Kid-Friendly Does Not Mean Computer-Friendly

There are so many websites out there that are targeted to children, and the kids really enjoy them, but, your computer might not feel the same way.  So many of these kid-friendly sites put so much spyware/adware/malware on your computer, that it will slow it down to a screeching halt.  It is really such a shame, because, a lot of these sites are really good for the kids.

One site that my kids like is full of video games, but, each game teaches something about math.  My kids, however, are no longer allowed to play the games there.  Their computer had gotten so messed up that it took my husband two hours one night to get it just into decent running condition.

It was at that point that my husband had me put a sign on the computer that the children were not allowed to play any online games.  They already know that they are not allowed to download anything, but, we put that on the sign, too, just in case they’ve (conveniently) forgotten.

I wish there were some sites online that provided games, and possibly in a learning environment, on which we could feel confident letting our kids spend time.  There is just no way to know, though, for the average internet user, which sites are dangerous to your machine.

There is one place I will let them go, but, it is not a games site.  And it is not even a site for kids.  It is a blog, on which the author posts some games.  He embeds them into the blog posts, and I know the gentleman enough to trust him.  Aside from games already on the hard drive of that machine, that is the only way they are allowed to play games on that machine.