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How Computers Have Affected my Children’s Lives

October 6, 2008 by Tara Kuczykowski 29 Comments

My Work Desk
photo credit: DeaPeaJay

Best Buy contacted me recently and asked:

“How have computers changed/improved/affected your children’s lives?”

In short, computers have affected our family’s lives dramatically. I became an accidental stay-at-home mom when the office I worked in closed when I was 7.5 months pregnant with my first child. I had every intention of going back to work, but after having my second child only 12 months after my first I was not so anxious. I set my sights on working from home, and after searching high and low and trying out numerous positions, I finally found a career that was both challenging and rewarding.

Blogging is my creative outlet and the deals I provide do help stretch our budget, but transcription is what has supported my family through my husband’s numerous layoffs over the past two years. Both are possible because of the advent of computers, and I’m thankful that they allow me to be here for my children whenever they need me.

Have computers had a positive effect on your children’s or your family’s lives?

Filed Under: saving money Tagged With: frugality

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Comments

  1. Laurie

    October 6, 2008 at 11:38 pm

    Wow, what a great question. As the parent of a 13 yr. old, we talk about this often. Computers have been great as far as being able to talk to people you normally would never meet (like in blogging!), being able to get information quickly for research or curiousity and the ease of online shopping. However, as the parent of 4 (one of them a teenager, as mentioned before), computers have really changed the way children grow up vs. the way we grew up. It’s a whole new, scary world that we can’t always control. More than once I’ve caught my daughter doing something online that I don’t want her to do (uploading videos to youtube, creating a myspace account). It’s definitely hard to monitor and all these kids want to do is talk to their friends online through instant messaging. Personally, I think it’s much harder to parent in this computer era and there’s no personal experience to learn from, because it’s all new — we didn’t grow up with it. I’ve definitely had to limit her time & monitor where she’s been — and don’t even get me started on cell phones!

    Reply
  2. Laurie

    October 6, 2008 at 11:38 pm

    Wow, what a great question. As the parent of a 13 yr. old, we talk about this often. Computers have been great as far as being able to talk to people you normally would never meet (like in blogging!), being able to get information quickly for research or curiousity and the ease of online shopping. However, as the parent of 4 (one of them a teenager, as mentioned before), computers have really changed the way children grow up vs. the way we grew up. It’s a whole new, scary world that we can’t always control. More than once I’ve caught my daughter doing something online that I don’t want her to do (uploading videos to youtube, creating a myspace account). It’s definitely hard to monitor and all these kids want to do is talk to their friends online through instant messaging. Personally, I think it’s much harder to parent in this computer era and there’s no personal experience to learn from, because it’s all new — we didn’t grow up with it. I’ve definitely had to limit her time & monitor where she’s been — and don’t even get me started on cell phones!

    Reply
  3. Laurie

    October 6, 2008 at 7:38 pm

    Wow, what a great question. As the parent of a 13 yr. old, we talk about this often. Computers have been great as far as being able to talk to people you normally would never meet (like in blogging!), being able to get information quickly for research or curiousity and the ease of online shopping. However, as the parent of 4 (one of them a teenager, as mentioned before), computers have really changed the way children grow up vs. the way we grew up. It’s a whole new, scary world that we can’t always control. More than once I’ve caught my daughter doing something online that I don’t want her to do (uploading videos to youtube, creating a myspace account). It’s definitely hard to monitor and all these kids want to do is talk to their friends online through instant messaging. Personally, I think it’s much harder to parent in this computer era and there’s no personal experience to learn from, because it’s all new — we didn’t grow up with it. I’ve definitely had to limit her time & monitor where she’s been — and don’t even get me started on cell phones!

