Digital Daddy Blog Contest

18 thoughts on “Digital Daddy Blog Contest”

1. Not sure if this falls within your topic, but it has and continues to be one of my effective technology decision.
   Being a technologist myself, I know how much Technology can distract one (from work or study). So I enforce a “no Internet / no PC” day for my kids (teenagers!). Tuesdays is supposed to be one of the days when they sit back and relax without “chatting, blogging nor browsing”. Not even time to watch those “downloaded” vids and what-have-they. No game consoles (I lock up the controllers) and no TV surfing either (except for some family time watching, I get the keep the remote). This is the day to read books, talk/interact with one another and since we can’t force them to those, its their time to have more sleep!
   I have installed “Sentry PC” to control/limit PC time spent per user and “CyberSieve” to limit internet time. These two software can define days/times and durations for each login user (in addition to the usual, censorship rules). That means no staying up late nor waking up in the middle of the night to browse/play.
   Sentry PC automatically prevents you from logging in when its not your schedule yet and automatically logs you off if you consume your alloted computer time or reaches the “off” period. It then prevents you logging back in.
   CyberSieve in turn prevents internet connection outside of “defined” internet timings and disconnects if you consume your alloted internet time for the day.
   Together, you can define something like 4 hours of PC time but only 2 hours internet time between 12pm to 9pm everyday except Tuesday where there are 0 pc time and 0 internet time. For emergency/exceptions, they have to use my login account 🙂
   Of course they should not then be given admin rights to the PC/Laptop which allows them to “hack” the setup. The system prevents though the “killing” of the respective “processes”.
   That’s all! Just wanted to contribute to your notes and wanted to say that I regularly read ALL your posts as I have your RSS feed on my Google Reader 🙂
   Thanks and good luck on your talk!

2. I’d like to share my simple honest answer to your querry “How are you creatively using the internet to help you in raising your kids?”…
   I’m a young (32 y/o) dad to our soon-to-be 5 year-old son, Gabby. I’m far from being a techie but surely my son and I together with my wife, enjoy the world wide web so much. The internet has been more than being useful but a source of our FAMILY BONDING as well. We schedule time for using our notebooks in net surfing and usually, after my son is done with his homeworks and reviews for his preschool work, we allow him to update his OWN RESTAURANT in RESTAURANT CITY at Facebook. As young as he is, he has preference already on how his virtual restaurant exteriors and interiors should look like and Gabby is always excited to find new ingredients for his menu. My wife and I allowed him to have an account in facebook and enjoy one of its application, restaurant city for Gabby already professed he wanted to be an IRON CHEF one day. LOL. Restaurant City in Fb allows anyone including our preschool son to be a chef and a restaurateur and in my own opinion, it’s such a creative and fun way of motivating and inspiring my son in reaching his dreams.
   With regards to blogging, I usually document our family fun activities from going to malls, aracades, grocery, and of course, the thing we love the most – dining! 😀
   Thanks and more power!
   cheers,
   docgelo (beyond toxicity)

3. just would like to share:
   “How are you creatively using the internet to help you in raising your kids?”
   Our little boy, Miguel, is just 1yr 9mos old. Surprisingly for us, he catches on very fast. I am a Computer Systems Engineer so I definitely am a techie. Whenever I am using the computer, my little boy would always want to be part of what I am doing. Same goes for my wife when she is using her laptop. Miguel, even when he was still a baby, loved watching Barney, Baby Einstein & Bob the Builder videos. Now, the Internet provides instant access to kid’s educational games, videos & music to websites of the characters he likes to see. So we share the 19″ LCD monitor while he sits on my lap & I check my emails. Miguel loves to sing-along with Barney and friends & he likes to watch me play Bob the Builder online games for him.
   Also, my wife checks the Internet for schedules on kid’s events, character meet-ups & other educational activities. We also find educational books intended for Miguel’s age on the Internet.
   I know that as Miguel grows up, I will need to find ways to be able to control web content to filter out adult stuff in the Internet but that will be another story. For now, I shall cherish the bond my son & I share as we browse the Internet together.

