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"Safe" computer time


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What do you do to protect your very young children on the internet/computer?

 

We have a 3 y/o who recently loves playing on the computer. He likes to play with Starfall, and a couple preschool type programs we downloaded on the computer.

 

We just set him up (on starfall) on my account. But I have been finding him on other websites (netflix... I have no idea how he got there.) and in ITunes (YIKES!) and the Control Panel.

 

So far we have:

 

- Created a separate, limited, account for him.

- Deleted all shortcuts off the desktop and start menu except for Mozilla.

- Made Starfall his home-page.

- F11- Mozilla automatically opens concealing the task bar.

- Set up Norton Online Family, limiting his time to 2 hrs/day (which he doesn't use and greatly restricting his internet viewing.

 

Am I missing anything? I'm always in the same room as him when he is on computer, but not always sitting with him.

 

Thanks.

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You can create a separate sign in for him and create a white list for the browser instead of a black list. Black lists can be difficult because they often do not block out things like wikipedia or youtube or even Amazon, which can have content that you really don't want them seeing or reading. The white list is basically a list of places you DO want them to go and the browser won't go anywhere else.

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At that age I think I would just not allow my child on the internet. Period. I'd get games to play on the computer, but the internet itself would be off limits.

 

Of course that's easy for me to say, because when my kids were that age, there was no internet! My youngest just turned 17. :)

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We use Netnanny and really like it. I'm able to set up a profile for each kid and a list of approved links for them to visit and it's very easy for them to use. If they try to go somewhere not on the list, they get a blocked message and a reminder to stick to their list. :tongue_smilie:

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I agree with those who say he needs a separate sign-in that only lets him go to certain places. I would want to know he can get to specific sites and programs only. Site blockers are not nearly enough to keep the internet safe for someone so young, and deleting shortcuts is not nearly enough to keep your programs safe from him! :D

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I agree with those who say he needs a separate sign-in that only lets him go to certain places. I would want to know he can get to specific sites and programs only. Site blockers are not nearly enough to keep the internet safe for someone so young, and deleting shortcuts is not nearly enough to keep your programs safe from him! :D

 

This is what we did, and it worked very well.

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Oy. I quoted the wrong thing.

 

Anyway - we made a separate account with only a couple of programs accessible, and only the websites we specified. He didn't have access to anything else that way, until we allowed it.

 

How did you limit accessibility to certain programs? I haven't been able to find any resources on this. TIA!

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