All-Spy Blog » children http://www.all-spy.com/blog Monitoring Solutions Thu, 08 Apr 2010 11:49:17 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Introducing your child to the Internet http://www.all-spy.com/blog/2009/11/04/introducing-your-child-to-the-internet/ http://www.all-spy.com/blog/2009/11/04/introducing-your-child-to-the-internet/#comments Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:36:33 +0000 All-Spy http://www.all-spy.com/blog/?p=275 The value of the internet in childhood education and development has become far too significant to ignore. While many parents may avoid introducing their children to the internet until they are in their teenage years, it can actually be extremely beneficial to teach your child internet basics at a very young age. In essence, you can begin teaching your child how to use the internet as soon as they are able to read.

However, there are still many different safety concerns you must consider when allowing your child to have access to the internet. Most browsers and internet-based programs have parental controls that allow you to directly monitor and control your child’s activities. With these controls, you can guide your child to only have access to specific content.

The absolute best way to ensure that your child uses the internet in a safe and educational manner is through direct supervision. By physically monitoring your child’s activities, you can guide them to kid-friendly websites that are appropriate for their age level. Most children will be able to use the internet responsibly after being directly guided by a parent.

As your child learns how to use the internet for educational purposes, you may eventually be able to allow them to browse on their own. With the proper type of parental control software, you will be aware of all of your child’s internet activities. As they grow older, it may even be beneficial for you to purchase them a small, kid-friendly laptop to help them to develop independence.

]]> http://www.all-spy.com/blog/2009/11/04/introducing-your-child-to-the-internet/feed/ 0 11 quotes about parenting to apply in day to day life http://www.all-spy.com/blog/2009/07/16/11-quotes-about-parenting-to-apply-in-day-to-day-life/ http://www.all-spy.com/blog/2009/07/16/11-quotes-about-parenting-to-apply-in-day-to-day-life/#comments Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:05:11 +0000 All-Spy http://www.all-spy.com/blog/?p=141 I gathered 11 quotes about parenting that value more that thousands of pages about parenting. These are simple phrases with many meanings.

Harry S Truman
“I have found the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it.“

Jesse Jackson
“Your children need your presence more than your presents.“

MAD Magazine
“Teenagers are people who act like babies if they’re not treated like adults.“

John Plomp
“You know children are growing up when they start asking questions that have answers. “

Robert Brault
“The trouble with learning to parent on the job is that your child is the teacher.“

Abigail Van Buren
“If you want children to keep their feet on the ground, put some responsibility on their shoulders.“

Lane Olinghouse
“The quickest way for a parent to get a child’s attention is to sit down and look comfortable.“

Joyce Maynard
“It’s not only children who grow. Parents do too. As much as we watch to see what our children do with their lives, they are watching us to see what we do with ours. I can’t tell my children to reach for the sun. All I can do is reach for it, myself.“

Chinese Proverb
“Parents who are afraid to put their foot down usually have children who tread on their toes.“

Author Unknown
“Taking time and sharing is the essence of teaching. The future of those we cherish will be a reflection of what we model today.“

And the one I like the most:
Elaine M. Ward
“The rules for parents are but three… love, limit, and let them be.“

]]> http://www.all-spy.com/blog/2009/07/16/11-quotes-about-parenting-to-apply-in-day-to-day-life/feed/ 0 Hi5 Launches Social Games http://www.all-spy.com/blog/2009/02/06/hi5-launches-social-games/ http://www.all-spy.com/blog/2009/02/06/hi5-launches-social-games/#comments Fri, 06 Feb 2009 07:48:59 +0000 All-Spy http://www.all-spy.com/blog/?p=90 In 2008 Hi5 was the third most popular social networking site regarding the number of monthly unique visitors. In order to entertain users while allowing them to interact with each other, Hi 5 has launched some days ago the Hi5 Games. This new feature allows friends and others in the community to play games with each others.

“For our target audience of 15- to 24-year-old, social gaming represents a major expenditure of time and money around the globe,” Ramu Yalamanchi, founder and CEO of Hi5, said in a statement released Thursday. “Hi5 Games is just one of a range of immersive features that will further engage our users, both keeping them on the site longer and driving them towards new forms of monetization for our business.”

The gamers will be able to purchase premium gaming features, to upgrade their status using hi5 Coins and other features. More details and information related to Hi5 Games, you can find visiting their official site.