4. Kids now are very aware of the Internet and its possibilities for their school work, as well as for entertainment and fun. Even if they are all less than 10 years old, they already know how to access their favorite cartoons on youtube, or download PC game trial versions, or play online games. Of course, these have to be done under parental guidance since you would never know what link they can accidentally click and access. Therefore, Net time is really bonding time with the kids for the 21st Century family.
   For my eldest daughter who is 9 years old, I have created for her her own Multiply account to serve as her journal last year. I have my own Multiply account which I am quite active with. I would watch musical plays with her and encourage her to write her own reviews of what she had seen and experienced. For an example, this is her review of “Hairspray”: http://haleyrabbit.multiply.com/reviews/item/5 . She also posts her pictures and videos there on her site.

5. Hi Anton! Sorry, we missed you last night at the Maven Secrets seminar. But we will definitely catch you on the net. This is great, you and Marvin of RaisingFilipinoBoys.com together in one event. He told me about this months back and I am glad it is finally happening. I will ask D, er, push D to participate. See you soon 🙂

6. I’m a first time mom to a very active 2 yr old kid and I work 9hrs a day on the internet. So the internet plays a big part in our life. When i was pregnant with my baby, I would spend hours online reading and researching about what to expect and all the experiences other families have on raising their kids. I would pick up good ideas and do it myself. Now that he’s a toddler, I still turn to the internet for things I want to know about, he is rapidly developing and I try to make sure that I am ready for the changes and the things to come. His pedia has been recommended by a blogsite (MomExchange) and I’m glad that I have learned about their site or we would probably still be stuck with a regular/traditional pediatrician who practices western medicine. I have prepared his birthdays by researching online; venues, caterers, videographers, everything was off of the internet. I regularly read up on different parenting methods and I try to incorporate the ones that I think would work, in our lives. I learn from other people’s experiences and I’m thankful for the internet for bringing it to me. Thru the internet I was inspired by another blog (Pochanginamo) to put up my own and serve as an online journal for my son to read when he grows up. So I don’t think, I’ll be logging off anytime soon 🙂

7. Hi Anton, My name is Ricky, I’m a rookiedad.
   This is where I write the joys and awesome adventures of being a father:
   http://www.pilipinongtunay.multiply.com
   I write and create things on the net because I believe it helps our 3.5 year old son grow as a loving, caring and happy person.
   I blog to let him know (when he starts reading it):
   1. How much his mom and I love him.
   2. That there are so much joy in simple things.
   3. That we are so blessed for having him as our son
   4. And share with him some of my lessons learned from the real world.
   His name is Evan. He’s our 3.5 year old son.
   1. He loves music and he likes playing the drums.
   http://tinyurl.com/3f784w
   2. Lately, he likes playing Wii on weekends or walking in the park.
   http://tinyurl.com/ndlpxf
   3. He loves kite flying too, except on rainy days.
   http://tinyurl.com/l9u3bn
   4. He’s a fan of Jules Verne for bedtime stories.
   http://tinyurl.com/kutf6t
   5. He’s not scared of the barber anymore.
   http://tinyurl.com/njkxt6
   http://tinyurl.com/mjpaun
   6. He doesn’t like his shadow very much.
   http://tinyurl.com/lqchwl
   7. He adores robots.
   http://tinyurl.com/nhqpy5
   http://tinyurl.com/l4takd
   8. I still can’t figure out how to make a paper helicopter for him.
   http://tinyurl.com/mxfe2c
   9. He a good negotiator. A very good one.
   http://tinyurl.com/ltcfos
   10. A Star wars fanboy.
   http://tinyurl.com/nldfcd
   http://tinyurl.com/l4zrj8
   http://tinyurl.com/4tyrnt
   11. Playing pretend is one of his favorites.
   http://tinyurl.com/m3o6aw
   12. He likes riding on my shoulders
   http://tinyurl.com/ksn4mw
   13. We pick rocks while we stroll in the park and paint them.
   http://tinyurl.com/lor6zy
   14. He’s got his own worldview.
   http://tinyurl.com/l9v62s
   15. He’s traveled to some awesome cities around the world.
   http://tinyurl.com/mzk768
   http://tinyurl.com/lyf8s8
   http://tinyurl.com/ks3z57
   http://tinyurl.com/m77ajg
   16. We put a twist to the alphabet.
   http://tinyurl.com/m59nqs
   17. He loves his mom (and dad too!)
   http://tinyurl.com/l9tbtu
   18. He can count 1 to 10 backwards.
   http://tinyurl.com/mbv7wa
   How do I use the internet to help raise our kid? I blog. I make movies. I take photos. It inspires my son to create and imagine. It makes him happy –> that makes me and my wife the happiest.
   I also wish to share my adventures with all the rookiedads out there and hopefully be able to help them in my own little way.
   I have been blogging consistently for two years and enjoying it – I think I’m doing a bit of a fine job. Not very bad for a dad who’s scared of writing (essays are the scariest of all).
   Anything for my boy Evan. 🙂
   Goodluck with your talk. More power.

