Computer Activities to Help Strengthen a Family

Safety First

• Computers do a lot of cool things, but before turning your family loose online, you will want to take some precautions, especially if you have young children. You can set up a home network if you own more than one computer, or create individual accounts on your computer if you only have one computer. You might want to set up a tracking program or a program that filters computer usage. This enables parents to track what children access and lets them block material they find objectionable. Educate yourself and your family in using good computer etiquette, and encourage your children to talk to you about the things they find online. Think of these precautions as putting training wheels on your computer.

Financial Matters

• Many brick-and-mortar businesses have an online presence these days. This means you can check your bank account, pay bills, monitor investments and even do all or part of your money-earning work online. Internet access means that many financial chores, such as paying the bills, can be done in under an hour instead of taking all day. The less time you need to spend on financial matters, the more time you have to invest in interacting with families.

Communication

• Computers now play a big role in communication. Whether you are using email, social programs or Internet telephone from a desktop computer or combining voice communication with texting and social media on a tablet or smartphone, options for exchanging messages have dramatically improved in the last 10 years. The parent who is out of the house does not need to guess whether the family is out of milk or if the stay-at-home parent needs a break; a quick phone call on the way home or a text message or two can help with planning dinner or an evening out.

Recreation

• Your computer can be used to plan a weekend camping trip or a dinner and movie evening for the family. Options for various activities can be quickly accessed and plans can be made as a group. Multiplayer games can allow children to play together without being able to change the rules. Department and game stores carry many games that can be played on two or more machines. They also have games that can be played as "hot seat" games, where participants take turns on the computer. Dance mats and similar equipment encourage players to stand up and move, overcoming one of the major objections to a lot of time spent on the computer.

Long-Distance Interaction

• Career opportunities often separate families. Married children move away from their parents, or one parent may need to travel to accommodate an employer. Divorced parents sometimes live many miles apart. Programs such as Google Hang Out or Skype allow family members to see as well as speak with one another. Cousins who might otherwise never meet each other can share a game of Monopoly or checkers over the Internet. Families can use programs such as Photobucket or Drop Box to share pictures, sound files and even videos.