time and let my children play on the computer as I've worked to hit a deadline. With summer vacation almost here, I'm thinking again about what rules our family will have on screen time. During the school year, the general rule is no screen time Monday through Friday afternoon (including television). I'd like to have some non-negotiables in regards to how much screentime is allowed.

What are your family's rules for screen time? Do they differ during the school year and vacation? What are other activities your children do in the summer that aren't in front of a screen?