Mobile Phones for Children

Yesterday my 5-year-old granddaughter got a smartwatch with a phone built into it. She can only use it to communicate with a very small number of people. Naturally my wife and I are on that list and we have each received no less than 5 phone calls in the past 12 hours. While some might be bothered by so many calls, my wife and I love it as we enjoy speaking with any of our grand kids.

My son got the watch for his daughter to help locate her while playing with friends. she is very socially active and her parents often have a hard time finding her when it is time to come home for dinner. That is the primary reason she has the device and I agree with his thinking.

My slightly older grandson also has a similar smartwatch and he behaved the same when he got it. He wore it constantly and sent me voice messages all the time. Then he discovered he needs to charge the device and it often had a dead battery. Eventually I stopped getting messages from him and he stopped wearing the device. It became an unreliable way for me to contact him. Now that his sister has a smartwatch, they have been competing with each other to contact my wife and me. My hope is that with two of them having devices, we will have a great way to contact our grand kids.

Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth and mobile phones became ubiquitous, I set 15 as the age for my kids before they got their first mobile phone. I wanted them to have practice using one before they started driving. That way if something happened in the car, a child could reach Mom or Dad. Now mobile phones have evolved to contain a lot more functionality including cameras, location data via GPS, and a number useful applications. It makes more sense to lower the age I originally set but still am not sure what that age should be. Fortunately I don't have any young children as my oldest is almost 30 and has kids of his own. Ultimately I don't think there is a specific age that works for everyone as I prefer to look at maturity. Not all 5-year olds are created equal and some will do well with a smartwatch while others won't. I'm interested in your thoughts so feel free to leave a comment. Others may appreciate your advice as well.

Entertaining Small Children

This evening my wife and I have 4 of our 5 grandchildren spending the night. The youngest is just a hair too young to join the party and so he is sleeping in his own bed across the valley. The children are asleep now and I am free to share some of the wisdom I have gained from the experience.

The first order of business this evening included feeding the children. Anyone with kids between the ages of 3 and 7 know they are the meanest of food critics. Furthermore it is difficult to find a common meal they can all agree upon. Fortunately I had the foresight to know we had two choices: macaroni and cheese or pizza. We decided on a family-size pizza that is half cheese and half pepperoni. The kids loved it. For dessert we made a run to the nearby doughnut shop and picked out a dozen colored with different Holiday sprinkles. Kids loved them.

Next the kids had to decide between a number of different evening activities. Ultimately it boiled down to decorating gingerbread houses or watching a movie. The downside of gluing candy to fake buildings with nasty frosting is the candy. Children like to eat more of it than they place on the tiny structures making it nearly impossible to fall asleep at the end of the evening. I breathed a sigh of relief when they unanimously agreed upon the movie. Now the only decision laid in which movie to watch. My oldest grandson has seen "Home Alone 2" no less than 4 times this Holiday season and his dad is getting tired of watching it. He suggested this movie to his sister and cousins who immediately rejected the idea. He came to me almost in tears and I explained that he needed to do a better job of selling the movie and not trying to force his choice on anyone. It only took 30 seconds for the kids come to agreement and support my grandson's choice. He probably has a role in sales in his future.

We all sat down in front of the television and started the movie complete with popcorn and water bottles. My grandson loves the movie not for the talent of the actors but for the 20 minutes of the criminals getting the snot kicked out them by the young protagonist. My other grandchildren loved the slapstick comedy as well. Unfortunately this left everyone a little slap-happy and not wanting to go to sleep. There is also the effects that blue light has and keeping people awake when you really want them to go to sleep. I solved that with 30 minutes of light acoustic guitar practice to help calm everyone down. For the most part, it worked.

Should you find yourself trying to get cousins to try and sleep at the end of a fun day, remember to feed, entertain, and use music. Now I hope they stay asleep for the remainder of the night.

Children and Work Video Calls

I generally don't like to have any meetings on Fridays as that allows me one day of the week to get actual work done. Today I had 2. Fortunately both occurred this morning so I could get them taken care of and not have to worry about them later in the day.

During my first meeting I had one of my granddaughters walk into my office just as the meeting started. She is definitely cute and so I didn't mind introducing her to my fellow coworkers. She sat on my lap for a bit and then once she got a little fidgety, I sent her back to her parents and continued the meeting alone. Then at the end of my meeting my coworker thanked me for introducing my granddaughter.

This experience got me thinking about how appropriate it is to include small children in work calls. While you would never bring a kid to work except on that one day a year where it is allowed and expected, everyone is fairly lenient with work-from-home policies. It is not unexpected to see a dog or family member in the background on occasion. I am very forgiving when my coworkers include a fussy child in the meeting.

