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I haven't bought smartphones for my kids. Some of their friends have smartphones and this sometimes leads to complaints and longer conversations, for now they a

by gwnywg 3y ago

I haven't bought smartphones for my kids. Some of their friends have smartphones and this sometimes leads to complaints and longer conversations, for now they accept my list of reasons, I'm yet to see what will future bring. As for computer access, I gave my kids access to my old PC running arch linux with some open source games, like minetest or supertuxkart. There are complaints that games are not as slick as they have seen when visiting other kids, but similarly to smartphones- they tend to accept my reasoning. I don't let my kids to watch youtube unattended, I'm not happy with youtube recommendation system and more importantly with ads they serve. Luckily I got to the point where each time my kids see something weird on the internet they are either turning off or switching with some funny comment about the content.

pixelatedindex 3y ago
Could you share the reasoning that you provide your kid? This is a concern of mine as a future parent and would love to know what effective reasoning looks like.
- gwnywg 3y ago
  I talk with my kids about addictive effect of different things, one of them are smartphones- they currently are interested in games but I already talk with them about other products that bring same addictive effect. We talk about mechanisms that lead to addiction, and why is it bad for them to be addicted to anything.. As for youtube ads I think many are inappriopriate for kids, when I see them I chat with my kids about things that should not be shown to them and why. I sometimes relate to my experiences, as I was heavily addicted to games, social media and to tech in general (in unproductive way), I see how this addiction changed my personality and I don't want my kids to go and make same mistakes. But even when they do at least they will be aware..
l33t7332273 3y ago
>I gave my kids access to my old PC running arch linux with some open source games, like minetest or supertuxkart I do wonder why you aren’t okay with mainstream games like Minecraft.
- mksybr 3y ago
  Minetest is both free and fairly comparable to Minecraft, if you use (Minetest) mods.
- gwnywg 3y ago
  I am fine with the concept and minetest is available through pacman on arch. I sometimes play with them on local server

by gwnywg 3y ago

pixelatedindex 3y ago

Could you share the reasoning that you provide your kid? This is a concern of mine as a future parent and would love to know what effective reasoning looks like.

gwnywg 3y ago
I talk with my kids about addictive effect of different things, one of them are smartphones- they currently are interested in games but I already talk with them about other products that bring same addictive effect. We talk about mechanisms that lead to addiction, and why is it bad for them to be addicted to anything.. As for youtube ads I think many are inappriopriate for kids, when I see them I chat with my kids about things that should not be shown to them and why. I sometimes relate to my experiences, as I was heavily addicted to games, social media and to tech in general (in unproductive way), I see how this addiction changed my personality and I don't want my kids to go and make same mistakes. But even when they do at least they will be aware..

l33t7332273 3y ago

>I gave my kids access to my old PC running arch linux with some open source games, like minetest or supertuxkart I do wonder why you aren’t okay with mainstream games like Minecraft.

mksybr 3y ago
Minetest is both free and fairly comparable to Minecraft, if you use (Minetest) mods.
gwnywg 3y ago
I am fine with the concept and minetest is available through pacman on arch. I sometimes play with them on local server