Is there software I can buy to limit my kids’ computer time?

Is there software I can buy to limit my kids’ computer time?

September 10, 2009

Q: I have three sons, ages 8, 5, and 5 (twins) who love to play computer games (Club Penguin, Webkinz, PBS kids.com, and others). I try to limit their screen time to one hour per day, but I know they have been using it for longer than that when they can get away with it. Is there a parent-controlled program I can buy that allows each child to login and have only a limited amount of access per day? Dr. Michael Rich answers this question and others on Ask the Mediatrician.

Are Star Wars and Disney Princesses the only options?

August 17, 2009

Q: I went into a party store to look for decorations for my son’s upcoming birthday party and everywhere I looked, the choices were either Star Wars or Disney princesses. Are we raising our boys to be violent and our girls to have Cinderella expectations of the world?

How do we handle the barely clothed adults on billboards?

July 21, 2009

Q: How do we handle all the barely clothed adults that we see on billboards, in the form of underwear, perfume, and even soft drink ads? My 7-year-old finds it “funny” that all the young people in the ads always have their pants unbuttoned—that is, of course, when they are indeed wearing pants.