There are certain meetings where you would not want to include children, such as performance reviews or important meetings with upper management. In those cases, I highly recommend doing all you can to make sure there are no interruptions even if it means sending family to a restaurant or movie.

Ultimately we should do all that we can to keep small children from distracting work meetings. Sometimes it can't be avoided though as this morning I didn't even know my granddaughter had followed me into my office. When that happens, roll with it as inconspicuously as possible. Who knows, the child may have a positive experience and follow in your career footsteps. 

Video Games for Younger Kids

My 6-year old grandson loves to come over and play video games. This is not a new thing as he has done it for the past couple of years. Sunday when he came over, it took him all of 3 seconds after walking in the door to ask to play video games. Of course we spent some time with everyone eating a nice dinner my wife prepared. Then after my grandson helped with dishes, we headed into the TV room and played, "Lego Harry Potter Collection."

The Lego-branded video games are a cross between dexterity and puzzle solving. That means I wouldn't start with it for smaller kids. There are much better choices. One of the launch games for the PS4 was Knack and while created to show off the new features of the console, It is a great game for kids. I actually prefer Knack II for younger kids and think most 4-year olds can pick it up easily when playing with someone older in 2-player mode. It has the advantage that if one player is new and doesn't know where to go, the player is transported to the same location as the more advanced player. This feature comes in handy when the youngster surpasses the adult in ability.

I find that when I complete a video game, I am not eager to repeat it. That isn't the case with young children. My grandson has completed Knack II and we are back at it again going through the story one more time. That is important to remember as an expensive game will get more than one play through. Unfortunately the Knack series of games is only available on the PlayStation consoles.

Another game that my grandson loves to play is another PlayStation exclusive called, "Sackboy A Big Adventure." It is part of the Little Big Planet series of games and is another great game for 2 people to play. He started playing it with his dad but knows that I also own the game and he will sometimes ask to play it when he comes over. This is one game where my grandson is better at it than I am.

My son won a contest at work and received a Nintendo Switch console so he has that in addition to a PlayStation 5. Before I started working at Sony, we had a Nintendo 64 that my kids grew up playing. There is a lot of content specific to the Nintendo platforms that is great for smaller children. When I go over to my grandson's house, he is always trying to get me to play on the Nintendo. I think the current favorite is Super Mario 3D World. Then there is always Mario Kart that everyone loves.

Video games can be addicting and so it is important to set limits, especially with small children. An hour a day is about the maximum amount you should allow and it doesn't need to be a daily ritual. I play with my grandson only about once a week. I also would not start a game and then abandon a small child to play alone. I look at video games as a way to bond with the younger generation and it is something I can do with my grandchildren now. I don't know how long it will last but it is fun and one of the reasons my grandson loves coming over.

Your Actions May Come Back to Haunt You

Last week one of my coworkers asked if I had ever done anything when I was younger that has come back to haunt me. I told him that I had. After all I am a father and those little people you helped create will haunt you the rest of your life. He had a chuckle and then said that is not what he meant.

I didn't want to know too much about what he had done but figured it out fairly quickly. He may have taken some pictures that would now be considered less than flattering. I had to laugh as the person that has them is trying to blackmail my friend.

A little while ago I posted a message about someone trying to blackmail me. The person supposedly had compromising pictures of me at my computer. One of my thoughts was that nobody would care enough to look at those pictures. If they did, I doubt it would embarrass me enough to pay any ransom. I shared this insight with my coworker and then asked who he didn't want to see the pictures. He gave me the classic response, his mother. I have to admit that there are probably a number of pictures you don't want your mom to see. Then again, your mother has probably seen you at your worst. I think changing a dirty diaper is as bad as it can get.

I don't think I helped my coworker much but it did remind me that you need to be careful about what you do electronically. Those Friday-night pictures may eventually come back to haunt you. Rants about your previous coworkers could keep you from getting your next job. So be careful about what you do online, you will be glad you did 10 years from now.

Children And Technology

Have you ever noticed how the previous generation always seems to be more knowledgeable when it comes to technology. In the 1980's, VCR's always seemed to be blinking 12:00 and the joke was to have your kid set the clock so it would show the correct time. Then the joke changed into having your kid help you with your computer. Now it is having your kid help you with your smartphone. Yesterday I got a call from my son that emphasizes just how true that is.

My grandson has always enjoyed mimicking my son typing on the computer. He also enjoys stealing his parents' smartphones and playing with them. Recently he figured out how to press the "Home" button on his Mom's (my daughter-in-law) iPhone. When Siri asks how she can help, he instructs, "Call Dad." Siri dutifully obeys and call's my daughter-in-law's father. To give perspective, my grandson is not quite 18-months old and has just started creating 2-word sentences.

