So You Want to Buy a PC for Your Child . . .

Many parents buy PCs for their children because they feel it will keep the kids up to date. But that line of reasoning can result in wasted time and money.

“The biggest problem I see is parents have a general, vague, undefined feeling that their kid needs a computer. And they go out and buy a computer and bring it home and they don’t know what to do with it,” said Georzetta Ratcliffe, a middle-school teacher in Winchester, Va., who has written a book about how parents should buy computers.

Some tips about buying PCs for children and regulating how they’re used:

* Before you buy, define what a child can do with a computer--play games, draw, type or do research. Then ask, “Is my child the kind of child who’s going to do that?” If the answer is no, maybe buying a computer isn’t a good idea.

* Identify the software you want to buy and figure out how much computer power and storage those programs will need. Then, if you can afford it, buy a slightly more powerful machine. CD-ROM players are a must, and most computer makers don’t offer consumer machines without them.

* Be clear about who’s in charge of the computer and who’s going to maintain it. Set rules about eating and drinking at the computer and other behavior.

* Make it clear that the computer is a tool, not a toy. To guard against the kids getting into your software, back up adult programs or buy software that separates adult programs from children’s. Packard Bell and AST Research Inc. build such safeguards into the core program of PCs they sell in retail outlets.

* Monitor how the child uses the computer, particularly if he or she has access to on-line services and bulletin boards. While opening up a breadth of valuable resources, these services also pose several potential problems: software that can damage your PC, violent or pornographic images, and contact with people you wouldn’t let in the front door.