8. Hi Anton, My name is Ricky, I’m a rookiedad.
   This is where I write the joys and awesome adventures of being a father:
   http://www.pilipinongtunay.multiply.com
   I write and create things on the net because I believe it helps our 3.5 year old son grow as a loving, caring and happy person.
   I blog to let him know (when he starts reading it):
   1. How much his mom and I love him.
   2. That there are so much joy in simple things.
   3. That we are so blessed for having him as our son
   4. And share with him some of my lessons learned from the real world.
   His name is Evan. He’s our 3.5 year old son.
   1. He loves music and he likes playing the drums.
   http://tinyurl.com/3f784w
   2. Lately, he likes playing Wii on weekends or walking in the park.
   http://tinyurl.com/ndlpxf
   3. He loves kite flying too, except on rainy days.
   http://tinyurl.com/l9u3bn
   4. He’s a fan of Jules Verne for bedtime stories.
   http://tinyurl.com/kutf6t
   5. He’s not scared of the barber anymore.
   http://tinyurl.com/njkxt6
   http://tinyurl.com/mjpaun
   6. He doesn’t like his shadow very much.
   http://tinyurl.com/lqchwl
   7. He adores robots.
   http://tinyurl.com/nhqpy5
   http://tinyurl.com/l4takd
   8. I still can’t figure out how to make a paper helicopter for him.
   http://tinyurl.com/mxfe2c
   9. He a good negotiator. A very good one.
   http://tinyurl.com/ltcfos
   10. A Star wars fanboy.
   http://tinyurl.com/nldfcd
   http://tinyurl.com/l4zrj8
   http://tinyurl.com/4tyrnt
   11. Playing pretend is one of his favorites.
   http://tinyurl.com/m3o6aw
   12. He likes riding on my shoulders
   http://tinyurl.com/ksn4mw
   13. We pick rocks while we stroll in the park and paint them.
   http://tinyurl.com/lor6zy
   14. He’s got his own worldview.
   http://tinyurl.com/l9v62s
   15. He’s traveled to some awesome cities around the world.
   http://tinyurl.com/mzk768
   http://tinyurl.com/lyf8s8
   http://tinyurl.com/ks3z57
   http://tinyurl.com/m77ajg
   16. We put a twist to the alphabet.
   http://tinyurl.com/m59nqs
   17. He loves his mom (and dad too!)
   http://tinyurl.com/l9tbtu
   18. He can count 1 to 10 backwards.
   http://tinyurl.com/mbv7wa
   How do I use the internet to help raise our kid? I blog. I make movies. I take photos. It inspires my son to create and imagine. It makes him happy –> that makes me and my wife the happiest.
   I also wish to share my adventures with all the rookiedads out there and hopefully be able to help them in my own little way.
   I have been blogging consistently for two years and enjoying it – I think I’m doing a bit of a fine job. Not very bad for a dad who’s scared of writing (essays are the scariest of all).
   Anything for my boy Evan. 🙂
   Goodluck with your talk. More power.

9. Hi Anton, my name is Ricky. I’m a rookie dad. I tried posting my comments but somehow I can’t get them through so I just posted them on my blog. Here’s the link:
   http://pilipinongtunay.multiply.com/journal/item/118/rookiedaddyhood_110_-_Digital_Daddy_OurAwesomePlanet.com
   Goodluck with your talk. More power

