[Hidden-tech] Email for kids

[B. Kimo Lee]

Hi All,

An interesting topic, this. I'm surprised that kids have got email  
addresses at age 9. Sorry, I don't mean to be judgmental. You may  
have specific controls in place, Peter.  I'd be interested to find  
out what other parent's think an appropriate age is for kids to have  
email privileges?

Maybe I'm a fuddy-duddy, but it seems a really young age to have that  
exposure to the perils of the Internet. Matt's suggestions sounded  
pretty good with OSX. But even with that, you know that kids are  
signing up at user forums that don't have any scruples (to require  
parents permission). Kids just click the over 13 button... So their  
addresses could end up anywhere.

Education and observation, eh?

Best,
Kimo


On May 16, 2006, at 3:45 PM, Peter Degen-Portnoy wrote:

>   ** Be a Good Dobee and help the group, you must be counted to post .
>   ** Fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
>
>
> I like Matt's recommendations (though I can't speak for  
> crocker.com) and wanted to add one piece that has worked well for  
> us.  When setting up email for my eldest (he's 11 and has had email  
> address for about two years), I took advantage of our tremendously  
> long last name and gave him an email address with a  
> firstname.lastname convention to make it rather long.  The reason  
> for this is to minimize the likelihood that automatic email address  
> generators would create a combination with nearly 20 letters.
>
> Peter
>
> Peter Degen-Portnoy
> {
>   President
>   Innovatium
>
>   Makers of the Hold-It! Game Card Organizer (tm)
>      "Go from Mess to Marveous(tm)"
>
>   pdp at InnovatiumInc.com
>   781-583-7566 (o)
> }
>
>
>
> Matthew Crocker wrote:
>>   ** Be a Good Dobee and help the group, you must be counted to  
>> post .
>>   ** Fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
>>
>>
>>
>> You can setup a new mail account with any mail provider and use  
>> Apple Mail on OS X for your security.  If you setup their own  
>> accounts on OS X you can lock down the mail application to only  
>> allow mail to/from specific people.  If they want to e-mail one of  
>> their friends you'll need to authenticate the address with your OS  
>> X administrator password.
>>
>> OS X has everything you need.
>>
>> Apple Menu
>> -> System Preferences
>> --> Accounts
>> ---> Create a new user
>> ----> Select Parental Controls
>> ----->  Click on Mail and you can add the addresses your son/ 
>> daughter is allowed to exchange e-mail with
>>
>> You can do the same with iChat and Safari
>>
>> Log in with their account and setup their mail account with your  
>> chosen mail provider (I hear crocker.com is pretty good ;).  Apple  
>> mail will automatically delete mail  that isn't from people on  
>> their list.  I think it may send you a permission e-mail if you  
>> need to authorize inbound mail before they get it.
>>
>> My kids are still too young for e-mail so I haven't played with  
>> this but it is available.
>>
>> On May 16, 2006, at 2:13 PM, David Spound wrote:
>>
>>>    ** Be a Good Dobee and help the group, you must be counted to  
>>> post .
>>>    ** Fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
>>>
>>>
>>> I am seeking advice about *safe* email options for kids. My son  
>>> (age 13) and
>>> daughter (10) have been asking for their own email addresses.  
>>> While I can
>>> easily set them up under my own domain, I am concerned about spam  
>>> and
>>> safety.
>>>
>>> For those of you with kids, what have you done about email?
>>>
>>> Options I have considered include:
>>> * Email accounts that I would occasionally monitor. Not because I  
>>> want to
>>> read messages from their friends, but because I want to be aware  
>>> of what
>>> they are receiving. My kids hate this idea and I'm not totally  
>>> comfortable
>>> with it either.
>>>
>>> * Email programs that uses a “white list” — I would input  
>>> addresses of
>>> friends and family members and these would be the only people  
>>> from whom my
>>> kids could receive messages.
>>>
>>> * A hosted service like Kid Safe Mail <http://www.kidsafemail.com>
>>>
>>> Any suggestions would be welcome. Software recommendations would  
>>> need to run
>>> on Macintosh computers (OS X).
>>>
>>> I want to trust and respect my kids AND keep them safe.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> David
>>>
>>> ++++++++++
>>>
>>> David Spound, M.Ed.
>>>
>>> Valley Mindfulness
>>> Meditation and Stress Reduction: Workshops, Classes and Coaching
>>>
>>> (413) 219-0654
>>> david at valleymindfulness.com
>>> http://www.valleymindfulness.com
>>>
>>> Upcoming classes:
>>> * A Taste of Mindfulness, Tuesday, May 23, 6:00 pm
>>> * Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, June 20 – August 8 (Tuesday  
>>> evenings)
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Hidden-discuss mailing list - home page: http://www.hidden-tech.net
>>> Hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net
>>>
>>> You are receiving this because you are on the Hidden-Tech  
>>> Discussion list.
>>> If you would like to change your list preferences, Go to the Members
>>> page on the Hidden Tech Web site.
>>> http://www.hidden-tech.net/members
>>
>> -- 
>> Matthew S. Crocker
>> Vice President
>> Crocker Communications, Inc.
>> Internet Division
>> PO BOX 710
>> Greenfield, MA 01302-0710
>> http://www.crocker.com
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Hidden-discuss mailing list - home page: http://www.hidden-tech.net
>> Hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net
>>
>> You are receiving this because you are on the Hidden-Tech  
>> Discussion list.
>> If you would like to change your list preferences, Go to the  
>> Members  page on the Hidden Tech Web site.
>> http://www.hidden-tech.net/members
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Hidden-discuss mailing list - home page: http://www.hidden-tech.net
> Hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net
>
> You are receiving this because you are on the Hidden-Tech  
> Discussion list.
> If you would like to change your list preferences, Go to the  
> Members   page on the Hidden Tech Web site.
> http://www.hidden-tech.net/members
>