    Reply
  4. Amber

    October 7, 2008 at 12:05 am

    Well since my husbands profession is a Computer Programmer at a national insurance company I would have to say computers affect our lives everyday. At home my hubby has a laptop and he just bought one for me about a month ago. So now my kids have my dell desk top which is about 2 yrs old. We use computers every single day. I don’t know what I would do without one!! LOL

    Reply
  5. Amber

    October 6, 2008 at 8:05 pm

    Well since my husbands profession is a Computer Programmer at a national insurance company I would have to say computers affect our lives everyday. At home my hubby has a laptop and he just bought one for me about a month ago. So now my kids have my dell desk top which is about 2 yrs old. We use computers every single day. I don’t know what I would do without one!! LOL

    Reply
  6. Briana

    October 7, 2008 at 12:51 am

    My kids have easy access to any information they need for school or for curiousity on the web! :)

    I have a computer problem…I don’t know how I would find out basic information like phone #s without it!!!

    Reply
  7. Briana

    October 7, 2008 at 12:51 am

    My kids have easy access to any information they need for school or for curiousity on the web! :)

    I have a computer problem…I don’t know how I would find out basic information like phone #s without it!!!

    Reply
  8. Briana

    October 6, 2008 at 8:51 pm

    My kids have easy access to any information they need for school or for curiousity on the web! :)

    I have a computer problem…I don’t know how I would find out basic information like phone #s without it!!!

    Reply
  9. Dani

    October 7, 2008 at 3:12 am

    The internet helps keep me sane. I’ve been a SAHM for almost 15 years and I’ve been online most of those years involved in several different types of communities. I’ve to meet and hang out with members of my music trivia group.

    We have a family website which allows my hubby’s family to stay in constant contact (he’s one of 12 kids, there are 26 grandkids and 15 great-grandkids so there is always something new going on).

    My son’s high school posts their daily announcements and schedules, his teachers post all his grades, his attendance is posted (even if he’s tardy to a class), some teachers post homework assignments.

    My teen is online alot, he has a small circle of friends that he chats with and has a myspace page (which I have full access to). He plays some virtual games with his buddies.

    The internet also allows my husband to work at home two days a week and spend more time with our 19 month old and 8 week old.

    And last but not least, it allows me to blog. Oh yeah, and SHOP online.

    Reply
  10. Dani

    October 7, 2008 at 3:12 am

    The internet helps keep me sane. I’ve been a SAHM for almost 15 years and I’ve been online most of those years involved in several different types of communities. I’ve to meet and hang out with members of my music trivia group.

    We have a family website which allows my hubby’s family to stay in constant contact (he’s one of 12 kids, there are 26 grandkids and 15 great-grandkids so there is always something new going on).

    My son’s high school posts their daily announcements and schedules, his teachers post all his grades, his attendance is posted (even if he’s tardy to a class), some teachers post homework assignments.

    My teen is online alot, he has a small circle of friends that he chats with and has a myspace page (which I have full access to). He plays some virtual games with his buddies.

    The internet also allows my husband to work at home two days a week and spend more time with our 19 month old and 8 week old.

    And last but not least, it allows me to blog. Oh yeah, and SHOP online.

    Reply
  11. Dani

    October 6, 2008 at 11:12 pm

    The internet helps keep me sane. I’ve been a SAHM for almost 15 years and I’ve been online most of those years involved in several different types of communities. I’ve to meet and hang out with members of my music trivia group.

    We have a family website which allows my hubby’s family to stay in constant contact (he’s one of 12 kids, there are 26 grandkids and 15 great-grandkids so there is always something new going on).

    My son’s high school posts their daily announcements and schedules, his teachers post all his grades, his attendance is posted (even if he’s tardy to a class), some teachers post homework assignments.

    My teen is online alot, he has a small circle of friends that he chats with and has a myspace page (which I have full access to). He plays some virtual games with his buddies.

    The internet also allows my husband to work at home two days a week and spend more time with our 19 month old and 8 week old.

    And last but not least, it allows me to blog. Oh yeah, and SHOP online.