10. Hi, Anton! I have 3 daughters (ages 9yo, 3yo and 1mo). I’m your usual, normal dad. I’m not as techie as the others but my hobbies include using the internet a lot. I’m actually surprised with what the internet can do in creating a bond between parents and their children. My eldest daughter has been playing online games and there are times that she would ask me or my wife to help her with the game. Playing online educational games such as Hangaroo, Bookworm or Text Twist is a one geat bonding activity for us. It’s fun and challenging at the same time. There are certain online activities which allow her to think creatively and use her imagination. Presently, I’m addicted to Facebook’s Typing Maniac and my daughter joins me or is the one helping me get to be the no. 1 in that game. Haha!
    I believe the internet has created a way, for us, parents, to be in touch or relate more with our children. Kids, nowadays, they talk and speak computers. So, it’s essential for us to not only be aware of what’s the latest in computerworld but more importantly, to try to be in touch with our “techie-selves”, too. We are “cool” to our children if they think we are doing things that interest them a lot. It’s like speaking their language very well.
    For me, the internet, can be a tool to raise smarter, more confident and responsible children. There’s no more excuse for not doing their homework since the access to internet is readily available to them. However, as parents, we should not forget to establish, first and foremost, the parameters in using the internet. Yes, there are still RULES to be followed and it’s up to us, parents, to enforce those rules.
    Online activity is now part of everyday life for any family. Instead of being “praning” about it, let’s us just embrace this technology and equip ourselves with how we can maximize and use it in raising our kids well.

11. “How are you creatively using the internet to help you in raising your kids?”
    by Dennis Morada
    _________________________________________________________________________________
    HTML (How Technology Moves Lives)
    Ping!
    That girl, Whois my child is a gif downloaded from above. She is the applet of my eyes. There’s none like her in the entire World Wide Web — Unix and truly special! “URL (you are loved)”, I’d tell her, “with unlimited bandwidth“.
    “Youtube POP,” she’d reply. “Yahoo! GoDaddy!” she‘d cheer. “How tweet she is,” Friends ter us. She is tweet, true, Tweeter than honey Multiply’d by candy.
    How Quicktime it is. Not long ago, she was just a pixel, a chip, a Flickr. Motherboard be proud. How she’s grown!
    For her I pray, a God-blessed-future.com, filled with HTTP (Hope Truth Thankfulness Peace).
    _________________________________________________________
    Faith is 4 years old and has just started school. She’s enrolled, I would think, in the best school there is for her: the dad and mom nursery— our home school! Yes, we are her teachers. We teach her, her ABCs and 123s, her rhymes and songs, poems and prayers, sports and dances, and faith and values. Most importantly, we do everything with much love, concern and dedication, in a way other teachers will never ever be able to match.
    Time is the prime investment. I had to give up my 8 to 5 job; and instead, looked to the internet for the alternative source of income. I blog, I sell on line, and I help others with their website projects. Additionally, I teach technology in colleges.
    My blog is only secondarily a source of income, it is an advocacy blog. I meant it as my legacy to my child and all the children of this world:
    > that I may leave them a greener, healthier and happier world
    > that I may teach them good values
    > that I may set a good example in living a principled life.
    I make my living now, and am trying in my own little way, to make our lives all the better; and because of technology, because of the internet all these have become possible. How Technology Moves Lives (HTML), indeed.

12. I forgot to post the link to my entry to the Daddy Blog Contest:
    http://pinoygreenacademy.typepad.com/pinoy_green_academy/2009/07/pinoy-green-blogger-joins-digital-daddy-blog-contest.html
    Title: HTML (How Technology Moves Lives)

13. I’ve just read this today, the date of the deadline.
    Well, as an entry, I just post anything relevant about my kids and the joy of being a parent i.e. their photos, events, school activities, etc. Show these to them occasionally. Most of the time I get happy appreciation from them. And for learning, they get to monitor their growth esp the changes in their appearance and body.

14. Of all the conveniences brought about by the advent of broadband and high-speed internet, I’ve found that none has been more integral to raising my child as the internet’s ability to bridge the distances between my son and family members everywhere. It helps to establish a strong sense of family in our little Franco to always keep in close tabs with his relatives, whether their presence be actual or online. Every so often, we grab a chance to check in on Lola Beth in Parañaque or Lolo Frank in Jersey with our trusty webcam, or pull up an online album to check out cousin Geo’s latest addition to his hotwheels collection. It certainly adds to my range as a Dad to be able to raise a family-oriented child by harnessing the power of the internet.
    It also helps that a wealth of materials on just about any topic are just a click away. When our son showed a fascination for a particular subject, whether it was a lesson on phonetics, an elephant, or a Josh Groban hit, we made sure to expose him to as much material as he cared to see. we would download what we could and go over them again and again. It came as no surprise then that with the treasure of information at his reach and his parents’ loving guidance, our son can already read, and he’s only 1 year and 10 months old.

