WEB|WISE|KIDS

WEB WISE KIDS' PARENT'S GUIDE TO WIRELESS GIFTS FOR 'TWEENS/TEENS

Get Wired with Wisdom Before You Connect Your Kids this Holiday

Tweens and Teens love to play games, listen to music and talk with friends via computer, cell phones and gaming consoles. Nowadays, it's almost a requirement for kids to have a computer for research and homework and a cell phone for safety reasons.

Web Wise Kids, the nation's leading non profit organization dedicated to keeping America's youth safe on the Internet and other digitial devices, urges parents who may be considering giving their children the latest wireless gadget/s this holiday to get wired with wisdom - before connecting their kids to the Internet.

Just as parents wouldn't send their children out into the world without knowing "who, what, when, where," parents need to ask these important questions before connecting youth to wireless devices. Know the facts and consider the following questions you may want to ask yourself and your child before making the big purchase on a new wireless device:

DEFINITIONS

NETBOOK NETBOOK: Smaller, mobile and cheaper version of a laptop; providing the basic functions of a home computer: basic internet navigation, communication and research and homework activities.

GAMING CONSOLE: Interactive gaming devices that usually are attached to your TV. The latest generation of gaming consoles function more like computers, and it's important for parents to note that all of the major videogame consoles (Nintendo Wii, Sony PlayStation, and Microsoft Xbox 360) have Internet connectivity and communication options.

SMARTPHONE: A mobille phone with advanced capabilities to run applications like email, chat, games, Internet. It's a miniature computer that can be held in one hand. (examples: iPhone, Droid, BlackBerry)

CONSIDER THIS

Ask yourself:

How will you let your child to use the device? Internet, chat/communication, school work?
What features does your child need in a device? Make a list of needs and wants and compare them with the options for the budget you've set. What activities will your child use the device for: fun, creativity, academics?
Will you use the computer?
How will you actively partcipate in your child's online safety?

Once you've decided on the computer, review:

Do you want to install monitoring and filtering software on the device? Web Wise Kids recommends that you do so.
Do you have a good anti-virus program? A lot of devices will come with a limited subscription to an anti-virus, anti-spam program.
Does the device come with a warranty and/or tech support? (Netbooks and any hand-held devices are easily dropped and broken. They are also easily forgotten and stolen so make sure you discuss ways to avoid these situations.)
How can you keep your child safe? Work with your child to discuss rules and dangers online. You've opened the digital world to your child, do they know how to navigate it?

Talk with your kids:

Why do you want your child to use this device? (safety, accessibility, education)
What programs are they allowed to use on the device? Gaming sites, social media sites (i.e. Facebook, Twitter), Chat and webcams (i.e. skype, Instant messaging).
When are they allowed to use the device? Do you have set time limits or hours of the day that your child can use the device? Many parents will have the mobile phones or laptops kept in a common area, especially in the nighttime hours between 11 PM and 5 AM).
Where can they use the device? This mostly applies to any laptops or netbooks. Do you want your child to use it in their bedroom? How will you monitor their activities?
Who can your children talk to on the device? Do you know who their friends are and if they really know them all in person? What is your comfort level with this?
How will you educate your kids and yourself on the best ways to be safe online? A great to way to become informed and open the communication channels is to have your kids show you what they do online. Have them teach you the games they play and become their friend on their social media sites.
Create a contract with your kids on the activities they can do online, time limits and also your role with them. You can use the Internet Safety Plan at Web Wise Kids.

INTERESTING STATS

93% of all teens own a cell phone
30% of kids are on laptops and 63% are on desktop computers (http://www.geek.com/articles/mobile/kids-use-and-own-more-technology-than-ever-before-20090615/)
26% of kids have their own gaming console (PlayStation, Nintendo Wii, Xbox)
37% of kids own their own portable music player (i.e. ipod, zune)

REVIEWS ONLINE

NetBook/Laptop and Computer reviews:
About.com: PC Hardware/Reviews - http://compreviews.about.com/Consumer Reports
PC Magazine: http://www.pcmag.com
Click on "Product Guides" to get purchasing advice about computers and related products.
ZDNET: http://blogs.zdnet.com/computers/?p=1005&tag=rbxccnbzd1

Smart Phones:
ZDNET: http://blogs.zdnet.com/cell-phones/?p=2437&tag=col1;post-2551

Gaming Consoles:
CNET REVIEWS: http://reviews.cnet.com/video-game-consoles/
Consumer Search: http://www.consumersearch.com/video-game-consoles