First of all, make sure the family computer is in a public area that can be supervised, such as their room or an area of the house where you don’t frequent. Treat TV as a privilege that kids need to earn — not a right that they’re entitled to. Tell them that TV viewing is allowed only after chores and homework are completed.
There are some software tools you can use to monitor and control how your kids use the family PC, such as NetNanny and CyberPatrol, but those cost money. Our family uses the free K9 Web Protection for general web protection, in addition to blocking sites like Minecraft. Web filtering isn’t perfect, and your kids WILL try to get around it. Most of these programs log all internet activity, so you can review it and take appropriate action.
You could also use a firewall (read our articles on how to build a custom one), which would control all of their wireless devices. Smartphones and tablet are a different story, and one must question why kids have expensive toys like these anyway. You can use K9 for Android or Apple to control these devices.
Encourage your kids to use the computer for fun, but it shouldn’t be used as a dedicated video game machine. If this is the case, then the PC is nothing more than another video game console. I have found that playing online games helps build skills that are necessary in today’s world, such as reading, researching online and social interaction. But again, there is a line when the games take over their lives.
This goes outside the “free” part of our guide, but you can use hardware devices to limit video game time, such as the GameDR or other video game timers. These may not be realistic for older kids and teenagers. As mentioned before, your kids WILL try to circumvent any restrictions. If the plug is locked up then they may buy a new cable at Gamestop for a few dollars and get around the lock. They may even pry the thing open or guess your password, especially if your kids have lots of unsupervised time.