15. Dear Anton,
    I’ld like to contribute my own thoughts hoping that it may help you with your presentation this weekend.
    Matthew, my 8 year old son, is quite tech savvy. He has his own email address and has his own accounts in some social networking sites. Like many other kids his age, he is very curious about all the different kinds of media on the internet, especially games. I often compare my own childhood to his and one thing I can say is that he is growing up in a more protected and sheltered environment compared to my childhood. I remember, after coming home from school, my mom would let us out of the house to play with our neighbors, ride our bikes, etc. with little supervision. That experience of being in the outside world without supervision was where you learned what was good and bad, safe and dangerous, sane and crazy, etc. Unfortunately for my son, I doubt that either his mom or me would let him go out of the house anytime soon without adult supervision. The risk in today’s world seems to be so much higher than in the past (I don’t know if that is real or just perceived.) But in any case it seems to be certain that Matthew will have to put up with that kind of environment.
    I’m sure he doesn’t know what he’s missing. I’m also sure that the shelter we have wrapped him in has definitely shielded him from bad elements that we would like to avoid for now. But I know that at the tender age of 8, he is missing something important by not being able to explore for himself the larger environment around him.
    Recently, Matt and I have been surfing the internet together, not necessarily just to play games or watch funny movies. More importantly I’ve been using these surfing sessions to point out to him the good and the bad in the world, to explain to him where he is safe and where things can get dangerous for him. It becomes his way of exploring the outside world without having him have to step out of the house. I am pleased with how he has become more conscious about the different kinds of people in the world and what they do… He reads about great people and occasionally sees the bad in the world as well. And in those surfing sessions I see my son exercise his judgement about what messages to answer, what videos to watch, what sites to see, etc. .
    The other thing that we do which I think is interesting is we are experimenting with “family collaboration tools”. Recently I created a family account in a site called Cozi. What I find interesting is how we all work together to fix our joint schedule, especially during the weekend and also the negotiations we have over grocery lists.
    I agree with the previous contributor, we cannot stop the online world so we as parents must embrace it and learn how to shape it to be a world where I can raise my son to be responsible young man.
    Richard Cruz

16. Not really an entry, but some points you may want to include for OFW dads (like me)
    Use of Internet to “remotely raise” kids.
    – Webcam/chat/skype to connect constantly (besides email, of course).
    – Help my kid with math assignments via YM doodle 🙂 Was able to “review” essays via MS word tools.
    – Being “friends” in friendster/facebook/multiply/etc to be kept updated wrt to kids
    – Non-material Gift giving via internet: Flickr Pro accounts, Rapidshare premium 😉
    – I can order some school books via Amazon for delivery to my kids address
    – Online/real-time money transfer to kids accounts (BPI linked accounts) for emergencies
    – You can now pay tuition online for some school (haven’t tried it though)
    – Schools now also provide online grades (so I have access to my kids progress)
    plus, not really an internet thing – I brought a Smart roaming chip abroad to allow my kids to SMS me on the cheap
    Well, so far the kids are turning out fine (praise God)

17. Hi Anton,
    Here is my entry to your contest. The link is http://www.brownyellowgreen.com/more_to_byg/2009/07/parenting-in-the-internet-generation.html
    Salamat
    Ed B. Cleofe

18. Congratulations to the Digital Daddy Contest Winners!
    Here are the winners:
    1st Prize. Richard Cruz – “the internet as a way for our kids to explore the world ‘safely'” and the Cozi suggestion.
    2nd Prize. Dennis Morada – Pinoy Green Blogger – we loved his HTML tribute to his daughter! haha! ang galeng!
    3rd Prize. Angelo Nino M. Santos, MD – “the internet as a source of family bonding”
    one (1) complimentary seat to one Maven Secrets Hands-on Workshop
    Free Entrance fee to the Digital Daddy Contest 🙂
    1. Ed Cleofe
    2. Jover Joy
    3. Richard Cruz
    4. Francisco Latoja Jr.
    5. Zimmbodilion Mosende
    6. Dennis Morada
    7. Ronald Aguilar
    8. Ricky Garcia
    9. Boy Kulit
    10. Fred
    11. Dexter Caganap
    12. Angelo Niño M. Santos, MD
    13. Jover Nocom

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