I think my grandson has a ways to go to pass my son when it comes to understanding technology. So far he is on the right track though and I don't think it will take that long.

Entertaining an Infant

Yesterday I had the chance to bring my grandson from Utah to California on my weekly commute. He spent the week splitting time between both his maternal and paternal grandparents while his mom and dad vacationed in Europe. As my grandson is only 15-months old, I didn't need to pay any extra airfare to bring him with me.

As a frequent flyer, I know it can be a huge annoyance when someone brings an unruly child on the flight. I always pack earplugs just in case there is a noisy kid sitting close by. I didn't want to subject my fellow travelers to a screaming toddler, especially since we were sitting in First Class. Unfortunately the flight didn't start out too well. I had to wake my grandson up early so we could catch our flight. That made him a little grumpy. We got on the plane and he kept making a lot of noise. Not nice noises but screaming noises. The kind that annoy everyone. I started to worry that my fellow passengers would throw us off if I didn't come up with a way to quiet him down.

My son and his wife had sent us a number of videos throughout their trip and we tried to reciprocate by sending videos of their son. To quiet the upset toddler, I pulled out my phone and started showing him videos of his dad. That helped a bit and then I started a 20-second video where my grandson wanders around the living room and then falls on his bum. For some strange reason, the little boy loved watching the video of himself falling down. He would laugh every time. We watched the video 30 to 40 times before the flight even left the ground. Each time, my grandson would laugh hysterically watching himself stumble. We watched it so many times I grew afraid that we would chew through my phone's battery before we landed in San Francisco.

After about the 40th time of watching the video, the plane started rolling down the runway and we climbed into the air. We had a bit of turbulence all the way to 39,000 feet and that gently rocked my grandson to sleep. He then slept the entire flight.

If you find yourself preparing for a long flight with a toddler, you might want to take a few videos of the child before heading to the airport. Hopefully you find one that makes the kid laugh. It may help keep your fellow passengers from asking you to ride on the wing.

Should Kids Play Video Games?

This is a question I get a lot when people find out I work in the video game industry. I'm not sure what they expect as I don't know how they think they are going to get an unbiased answer. Of course I think kids should play video games. Where do you think my Christmas bonus comes from? To be completely honest, I don't actually get a Christmas bonus. My annual bonus generally appears around June but it is tied to sales made around the Holiday period.

While I work in the video game industry, I am also a parent of 4 children and so for those that want my true opinion on the subject, continue reading.

As a child, I participated in a study where I was asked to read several pages out of a book. I then played a popular video game at its highest speed for around 15 minutes. Then I went back and continued reading. Everyone in the test read significantly faster after playing the high-speed game. Since then, I have had a bit more of an open mind when it comes to the benefits of video games. That may even contribute as to why I work in the industry.

There are a number of studies that have emerged showing that there are positive effects of video games. One back in 2014 shows that video games can be considered part of creative play, which is healthy for both children and adults. Another more recent study done in Germany shows that kids who play video games learn better than those that don't. There are many more that show the positive effects.

So what do I think? I think there is some good that can be had by allowing your children to play video games. I also think it should be done in moderation. When your kids come home from school, it is fine to let them play a video game for an hour before having them start on their homework. It allows them to release some aggression pent up from spending the day in a classroom. I think that more than an hour is too much and recommend against it. I also think parents should take a proactive role in helping children select video games and not just let them buy anything. For instance, I am not a fan of allowing kids to play games with nudity and strong sexual content. However those are my values and I can't direct you to any studies saying that I am right. While those studies may exist, I have not come across them yet. There are benefits to having parents take an interest in the activities of their children and knowing what your kids are playing is a good first step.

Is it Really Hacking?

I have a son living in Armenia. He has been there for about 18 months and will be done with his assignment, ready to return in August. When he comes back he will be enrolling in the University and will begin classes in September. In order to get him ready for class, my wife has access to his e-mail account. The University is starting to send him information now and my wife wants to make sure everything is taken care of and he is ready to go. My son is relying on my wife to help with some of these tasks and is glad my wife can get into his e-mail. Is this considered "Hacking his e-mail?" I don't think so.

My son is in Armenia with a number of other American young men and women. The parents (mostly the mothers) of these kids sort of have a support group that remains in constant contact with one another. They even go to lunch on a monthly basis. Every Monday we get an e-mail from our son telling us how his week has gone. The parents in this support group also get e-mails from their children and then there is a flurry of e-mail exchanges that take place between the parents so we get an idea of how things are going for others. If any of those expected e-mails to the parents are late, there is a mass of group texting among the mothers to see who has received an e-mail and who hasn't. Sometimes e-mail servers are down and it takes an extra hour or two for messages to get through.