    Reply
  12. Terri

    October 7, 2008 at 3:07 pm

    It’s funny to think people did without computers for so long when a lot of us rely on them so heavily and having a laptop die is like “the end of the world” for our family. My preschoolers love to use preschool sites like starfall.com and pbskids.org and I am addicted to gmail, facebook, blogging, reading blogs etc. Also we recently moved thousands of miles from all of our family so our family blog allows us to keep grandparents etc. up to date on our kids lives. Now if only I could help some of my “older” family members back in NY get into the internet/computer age!! oh geez I forgot to even mention fantasy sports…….what would my husband and I do if we didn’t have access to set up our lineups for football and check our scores!?

    Reply
  13. Terri

    October 7, 2008 at 3:07 pm

    It’s funny to think people did without computers for so long when a lot of us rely on them so heavily and having a laptop die is like “the end of the world” for our family. My preschoolers love to use preschool sites like starfall.com and pbskids.org and I am addicted to gmail, facebook, blogging, reading blogs etc. Also we recently moved thousands of miles from all of our family so our family blog allows us to keep grandparents etc. up to date on our kids lives. Now if only I could help some of my “older” family members back in NY get into the internet/computer age!! oh geez I forgot to even mention fantasy sports…….what would my husband and I do if we didn’t have access to set up our lineups for football and check our scores!?

    Reply
  14. Terri

    October 7, 2008 at 11:07 am

    It’s funny to think people did without computers for so long when a lot of us rely on them so heavily and having a laptop die is like “the end of the world” for our family. My preschoolers love to use preschool sites like starfall.com and pbskids.org and I am addicted to gmail, facebook, blogging, reading blogs etc. Also we recently moved thousands of miles from all of our family so our family blog allows us to keep grandparents etc. up to date on our kids lives. Now if only I could help some of my “older” family members back in NY get into the internet/computer age!! oh geez I forgot to even mention fantasy sports…….what would my husband and I do if we didn’t have access to set up our lineups for football and check our scores!?

    Reply
  15. melody

    October 16, 2008 at 7:04 pm

    I have to say even though it is great to get all the information and communication through the internet I think my teenager is negatively affected by the computer. She wants to spend all her time on it but will not do her homework and doesn’t get out and exercise at all. We could say the same thing about the use of television during my childhood!
    Even though she does talk with friends on the computer , she hasn’t spent much time visiting with her friends and doing activities with them. I believe the computer can make kids isolated from society. Kids need to have responsibilities and not just spend time endless surfing of the net.

    Reply
  16. melody

    October 16, 2008 at 7:04 pm

    I have to say even though it is great to get all the information and communication through the internet I think my teenager is negatively affected by the computer. She wants to spend all her time on it but will not do her homework and doesn’t get out and exercise at all. We could say the same thing about the use of television during my childhood!
    Even though she does talk with friends on the computer , she hasn’t spent much time visiting with her friends and doing activities with them. I believe the computer can make kids isolated from society. Kids need to have responsibilities and not just spend time endless surfing of the net.

    Reply
  17. melody

    October 16, 2008 at 3:04 pm

    I have to say even though it is great to get all the information and communication through the internet I think my teenager is negatively affected by the computer. She wants to spend all her time on it but will not do her homework and doesn’t get out and exercise at all. We could say the same thing about the use of television during my childhood!
    Even though she does talk with friends on the computer , she hasn’t spent much time visiting with her friends and doing activities with them. I believe the computer can make kids isolated from society. Kids need to have responsibilities and not just spend time endless surfing of the net.

    Reply
  18. Deal Seeking Mom

    October 16, 2008 at 7:08 pm

    That’s an excellent point, Melody. We as parents have to be vigilant about teaching our children about balance in all areas of their lives. For example, my children do not get any computer or video game time until their homework is done, and we make a point of taking them outside to play whenever possible. As they get older, their computer time will be monitored closely and limited accordingly.

