Parents fret that dialing up interferes with growing up

Iria · Oct 23, 2005, 06:51 PM

Katherine Keliher, 9, of Lakeville, Minn., could sleep an extra hour every weekday morning if she wanted to. But she would rather get up early, sit down at her computer and spend that time trading instant messages with her best friends, five girls she will soon see at school.

"We just talk about, like, 'What are you going to do today?' and stuff like that," Katherine said.

Her mother, Judy Keliher, says she isn't looking to deprive Katherine of her messaging access. "For fourth-graders this is critical," she said, understanding that video games, cell phones, iPods and other high-tech gear are just part of growing up in a digital world. But Keliher is concerned about the amount of time her children, including a son, Matthew, 14, spend there.

So she is asserting some control. She says she will allow only one computer in the house and limits Matthew's and Katherine's screen time each night. "I don't like them to be home and be lazy, not at the expense of doing other things that need to get done," said Keliher, 43, who is divorced and works full time as the manager of a hardware store. "I just put it into the whole scope of a healthy lifestyle."

In interviews and surveys many parents say that their children spend too much time in front of computers and on cell phones. Some parents worry that long, sedentary hours spent at a computer may lead to weight gain, or that an excess of instant and text messaging comes at the expense of learning face-to-face social skills. Some complain of having to compete for their childrens' attention more than ever.
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Read More / Source: News.com

Sandok · Oct 23, 2005, 06:55 PM

Well she is a BIT young... I didn't start doing weirdo stuff on the PC till I was well over 14. Then I started to get addicted all thanks to ADSL

Vikingod · Oct 23, 2005, 11:01 PM

I definetly think computers and "high tech" are important, and maybe increasingly so in the future, but there has to be a happy medium. I have my girls on the computer, when I tear it apart, I tell them about the components, etc. if it come down to them going outside to play, or finishing the next Barbie title, they get their coats on. It seems that because this is such a new ground for people, it either goes two ways. Some wont let their kids play at all, which is not good, IMO. Others don't limit the time their children spend on the computer, or monitor their activity at all, which is not good, and potentially dangerous.

On a separate, but related note, my daughter has a friend in the neighborhood that is 9, this little girl has her own cell phone and talks on the damn thing like Paris fucking Hilton (not explicit, just all the time), its really sick I think. What the hell could you possibly have to talk about at 9 that requires your own cell phone?

Dark Lord · Oct 23, 2005, 11:08 PM

hell, im 19 and cant figure out a single reason that i would need a cell phone.
at 9 i barly had a need for the regular phone in the house..... not that that has changed in the last 10 years.

Iria · Oct 23, 2005, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vikingod

On a separate, but related note, my daughter has a friend in the neighborhood that is 9, this little girl has her own cell phone and talks on the damn thing like Paris fucking Hilton (not explicit, just all the time), its really sick I think. What the hell could you possibly have to talk about at 9 that requires your own cell phone?

The only reason I can think of to have a cell phone at 9 is peer-pressure. Heh.

Really, why would you need one at that age? When I was a kid I spent most of my time with my friends face 2 face. I think that's part of the problem.

g35x · Oct 25, 2005, 01:11 PM

i hate parents like that.........

Oct 23, 2005, 06:51 PM	#1
Iria DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 7,275 Rep Power: 89	Parents fret that dialing up interferes with growing up Katherine Keliher, 9, of Lakeville, Minn., could sleep an extra hour every weekday morning if she wanted to. But she would rather get up early, sit down at her computer and spend that time trading instant messages with her best friends, five girls she will soon see at school. "We just talk about, like, 'What are you going to do today?' and stuff like that," Katherine said. Her mother, Judy Keliher, says she isn't looking to deprive Katherine of her messaging access. "For fourth-graders this is critical," she said, understanding that video games, cell phones, iPods and other high-tech gear are just part of growing up in a digital world. But Keliher is concerned about the amount of time her children, including a son, Matthew, 14, spend there. So she is asserting some control. She says she will allow only one computer in the house and limits Matthew's and Katherine's screen time each night. "I don't like them to be home and be lazy, not at the expense of doing other things that need to get done," said Keliher, 43, who is divorced and works full time as the manager of a hardware store. "I just put it into the whole scope of a healthy lifestyle." In interviews and surveys many parents say that their children spend too much time in front of computers and on cell phones. Some parents worry that long, sedentary hours spent at a computer may lead to weight gain, or that an excess of instant and text messaging comes at the expense of learning face-to-face social skills. Some complain of having to compete for their childrens' attention more than ever. ___________ Read More / Source: News.com

Oct 23, 2005, 11:08 PM	#4
Dark Lord HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 5,945 Rep Power: 125 System Specs	hell, im 19 and cant figure out a single reason that i would need a cell phone. at 9 i barly had a need for the regular phone in the house..... not that that has changed in the last 10 years. __________________

Oct 25, 2005, 01:11 PM	#6
g35x Hellhound Pilot Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Deptford, New Jersey Posts: 1,100 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	i hate parents like that......... __________________

Oct 23, 2005, 06:55 PM	#2
Sandok DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 9,472 Rep Power: 0	Well she is a BIT young... I didn't start doing weirdo stuff on the PC till I was well over 14. Then I started to get addicted all thanks to ADSL

Oct 23, 2005, 11:01 PM	#3
Vikingod Int'l Fish Liaison Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: By the light of lamp I sit and type... Posts: 16,197 Rep Power: 112 System Specs	I definetly think computers and "high tech" are important, and maybe increasingly so in the future, but there has to be a happy medium. I have my girls on the computer, when I tear it apart, I tell them about the components, etc. if it come down to them going outside to play, or finishing the next Barbie title, they get their coats on. It seems that because this is such a new ground for people, it either goes two ways. Some wont let their kids play at all, which is not good, IMO. Others don't limit the time their children spend on the computer, or monitor their activity at all, which is not good, and potentially dangerous. On a separate, but related note, my daughter has a friend in the neighborhood that is 9, this little girl has her own cell phone and talks on the damn thing like Paris fucking Hilton (not explicit, just all the time), its really sick I think. What the hell could you possibly have to talk about at 9 that requires your own cell phone?