]]> http://www.all-spy.com/blog/2009/02/06/hi5-launches-social-games/feed/ 0 School children need less work, more play http://www.all-spy.com/blog/2009/01/27/school-children-need-less-work-more-play/ http://www.all-spy.com/blog/2009/01/27/school-children-need-less-work-more-play/#comments Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:40:28 +0000 All-Spy http://www.all-spy.com/blog/?p=89 A look at more than 10,000 children aged 8 and 9 found better classroom behavior among those who had at least a 15-minute break during the school day compared to those who did not, Dr. Romina Barros and colleagues at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York reported.

Today many children get less free time and fewer physical outlets at school and after it. It is essential to have a daily program and to include also sport or cultural activities to make sure that your child is having a harmonious development both social and physical.

Read the study/news, here.

]]> http://www.all-spy.com/blog/2009/01/27/school-children-need-less-work-more-play/feed/ 0 Wanna bet? http://www.all-spy.com/blog/2008/10/07/wanna-bet/ http://www.all-spy.com/blog/2008/10/07/wanna-bet/#comments Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:19:54 +0000 All-Spy http://www.all-spy.com/blog/?p=75 I was talking with a friend whose husband has a problem with online gambling. He goes at work every morning, he’s a normal man, doesn’t have any other bad habits, at least she said it :) . But he likes to visit online gambling sites and have some gambling software installed on his computer. My friend was worried that their 8 years boy could access them through her husband’s account.

Then, when I was doing some research for today’s article I thought that this issue could be good to discuss about it. And so I discovered that there are parents really concerned about their children activity on gaming and gambling sites.

Many kids use the Internet to play online games. But often when you use search engines to find game sites, you also find gambling sites. Banner ads and pop-ups for casinos are everywhere on the Web. While games sites are free and usually feature card, arcade, puzzle game types with automatic tracking and scoring, gambling sites involve winning or losing actual money.

Due to the nature of Internet, online gambling sites cannot physically check a visitor’s age or prevent them from accessing the site.
However after reading several online releases and visiting online gambling sites (yes I did that to see how `easy` can you sign up), we’ve come up with a list of things that us, as parents, can do to protect our children from online gambling risks.

1. Check where the kids are going online and what they’re doing;
2. Establish rules about what games they can play;
3. Remind them that it is illegal to gamble and explain them how usually gambling works and that it can be addictive;
4. Make sure you check every time they ask you about your credit card number or other personal/financial data;
5. If you use these kind of software, make sure you don’t use the `save password` feature;
6. Create separate profiles for children on your home PCs;
7. Use parental control software.

]]> http://www.all-spy.com/blog/2008/10/07/wanna-bet/feed/ 0 How Games Influence Your Child http://www.all-spy.com/blog/2008/07/28/how-games-influence-your-child/ http://www.all-spy.com/blog/2008/07/28/how-games-influence-your-child/#comments Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:09:04 +0000 All-Spy http://www.all-spy.com/blog/?p=36 Lately, there has been much controversy on games and how they are negatively influencing children. Laws and a new rating system, called the ESRP rating, have been put in place to deny access to inappropriate games for children. Many senators and higher-ups in government positions argue that violent and sexual video game are negatively impacting your children, but is that really the truth?

Full of blood, guns, chainsaws and other deadly weapons, many games that have hit the mainstream game purchasers, many of those that are young teens and adults, have become massively popular. Some even contain sexual content and illegal substances. Those against these types of games tend to offer suggestions that they lead to negative behavior in children. Some even go as far as saying “These types of video games are teaching our children how to kill, have sexual relations, and use illegal drugs.”

What do most gamers have to say about this? Many say that the recent outcries against violent games are ridiculous. Violent video games give a source of entertainment, and that is all. Supporters also say that it gives a safe environment to do something people can’t and wouldn’t normally do outside of their gaming realm. Normally, people can’t drive race cars around heavily populated streets, they can’t snipe the head off an evil alien race, and fighting monsters with a sword in both hands are something we can’t do in real life.

Arguments are still prominent, though. Those involved in school shootings, including the killers at Columbine High School, have had the blame put on video games. While video games may have been a part of their life, there is no fact to the statement that they caused the killings.

As a parent, you should be well aware of what video games your children are playing. Some games will be appropriate, and some might be on the edge of what isn’t suitable. Teaching your child appropriate gaming etiquette and telling them what is wrong and right is key in keeping your child’s gaming behavior in check.

]]> http://www.all-spy.com/blog/2008/07/28/how-games-influence-your-child/feed/ 0