Children and the Internet

I have to say that my children don't get  much access to the computers in our house but I can see the time is coming that this is about to change.  So the summer holidays was a time to lay out some ground rules for operations that we all could negociate to a happy point.

Here they are

1.  No Google searches without Mum or Dad present

2.  Only use pages that are bookmarked in Favourites

3.  Use is a 20 minute time frame once a day.

4.  Do downloading at all.

5.  No sharing name, phone number, address or photos with anyone on the internet.

6.  No joining anything.

7.  One child at a time on the computer.

So I was wondering as my children are still at primary schoo,l if there is anything that I have missed off the list and if so what.  So far it has worked well enough.  I have set up each child with their own window on the computer and their own bookmarks.  I have parent controls set age approapriately and really the last thing that needs attention is to bring the computer into the family space so it can be easily seen.

The consequece is in the rules.  Break the rules loose the use of the computer.

Wordless Wednesday 3 March

Another installment of Wordless Wednesday.

Have a great day

Monday Menu 1 March

Another week and another menu.  The menu is on the fridge and the children have been checking it out.

Monday  Steak and vege

Tuesday  Fajita beef style

Wednesday spaghetti and meatballs

Thursday  beef curry stirfry

Friday  Pizza

Saturday  Noodly dinner  its a home invention special.

Sunday  Leftovers

Fridays Fabulous Five 26 February

As usual friday is a fabulous day of the week.

This weeks Fabulous 5 on Friday are

1.  My first scrapbooking page in nearly two months and I love it.

You can find the credits here at Nuts4Digi

2.  My favourite feeling in the summer is feet in the sand.  It just gives me that feeling of relaxation.

My family are happily posing for this shot.

3.  We have had the most marvellously warm summer and I will be sorry that it soon be autumn.  Anyway camping had its funny moments and this was one of them.

We borrowed some old camp stretchers for the children to use.  As you can see one stretcher could not cope with DS on it.  When this shot was taken he was busy sleeping soundly

4.  I was looking back at what I was trying to achieve this year and thought that I should look more seriously at the point I made about a date night.  So I am off to look here and do some research.  The titles look worth reading more into.

5.  Finally for this week.  I just love learning more about journaling and how I can enhance things. Over at AUDacious there has been a weeks free lessons on making great journaling.  I know it has already happened but I am going to be sure to go back and particpate anyway.

Smile

I got grumpy this week.  There was no particular reason for this just one of those moments I guess.  Not that people dont do these things but I thought that it was time find something smile about/ with. 


Hmmmmmm yet to find it.


Then I came across this quote

Seize the Day!.  Enjoy the moment.




and decided to do just that.

Okay my children dancing to You Tube helped.



Have a great day.

Wordless Wednesday 24 February

Summer at its best, looking out at the Corromandel Peninsular, New Zealand.

Camping

For the first time since returning to New Zealand March 2006 we have been able to organise respite care for Hayden and go away on a summer holiday.

Much to our other childrens delight we decided to go camping.  So with tent, bbq and bedding off we went to the wonder Hahei.



For many New Zealanders camping is nothing new, it is more like part of the summer culture to go camping.  For our children it was a first time experience as all their other holidays had been in appartment accommodation with all the whistles and bells to go.

Our camping experience was in full outfitted camp ground.  Which is great for me as there are two things that I simply must have when camping; a flushing loo and hot running shower.  I can deal with the unpowered site we had but the children could not get their head around what it was going to be like without electricity.

The things they missed

1. CD player in their bedroom

2.  A fridge to keep the drink cold

3.  Lights to read by at night

4.  Curtains to darken their bedroom

That was all.  Can you believe it.  I have to say that the dishes was a novelty.  DD asked 'who or what was going to do the dishes' as we walked to the kitchen with dishes and tea towel in had.  When I told her we were she thought that I was joking.  I guess I have made a mistake by having a dishwasher that needs to be stacked............No never, I love my dishwasher and how clean things look at the end of the cycle.

As for me.  I love the quality family time you get when camping.  I love the back to basics feeling that prevails and that there are no distractions that modern life brings.

Photos will follow when my software arrives later this week.

Monday Menu 22 February

Well my computer issues have been significant and I hope that once the last of the things still to be fixed are dealt to I will be able to blog regularly and get back into things.

As for my Monday Menu.  I am still doing all my cooking on the bbq.  It is summer and I think why not.  Life is too short to spend my precious free time cleaning a kitchen so all of this is cooked on the bbq's hob or plate.

Monday  Stirfry sweet and sour

Tuesday  Dahl with flat bread

Wednesday  Cornfritters with advocado salsa

Thursday  stirfry thai style

Friday  Pizza

Saturday  spaghetti bolignaise

Sunday leftovers

Havc a great week

Monday Menu 15 February

This weeks menu includes the need to use up some steak and kidney we have in the freezer.  So I thought that I would make a crockpot meal with a potato top.

Monday Steak and Kidney crock pot with pototo top

Tuesday beef stirfry 

Wednesday flafels

Thursday  meatballs and spaghetti

Friday cheese quesadillas with salsa

Saturday  steak and salad

Sunday tuna burgers.

Fridays Fabulous Five 12 February

Let me link you up.

Five favourite blogs to visit are in my house are:

1.  First up is be AUDacious blog.  I love the variety and passion that is bought to blogging.  I love the hints for great journalling and the lovely way the author has with words.

2.  I love actions for my photoshop.  Well I like the idea of them so when my computer comes back I am going to teach myself how to make the most of the photos I have taken by visiting CoffeesShop

3.  Something with diverse posts just keeps me coming back at Small Notebook

4.  Not for me but my children love this site and I love the fact that the it is very safe.  FunBrain

5.  Finally the blog that is inspiring me to be organised.  I'm an Organising Junkie

So go out and visit some of these.  There just might be something that takes your interest.