Kids are actively into blogging and producing videos, and some of them are surprisingly good.
Should parents encourage their kinds to pursue such activities? I think so. The future belongs to those willing to do things, not just sit and play video games.
A blog produced by Calvin, my neighbor's son is what got me thinking about this Sunday diversion from my normal tirades about current economic madness. Inquiring minds may wish to check out his blog ReGiz.
Calvin reviews all kinds of products his group of friends might be using. He knows far more about the technology that goes into these devices than I do. He has recently rated products and software such as ...
Calvin wants to work in product design. Certainly reviewing products in his spare time while still in highschool gives him a big edge over those wasting time on video games.
Video by Kids
Calvin directed me to a site by a few of his friends, Andrew, Adrian, and Fernando, three brothers. Calvin writes ...
Andrew and Adrian are twins, along with their brother Fernando, they combine to produce videos. Their ambition is to one day go to school to become movie directors, but in the meantime, they are creating their own movies and shows. They have created two feature length movies which can be found on their youtube account.
They created their first movie when they were 9, and their second when they were 12. They intend to create a third movie this summer, and are holding auditions. I have read the script, and it has dramatically improved over their previous two.
They also do their own monthly web show called Wacky But True in which they examine all of the recent crazy events that go on in today's world.
Superhero Battle 2012!
Here is a movie review by the brothers called Superhero Battle 2012!
Check out the first episode of "The Movie Duo", a show where we tell you the biggest news and answer the biggest questions about movies! In this episode, we discuss which superhero film will get more money and acclaim from critics and audiences alike next year. Will it be The Avengers, Ghost Rider or The Dark Knight Rises?
Please do not make the mistake of comparing these websites and videos to those produced by adults, especially professionals, in regards to blog layout, image quality, ect.
The point is these kids are doing something positive about their future and those are the kids who will have a huge edge up in getting a quality job some time down the road. Looking back to when I was 12-14 I could not imagine doing such things. The products and even the ideas for many of these products did not exist.
Meet the Tweeny Bloggers
Children as young as three are firing up their laptops and connecting, says Susie Mesure in The internet comes of age: Meet the tweeny bloggers
They are the Generation Net, whose toddler years have spawned countless mummy blogs, whether they liked it or not. Now, they're getting their own back. Children as young as three are turning to blogging to tell their side of the story.
The growing army of child bloggers is tackling subjects from politics to new toys, while improving their literacy skills. The interest has triggered a debate on the wisdom of giving children free rein online, as social networking sites aimed at pre-teens soar in popularity.
The prospect of making money online - research last week found that 10 YouTube stars, including one 16-year-old, earn more than £65,000 a year from their share of its advertising revenue - is adding to the allure, even if child bloggers are more likely to be posting links to YouTube than collecting fat cheques from the video-clip sharing site.
Sonny To - eight when he started TotallySonny is among those who already find blogging rewarding. "People send me things and I review them," he says. Headphones, a new cereal and a toy owl are among the products that Sonny has blogged about. Now nine, he claims he got into blogging for more than just free stuff. "My mum was getting loads of traffic on her blog and it seemed like fun. Blogging has also made my writing much better and I have learnt how to explain things properly. It has made me much more confident."
Maelo Manning, who turned 11 last week, says she likes to air her views. So much so that she has two blogs - after all, they are free to set up. "It's fun to say stuff about what you're thinking, especially about politics." Her Lib demchild blog (Libdem Child's) dispels the notion that politics is just for grown-ups, and she made some cogent points about the lack of affordable childcare in one recent post, which she used to bemoan Westminster Council's decision to shut a free play scheme.
She keeps to relatively lighter subjects at Life of a Blooming Child so-called because she finds it "lovely that adults think children are blooming. I hear them talking about this all the time, as in: 'Why is that blooming child doing that?' " Despite being relatively new to blogging, Maelo already has hundreds of readers from as far afield as the US, Australia and Russia.
Although Sonny and Maelo's mothers are both relaxed about their children's online presence, not all parents feel the same. James Seddon, Wired magazine's GeekDad blogger, said his instant reaction was to turn down his eight-year-old's request for her own blog as the thought of her "sharing who she is with the world" made him "uneasy". Other parents "lock" their children's blogs, handing the passwords only to friends and families.
Should You Let Your Child Blog?
About.Com addresses the question Should You Let Your Child Blog?
The article cites Online Safety Tips some of which are common-sense suggestions for all age groups, yet other tips seem excessively restrictive for highschoolers (for example, screening everything they write).
For the youngest bloggers, Blog Hosting for Kids may be a good idea.
Encourage, Not Let
About.Com asks the wrong question. "Let" is the wrong word. "Force" or "make" is the wrong idea as well.
"Encourage" is a much better word, and not necessarily just about blogging, but about doing something that will give kids an edge up on job hunting after graduation.
The same applies to free college level classes. I discussed one such opportunity recently in Stanford Offers Free Robotics and Artificial Courses; 10,000 Already Sign Up.
Without a doubt, free robotics classes are a fabulous idea, far better than the public union idea of throwing more taxpayer dollars at problems.
Repeating what I said above, the future belongs to those willing to do things, not just sit and play video games.
