Children and online games

I heard a presentation of Collette Smart last night.  The following are the significant points I took home:

• Parents never wish for child to just be entertained.  They wish for more than that.
• However, today, people want to be entertained as though being entertained is normal. It wasn't like this before.  People struggled with life more.
• Do not be afraid of boredom.  Boredom creates creativity.
• Triangular parenting refers to the triangle of love,boundaries and consistency.  Consistency the hardest.
• It is a false sense of security to expose child to Internet but not to road.
• We cannot deprive children from technology.  It is part of their world. We just need to experiment and know how to handle it.
• Kids love the technology because of fun and social.  Parents use it for banking and shopping.
• 2/3 children have no rules re their gadgets
• There is active vs passive technology time. Active time is using technology for paying bills, research, uni assignments, etc. Passive is using the technology for games, videos, etc. entertainment.
• Games are a social currency these days.  Children talk to their friends re the games they play.  Excessive play not good.
• Must get devices out of the childrens' bedrooms.  We cannot look over their shoulder all the time.
• Children look for boundaries. Would not parent their kids re technology the way they have been parented.
• Privacy to some young people means private from Mum & Dad, not from everybody else.
• Fun-failure factor - enough fun, but not too easy, so have challenge. And success after challenge is conquered.
• Lack of sleep puts body clock out of sync.  Teens need 8.5-9 hr sleep. Younger children 10.5-11 hr.
  Technology is a contributor to poor sleep.
• Pornography is looking for them, they are not looking for it. They stumble on it. Hence need for boundaries.
• Put good habits in place now, not later when it is harder.
• You are free to choose, but you are not free from the consequence of your choice.
• Recommend 1-2 hr passive technology time/day. 0 for < 2 yo
• Set age restrictions for apps.
• Let children play one main game at a time.
• Discourage distributed play, binge play safer.
• Know your children's passwords
• Talk to them re the content of their games.  Sons who play violent games with Dads tend to be less aggressive compared to those who don't, as they talk to Dads as they play.
• Negotiate a technology contract with your children, allowing technology at age-appropriate levels.

What do you think?  Do you agree with her?  How do you handle your children and their technology?