This past Monday happened to be President's day and it also happened that some of the e-mails were delayed. I got to listen to my wife's phone get group text message after message. I asked her what was going on and she explained about the frantic worries of mothers that had not heard from their kids. We got a letter from our son and so I knew there wasn't some sort of terrorist attack or massive earthquake over there. Eventually the mothers started calming down once they were able to "hack their kids' e-mail." They all have the passwords to their children's e-mail accounts. So they logged in and checked the "Sent" folder. Sure enough, the messages had been sent, just not yet received. I had to laugh at the term used by all of the mothers: hacked e-mail.

So that leads me to my question: Is it really hacking? Again, if you have your child's permission to log into his or her e-mail account and also have the password, I don't think it is hacking. It is more like "logging in." Perhaps I am being a bit too literal. What do you think?

A Different Kind of Christmas List

Every year at the beginning of December I try to compile a list of Christmas gifts that I would like to receive. Most of the time I try to keep the ideas centered around technology items. This year I am going to do something a little different. While I enjoy gifts as much as anyone, I have come to the conclusion that anything that I can buy, I will get for myself even if it is not Christmas or my birthday. In thinking about this Holiday season, these are gifts that don't cost anything but things that I want anyways.

My children to be successful - Most of the time parents think they want their kids to be happy when what they really want is for them to be successful. Happiness should be a by product of that success, not the main focus. Unfortunately that means children need some growing experiences and that can be hard to watch. The end result is well worth it. This past year I have spent a lot of time with my oldest son working on a 1996 Jeep Cherokee. We have rebuilt the upper half of the engine, replaced a number of sensors, replaced the exhaust, and turned a beat-up old car into something much more reliable. It has not been an easy journey, but now my son has the skills he needs to diagnose most car problems. I think I can call that a success and the joy we felt when we were done far outweighs any of the pain felt along the way.

My wife to feel loved - I have to be honest in saying that my wife does not like being alone as much as she is. I spend four days a week away from home and I know she gets lonely a lot. I try to make it up to her as best I can but circumstances make being together all of the time impossible. My wife and I are not alone. There are a number of other spouses out there that travel as much or more than I do. My wife is a huge support to me as I try to further myself in my career and do something that I think matters. I appreciate her for that and I hope she knows and feels that she is loved.

My kids to know I am proud of them - Sometimes we push our children to be successful and they may think that they don't live up to our expectations. I am very proud of the accomplishments of my kids and I hope they know that.

There are a number of other non-material things I could ask for this Christmas but the reality is that they don't really matter. If you have a good family where everyone tries their best and forgives any other shortcomings, then you have everything you need for Christmas. May you have a great Holiday season.

Internet Safety

It is hard to imagine life before the Internet. While a lot of technology seems to have taken years to evolve, the Internet sort of just showed up one day. On Tuesday, only a select few used e-mail and exchanged information electronically. Then we all woke up on Wednesday and every ad in the paper or on TV had a web address that you could visit to get more information.

The Internet is a great tool for sharing ideas and knowledge. Can't get that crossword puzzle completed? Do a search in Google or Bing for "Met Melody" and the answer "aria" appears. Can't find directions to that new restaurant you heard about from a friend in an e-mail? Do a search in Google Maps or MapQuest and you can get turn-by-turn directions.

Yes the Internet is a wonderful tool. Unfortunately it has its darker neighborhoods as well. You can get addicted to pornography, learn how to become a domestic terrorist, or develop into a sexual online predator. Please forgive me if I don't provide links to where you can find this stuff.

While I am not immune from wasting my time in the more seedy parts of the Internet, I do a pretty good job of using it for the good stuff and avoiding the rest. I am more concerned about my children. Just as you cannot restrict your children to staying inside your own house forever, you can't erect foolproof walls of protection around their computer usage. Instead you need to work with your children and help educate them about Internet dangers and how to avoid them. Here are some tips that I have found to be effective:

1. Place the computer in a public room. We keep ours in the family room where everyone can see how computer is being used.
2. Talk with your kids about the dangers of the Internet and what to do if they accidently visit a site they are not supposed to see.
3. Set reasonable limits on computer time and strictly enforce them.
4. Monitor the sites your kids are visiting. My router that connects all of our home computers to the internet creates a report showing which computers have visited which sites. Use this report and show your kids that you are monitoring it.
5. Use programs like CYBERsitter and Net Nanny to reduce the number of accidental site visits.

Will these steps ensure your childrens' complete safety? No but they are a good start. Any smart kid will know how to get through any fences you build around the Internet. So talk with your children and help them understand why certain places are dangerous. In the end it is best to have your children helping you and not working against you.