The " PC Dads' Guide to Raising a Computer-smart Parent: A Down-home Guide for Digitally Distressed Parents (Paperback)

Intel employees Mark Ivey and Ralph Bond say they've been repeating that lesson to folks at PTA meetings and night classes for three years. To get the point across, the PC Dads -- PC stands for "personal computer," not politically correct -- sometimes dress up in safari costumes as they teach people to explore the Internet.

Now the Dads have written a book, with marketing support from Intel. Intel is the same wise and benevolent corporation that was an early investor in CitySearch as well as the generous and kind employer of the author's wife. But we digress.

"The PC Dads Guide to Becoming a Computer Smart Parent," refutes the notion that computers are mysterious contraptions understood only by geeks and teenagers.

Whether mothers and fathers like the PC Dads' message could depend on what kind of parents they are. Adults who buy a computer to free them of all those time-consuming parenting chores may find the two-guy team annoying in their insistence that nothing can replace the love and guidance of a carbon-based human.

Getting a computer doesn't give parents the right to withdraw from being active in their children's education, Ivey says. "We don't see the PC as the panacea for everything," he adds. "(People) want instant success, and learning is a slow process."

Parents need to stay active and interested in how their kids are learning. Educational programs are most effective when parents sit next to their kids, offering encouragement and advice, says the duo.

Part of being a computer-savvy parent is learning how technology works, the guys say. Their book explains how a computer works and what parents should consider when buying one. It even includes a glossary of computing terms, for those who don't know their RAM from their ROM.

The PC Dads also say it's important for parents to keep an eye on their kids' computer activities. The Dads' book comments on the effectiveness of pornography-filtering software, but reminds parents that they still need to check on what the little darlings are doing when they're online.

"I'll never forget a woman who saw our show," Bond says. "She said to me: 'You know, I bought a computer for my 14-year-old boy about six months ago and now I'm starting to wonder. Every day after school he and his buddies go up and close the door and are hooting and laughing. I always thought it was great they were using the computer.'" That kind of laissez-faire parenting rubs the PC Dads the wrong way. "You need to manage and monitor," Bond says.

The Dads use personal stories to illustrate how adults might respond to cyber-challenges. Bond writes about the criteria his family uses in deciding whether a game is too violent. If there is a profusion of blood, guts, and dismemberment, the game is generally off-limits. He also suggests games -- such as Redline Racer and Pod -- that can hold a child's interest without grossing out parents with gore and violence.

To avoid excessive game-playing, Ivey allows each of his children to play one hour of computer games for every hour spent on educational programs. Bond offers each of his children a one-hour electronic-entertainment allowance for each school night. They can use that time watching TV, playing on the computer, or listening to the stereo.

The book is replete with such suggestions, giving parents ideas for handling a number of computing issues. "We look at this as a parenting book that deals with computers," Ivey says. "We're trying to basically empower the parents." -- Gerrit Koepping, CitySearch.com Shopping Editor.