Karen Cockburn’s two sons love video games. But the Boulder mom had trouble limiting their playing time to 45 minutes a day each.
“Those computer games are so seductive to kids, it’s difficult to get them to manage their time,” she said of her sons, Peter, 11, and Ben, 10. “There’s always the manipulation factor. They always say, ‘I’m about off, I’m about off.”‘
While there’s always been concern over children spending too much time watching television, the Information Age has given us personal computers, Xboxes, Sony PlayStations, iPods, GameBoys and, of course, the Internet. Parents now have a greater challenge controlling the amount of time children spend consuming media.
A Boulder company is selling a $99 device that puts a timer on electronic devices in an effort to get children unplugged.
Hopscotch Technology’s device – called BOB – was unveiled earlier this year. Any electronic device can be plugged into BOB. Using a master key and master personal identification number, parents lock in the power supply and program the amount of time per day or week children are allowed to use the TV, computer or gaming console.
Before using the connected medium, the child punches in his or her own four-digit PIN, and BOB’s timer begins. When a child exceeds the time allotted by parents, BOB powers off the TV or computer.
Cockburn brought BOB into the family three months ago and connected it to their home computer.
“I set it to 45 minutes a day. It sits right there and they watch” the timer, said Cockburn. “BOB makes them choose and respect their time more. They think about whether they want to play a game or use the Internet.”
BOB’s already on sale at Mike’s Camera stores in Denver and Boulder. It’s on display right next to the big-screen TVs.
“One of the concerns we see customers have with the purchase of a new TV is that kids would spend too much time watching TV on the new set,” said Alex Christianian, vice president of operations for Mike’s Camera. “It kind of comes together and facilitates the buying of a TV when the customer has kids.”
BOB soon will be available via Amazon.com for $99, the company said. Hopscotch already gets about 30 to 40 individual orders a week from their website, www.usebob.com, which are filled by a contract production facility in Loveland.
“It really gives kids back their childhood,” said Hopscotch co-founder and chief executive Tom Gallop. “My son was using media around 22 hours a week. We gave him BOB and he’s down to eight.”
Hopscotch was originally funded by Gallop and co-founder and president Brian Baker in 2005. It received $500,000 in private capital in March. Hopscotch has eight employees and is in search of an additional $2.1 million in venture funding.
There are other devices on the market that allow parents to set controls on computer usage, such as PC Moderator and Time-Scout Monitor and TV Allowance. Prices range from $80 to $99. There’s also downloadable software such as PC TimeCop and ComputerTime.
Baker says that BOB stands out from competitors because it’s easy to use and available at major retailers.
“With those other devices, you have tokens and credit cards, and it takes longer to set up,” Baker said. “It takes one second to type in BOB’s PIN number. We are available on a nationwide scale and can manage electronic devices with sensitive components.”
Despite early concerns about savvy teens hacking into BOB, Baker said that hasn’t been an issue, although the company has tested it against hackers.
“Most teenagers will try to tamper with BOB for only 24 hours and will accept the device as an extension of parents’ rules,” he said.
According to a 2005 report by the Kaiser Family Foundation, 8- to 18-year-olds spend an average of 6.5 hours a day with some form of media. That compares with a little more than two hours spent “hanging out with parents,” and about 90 minutes of physical activity daily.
“It’s a common problem that impacts a number of families,” said Jeff Caster, a child and adolescent psychologist in Centennial. “Families have to figure out how to moderate and mediate (media). It causes a lot of frustration and tension in the family.”
Staff writer Kimberly S. Johnson can be reached at 303-820-1088 or kjohnson@denverpost.com.
