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"Setup is fairly straightforward"
 If today's tech-crazy kids aren't begging to watch TV, chances are they're pleading to go online or play video games… the EyeTimer system, (is) a computer-based tool that helps parents track and limit the time their children spend watching TV, surfing the Web and playing video games.
Setup is fairly straightforward. You first need to install the software, which monitors a child's time and activities on a computer.
When a child wants to watch TV, he has to sign on to the EyeTimer program, type in his password and ask it to turn on the TV. The program will show him how much time he has left and turn on the TV. When the time runs out, the program turns off the TV.
If a child needs the computer for school, he can gain "untimed" access by logging into the program's study mode. The EyeTimer keeps track of programs accessed, so a parent can see what a child did.
Deborah Porterfield, USA Today
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"When the prescribed time is up, it automatically shuts off."
 Chances are, your kids have turned into bleary-eyed automatons as they try out all the cool electronic goodies they received over the holidays. And chances are, you're hoarse from trying to set limits on their screen time.
EyeTimer is software that turns televisions and computers on and off. Parents set a time budget for each child-an hour a day Monday through Friday, for example. When the child wants to watch TV or use the computer, he or she signs on to EyeTimer, which turns on the device. When the prescribed time is up, it automatically shuts off.
Peggy O'Crowley, Star Ledger
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"Teach responsibility and the basics of time management"
 Each time she turns on the TV or goes online or plays video game, the timer must be used to meter the time. She can use 20 minutes here or there, but no more than an hour each day.
You might make exceptions for movies watched with the entire family or certain educational programming.
This approach can:
Teach responsibility and the basics of time management. End arguments over time spent on the computer and watching television. Prevent marathon TV sessions and eliminate video game "zone outs."
The Charlotte Observer
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"It lets you be a parent and not a watchdog"
 It lets you be a parent and not a watchdog, it teaches responsibility and puts children in the position of managing their own play time.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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"Once time's up, that's it"
 Soon Ryan, the teen who would often wake up in the middle of the night to play games, was successfully abiding by the time parameters set by his father. Ryan is now permitted 16 hours during the week and 15 hours on the weekend. And once time's up, that's it. And a proud papa reports, Ryan is pursuing other activities, including joining his school's wrestling team.
George Rable said EyeTimer has been especially helpful for his son, Jeff, in managing his time.
Jeff would rather log off before getting cut off by the system, Rable said.
"You can't look at it as a substitute for a parenting, but it sure is a nice tool, " Rable says.
And he says EyeTimer is certainly "worth the price of admission." With more time not in front of the computer, Jeff has increased his reading and knows he has to plan ahead.
"He's learned quickly to save hours for the rest of the week," he says. "And that's a lesson he can take into adulthood."
Heidi Roccograndi, Times Leader |
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"Teaches responsibility, prevents marathon TV sessions and puts an end to arguments"
 As parents, it can be tough trying to set limitations on all of these gizmos. Keeping track of which child can use what device and for how long can become an unmanageable task. Fortunately, there's an electronic system that can help you get a handle on a lot of it.
The EyeTimer lets parents set up weekly "Time Budgets" as a guideline for kids to manage their own time.…it teaches responsibility, prevents marathon TV sessions and puts an end to arguments since it is the children who are now placed in the position of managing their own play time. And while it's been my experience that nothing is completely foolproof, the EyeTimer may be a good start to finding a workable solution.
Craig Crossman, Knight Ridder
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"When the time is up, off goes the TV!"
 So let's say you want little Johnny to watch TV for one hour a day or five hours per week. When he wants to watch TV, Johnny signs on to EyeTimer. If he is within his allotted time, the EyeTimer will send a signal to the TV receiver, and Johnny can watch his favorite show. When the time is up, off goes the TV!
Omaha World Herald
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"My relationship with my son really benefited from this..."
 "My relationship with my son really benefited from this," said a parent of three, Mary Rabels, about her 10-year-old. "it takes the acrimonious thing out of it. I'm not standing over him saying, "Turn it off." They're accustomed to it now so it's not even an issue that way."
Given the technological savvy of today's teenagers, the device needs terrific security to prevent children from hacking past it:
Unplug the TV from the device? It's got special security tape holding it together.
Get your own tape? Parents sign the tape, and children would have to forge the signature.
Use the Task Manager to kill the software? The Task Manager has been disabled.
Unplug the computer? EyeTimer will tell the parent it has been interrupted, and for how long.
Eric Wolff, The New York Sun
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"[EyeTimer] is based on the notion that parents and children should work together."
 EyeTimer, which can also be used to control time spent on television and video games, may be more palatable to all involved. It is devoid of the tinge of parental authoritarianism and is based on the notion that parents and children should work together to set the limits on the children's time.
Thus, EyeTimer can be set up to allow children to spend an agreed-upon block of time on the PC, leaving it up to them to decide when, and in what chunks, to use those precious hours.
My version of EyeTimer came with lots of material explaining to parents how to introduce EyeTimer to children in a nonthreatening way. There was even a little place mat, explaining to the children that EyeTimer does not mean that Mom and Dad do not trust them anymore.
John J. Fried, Philadelphia Inquirer
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"(EyeTimer) might discourage the daily battles..."
 Parents looking for a way to curb their kids' TV, computer or video game use now have a new device to help. The EyeTimer helps parents set time limits on media use, which might discourage the daily battles over how much time is too much time spent in front of the TV or computer screen.
IParenting.com
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"Children can decide for themselves..."
 With the EyeTimer system in place, the parents dole out how much time a child has to spend on a device within a given period. The children can decide for themselves how they wish to spend that time.
The Houston Chronicle |
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