    Reply
  19. Deal Seeking Mom

    October 16, 2008 at 7:08 pm

    That’s an excellent point, Melody. We as parents have to be vigilant about teaching our children about balance in all areas of their lives. For example, my children do not get any computer or video game time until their homework is done, and we make a point of taking them outside to play whenever possible. As they get older, their computer time will be monitored closely and limited accordingly.

    Reply
  20. Deal Seeking Mom

    October 16, 2008 at 3:08 pm

    That’s an excellent point, Melody. We as parents have to be vigilant about teaching our children about balance in all areas of their lives. For example, my children do not get any computer or video game time until their homework is done, and we make a point of taking them outside to play whenever possible. As they get older, their computer time will be monitored closely and limited accordingly.

    Reply
  21. bonqiqi

    April 4, 2009 at 10:56 pm

    you girls are right

    Reply
  22. bonqiqi

    April 4, 2009 at 10:56 pm

    you girls are right

    Reply
  23. bonqiqi

    April 4, 2009 at 5:56 pm

    you girls are right

    Reply
  24. a.mustafa mahar

    May 7, 2009 at 7:02 pm

    I tend to agree that children are negatively effected by useing computer, especialy their eye sight become weak due to rays that comes from computer. they become habitual of computer which is bad thing.

    Reply
  25. a.mustafa mahar

    May 7, 2009 at 7:02 pm

    I tend to agree that children are negatively effected by useing computer, especialy their eye sight become weak due to rays that comes from computer. they become habitual of computer which is bad thing.

    Reply
  26. a.mustafa mahar

    May 7, 2009 at 3:02 pm

    I tend to agree that children are negatively effected by useing computer, especialy their eye sight become weak due to rays that comes from computer. they become habitual of computer which is bad thing.

    Reply
  27. Maury Povich

    August 26, 2009 at 1:07 pm

    Well i do agree with you ladies about alot of your comments, i feel that our children are greatly affected by todays computer technology. It opens up a whole new world that they lock us out of and are not willing to give us a key. This is a great! subject for my up and coming 09 season. I would love for you ladies to contact me and let me know how you feel about making a guest appearance on my show in NYC paid in full, this includes hotel stay (suite), limozine, food (finest restaraunts) and $10,000 dollars in spending money for you.

    Sincerely Yours,
    Maury

    Reply
  28. Maury Povich

    August 26, 2009 at 1:07 pm

    Well i do agree with you ladies about alot of your comments, i feel that our children are greatly affected by todays computer technology. It opens up a whole new world that they lock us out of and are not willing to give us a key. This is a great! subject for my up and coming 09 season. I would love for you ladies to contact me and let me know how you feel about making a guest appearance on my show in NYC paid in full, this includes hotel stay (suite), limozine, food (finest restaraunts) and $10,000 dollars in spending money for you.

    Sincerely Yours,
    Maury

    Reply
  29. Maury Povich

    August 26, 2009 at 9:07 am

    Well i do agree with you ladies about alot of your comments, i feel that our children are greatly affected by todays computer technology. It opens up a whole new world that they lock us out of and are not willing to give us a key. This is a great! subject for my up and coming 09 season. I would love for you ladies to contact me and let me know how you feel about making a guest appearance on my show in NYC paid in full, this includes hotel stay (suite), limozine, food (finest restaraunts) and $10,000 dollars in spending money for you.

    Sincerely Yours,
    Maury

    Reply

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Hey there — nice to meet you!

I'm Tara: mom of 5 teens/tweens and one 80-lb. Weimaraner, who fancies herself a lap dog. Born and raised in Ohio (GO BUCKS!!!), my fave things include cooking + baking, my JEEP Rubicon, the 4x4 beaches at OBX, and checking out the local craft beer scene...
 
As you can imagine, all of this puts a good dent in my monthly budget. So I've learned how to save on the things I NEED, so I can spend on the things I WANT. Read more.

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