Choosing the Best Place for a Family Computer

In the Lounge or in a bedroom? In an Office or in the kitchen? You do not know where to install your computer ... it all depends on the age of your children, their need for autonomy and the layout of the rooms in your home. The key is to keep an eye on what they do.

Lounge

If you want to make the computer accessible to everyone and at the same time be able to monitor what is happening, the lounge without doubt the best place. Beware of interference with other activities such as the television as sometimes it is very unbearable to watch your favourite TV show because of the sound of a computer game.

One solution is to impose the wearing of headphones for noisy activities but with lowered volume as it is not good for young years already saturated by MP3 players. Do youngsters accept using headphones with television, computer, hi-fi and while they are in the company of friends?

The child's bedroom

Placing the computer in the child's bedroom promotes autonomy, especially if he is bigger and provides some silence mostly appreciated by parents. In return, unless the room is occupied by several children, the community aspect of socializing disappears and the young are left alone in front of the screen. Monitoring children will become difficult.

There is also the problem of sharing the computer. If there is only one computer for the whole this will be a cause of conflict. It all depends on the child's character and how easy it is for him to accept to share his territory.

The games room

Children will have less intimate space in the games room than in their bedroom as this room is shared by all the children and family. It is therefore an appropriate location especially for you to take a look at the children and what they are doing. Even if the computer is a tool for children, parents can travel freely to consult their e-mails!

The office

Placed in an office reserved for the work of parents, the computer is not considered by the child as theirs. However, this does not resolve the question of vigilance. But, depending on the configuration of your home, if you can hear what the child is doing you could still do your work while the child is playing. This is a solution not to be neglected.

Parents room

Beware of conflicts, if you choose to install the computer in your room. While this may be appropriate for young children, nobody will want this solution once they become more independent. Anyway, this does not resolve the issue of monitoring, since you'll rarely be in your room when they want to use the computer.

In the Kitchen

In some houses, the kitchen is an excellent idea, especially if it is an open plan as you will keep an eye on the children while they are on the computer. It is however a friendlier space where the noise will not be so disturbing. Try it! For the same reason you can use a spacious hall or a storage room!

Anywhere, but under control ...

Whatever the location, if you cannot be with the children whenever they are on the computer, it may be wise to limit access to Internet with a password known only to you, or use parental control software. In your absence, children will be able to use the computer but without access to certain prohibited sites.

Source:

http://www.surfnetkids.com/safety/