Techno-Ten

My ten-year-old son opened his new MacBook about 20 minutes before bedtime one night last week. Thanks to both Apple's excellent product design and my son's savvy, within two minutes he was on our household network and could print from anywhere. A minute later he had accessed his e-mail account, where he had an InBox full of messages from his other ten-year-old friends. After a few more minutes of exploring, it was bedtime. (School started the next day, so no free pass for a late bedtime.)

Within minutes of arriving home from school the next day, he'd set up a Skype account, allowing him to visually communicate with his friends in real-time. Next came the AIM account, allowing him to IM with his non-Skype-capable friends.

Since we own a tech company and often have extra components around, my son asked my husband if he could have a freebie printer we'd received with another computer, along with an old bluetooth headset. Within minutes of my husband's arrival home with these items, my son had wirelessly set up the printer on his desk in his room (we didn't even know it was a wireless printer!) and had set up the bluetooth as well.

Over the weekend, he signed up for gmail, with the intention of moving his other e-mail and AIM capabilities to the new account. And began transferring his iTunes library to his new computer. In addition, he'd set about adding photos, creating documents, and videotaping himself doing various silly ten-year-old things, complete with visual effects. We're hoping he might actually use the computer for school research and for writing papers, but I'm sure these are merely secondary goals for him!

Now it's back-to-school Monday, and I think he's just about done setting up his new computer. I find it so fascinating that he -- along with so many kids these days -- is so tech savvy that he was able to to intuitively and effortlessly configure his new computer to his satisfaction, without the help of his parents. In fact, he taught us some new things in the process.

Lest anyone worry that we've given him too much leeway, and exposed him to too much freedom, know this: Our son knows that, at the age of ten, he is granted zero expectation of privacy. He knows that we have the right, and will exercise that right, to examine his e-mail messages, IM log, Internet log, photos, videos, and documents on his computer. And that we'll exercise this right at our own discretion, and without warning. We would like him to use his new freedom to explore the many uses of technology, but in a safe and considerate manner. No giving out personal information. No viewing or discussing inappropriate material. No discussions that would be hurtful to other friends or acquaintances. Any infraction will result in the removal of the computer. (We've reminded him that he has two sisters who would LOVE to get their hands on his new computer!)

But it is important to let kids explore and use their creativity. Within the guidelines we've set, he should feel trusted to make the right decisions. And if/when he violates that trust, it will be a learning experience for him. That's part of growing up.