Posted: 03 Mar 2011 06:55 AM PST

On Monday my 9-year-old daughter asked if she could borrow my iPad to do her music homework. She explained that her assignment was to listen to at least five minutes of classical music and her teacher had suggested the kids find something on YouTube.

YouTube? The idea of her browsing around YouTube on her own was out of the question. So we found something together — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's "Eine kleine Nachtmusik."

These days every parent has to teach his or her child how to navigate our very connected world. According to a recent survey by Intel, kids on average start using desktop computers at age 5-1/2 and a laptop at 7-1/2. So when do parents need to have the tech equivalent of the birds and the bees talk with their children? I consulted child psychologist Scott A. Ross to find out.

Ross suggests having the first conversation in kindergarten. Many kids are exposed to computers in schools at that age and they're fully capable of browsing to their favorite sites. One of the biggest concerns should be if and how the site offers your child the ability to interact with others. The key at this age, says Ross, is to be in control of what your child can encounter.

So how do you set up safeguards for your kids? You can begin by creating a separate account on your computer for your child and setting up the parental controls that are built into the Windows and Mac OS X operating systems. They cover which programs can be used, the time of day the computer can be used and the content or age ratings for games.

If you let your child access the Internet , you'll want to add a program that can filter Web content and generate activity reports, like Bsecure Online ($49.95 at bsecure.com), NetNanny ($39.99 at netnanny.com) or Norton Online Family Premier ($29.99 per year at norton.com).

According to Ross, the next phase starts at around 8 or 9 years old, when kids are more socially in tune with what other kids are doing. He says that it's important to talk about what's appropriate in a text message or online, and to communicate the risks; once words are out there, it's hard to take them back. Ross counsels his patients that if they can't look someone in the eyes and say it, not to say it. Not bad advice at any age.

Then as kids begin puberty and start developing relationships with the opposite sex, you need to set new ground rules. The technology available today takes away the natural anxiety of approaching someone you're interested in asking out. Plus kids don't necessarily understand the potential risks of their actions. A middle-school-age girl may not grasp that the inappropriate picture she sent of herself to her boyfriend would be forwarded to his friends and friends of his friends.

It's important to not only set limits and enforce them, but explain your reasoning. At this point, parents should consider reading their kid's e-mail and social networking pages. It does intrude on the child's privacy, but digital messages are out there — somewhat in the public domain. If you can read them, so can a lot of other people.

Monitoring your child's communications can also clue you in to cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is most common in middle school, but can happen earlier. Ross explains that the fear and isolation is the same as with regular bullying, but in cases of cyberbullying it follows the child home, which can cause them to feel there's no safe haven.

Finally around 16 or 17, you need to let go. Let your children know you trust them to be appropriate without your supervision. Your conversations don't have to stop, but reading their Facebook page and other monitoring should.

Meet Suzanne on Facebook or get her daily Techlicious Newsletter.

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Police: Robbers took kids' video games in York

Posted: 03 Mar 2011 05:02 AM PST

York, PA - Two juveniles told police they were robbed of their videos gaming systems Wednesday afternoon, according to a news release.

York City Police said that at 5:38 p.m., they were called to the 700 block of East Princess Street, where they spoke with two juveniles. The juveniles said that while they were standing on their porch, two people they did not know took their Nintendo DS systems.

Anyone with information on the robbery is asked to call York City Police at 846-1234 or send an anonymous text to TIP411 (847411) by typing the word YORKTIPS, then leaving a message.

Darien Parents Coached on Limiting Video Games

Posted: 02 Mar 2011 09:44 PM PST

Parents like Lisa Firmin worry about the amount of time their kids spend playing video games. It can often be difficult for parents to understand video games, and what effects they have on children.

"I think we're all really afraid of this massive thing. We don't have the accessibility. We're afraid of the dangers, that there aren't enough filters," she said of video games. She and other Darien parents turned to a talk by Luke Forshaw, vice principal of Ox Ridge Elementary, and Ed Moran of Family Centers, who spoke Wednesday at the Darien Library about how to deal with kids who may play too many video games.

"We as adults are looking to regulate them, but our ultimate goal should be for them to internalize that regulatory behavior," Forshaw said. He and Moran talked about how parents can set timers that shut off video game systems when kids have played a certain allotted amount of time.

Firmin worries about her son, saying he sometimes resists turning off games. Forshaw said parents need to stay firm in the limits that they set, and to make sure that kids play games in a common area so parents can monitor how much they play.

Kids who play an excessive amount of video games can develop problems such as slipping in school, obesity, an unwillingness to interact with people, or stealing money to pay for games and accessories.

"Keep in mind, every one of these behaviors can also be applied to other types of problems," Moran said, noting that if a child is suffering from depression or some other psychological issue, they may become drawn into video games as a way of coping. It is important for parents to know their child and what is going on with them, he said.

Moran pointed out that parents should not necessarily worry about social isolation, because many games are played online and have a social component. What should concern a parent is when their child shows a reduced willingness to go out and interact with others, as that may be a sign of addiction to video games.

Are you worried about the amount of time your kids spend playing video games? Start a conversation about how to limit their play time in the comments below, on Facebook and onTwitter.

Kids Games

Thursday, March 3, 2011

“The kids are online — how to keep 'em safe” plus 2 more

“The kids are online — how to keep 'em safe” plus 2 more

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