HELP: Suggestions please for monitoring PC usage?

[Donnie]

A little background, my son has isolated himself more and more in his room over the last few years using his computer for 6 - 12 hour stretches. 3 monitors, one usually with a chat room chatting to mates via headset, another with a game going like overwatch or whatever and another for various like music or browsing.

Long story short (and after several interventions and attempts at help for his attitude / mental health) things finally became too toxic at home and he's been homeless coming up to a month.
Of course this has forced him to engage in certain services finally, he's in a shelter and the dorm has 14 other cots in it and there's arguing all night etc, relies on food from them, has been to sign on and look for work and a month later that's still not sorted as he had no ID etc and he's started to talk to the shelter counsellor. Also, he's got an interview next week for work at McDonalds.

There's been some communication and today's the first time he, me and the wife have sat down and chatted together. The stumbling block is his computer. We've told him we would love him to come home but on similar "terms" to what he's doing now, ie transparency of what he's doing ie work, pay, bank accounts, active participation in family and not sitting in his room all day every day as isolation breeds depression.

To that end, (and it's only one of many parts of this jigsaw) I want to find a way that he can use his computer 1 hour a day but that I can monitor he sticks to it? Im not after spyware that will copy website addresses and keystrokes or any of that, I literally want to see if there's some simple software to monitor pc usage if that makes sense?

 

[Box Brownie]

I am saddened to hear of the travails you are having

When you say limit his computer time do you mean screen time or internet access time?

If screen time I surmise there just might be some methods using software or hardware interventions. NB if W10, I vaguely recall reading that has some form of parental controls built in to it???

If internet access time, then if your router is anything like mine (I have never configured this) it has the function to set up "guest access" with day & time limits setup. This of course presupposes that he will not be able to crack(?) the admin password on the router and hence get round your intervention. Or him getting a wireless MiFi device!

I hope that maybe is of some help and wish you well with working through a difficult period..................with light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[Donnie]

Thanks for the thoughts, things will improve with time I hope but he needs structure and support at the moment so I think we're all seeing how it goes.

So, yes, actual computer screen time in his room is what im looking at limiting as opposed to internet access. I'll try and google the parental controls as I believe it is a Window 10 device, its something for me to start with anyway. Again many thanks.

 

[Box Brownie]

A couple of links that might aid you?

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb...ntent-restrictions-on-windows-10-and-xbox-one

and this one about screentime limits setting
https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/4028244

 

[ancient_mariner]

Thanks for the thoughts, things will improve with time I hope but he needs structure and support at the moment so I think we're all seeing how it goes.

So, yes, actual computer screen time in his room is what im looking at limiting as opposed to internet access. I'll try and google the parental controls as I believe it is a Window 10 device, its something for me to start with anyway. Again many thanks.

TBH I don't think you could possibly control computer 'on' time using parental controls. First thing I'd do in his place would be to create a bootable USB stick that could avoid all windows controls, possibly even create a dual boot system, maybe using a second hard drive if I wanted to play games, so that you'd never know I'd circumvented your controls.

Possibly the only effective means would be to insist all computers were used in the family space, and not anywhere solo.

I really feel for you - computers/internet can be an almost irresistable draw.

 

[Box Brownie]

TBH I don't think you could possibly control computer 'on' time using parental controls. First thing I'd do in his place would be to create a bootable USB stick that could avoid all windows controls, possibly even create a dual boot system, maybe using a second hard drive if I wanted to play games, so that you'd never know I'd circumvented your controls.

Possibly the only effective means would be to insist all computers were used in the family space, and not anywhere solo.

I really feel for you - computers/internet can be an almost irresistable draw.

@ancient_mariner makes very valid points.................especially as perhaps based on the rig you say he has, that he is very PC savvy. The kit maybe needs to be stored away and as Toni says setup one PC in the room that you as a family will be sharing that he can use whilst you are present???

 

[Darthchaffinch]

Sorry to hear this. I put Kapersky kids monitor on both my boy's phones which has been excellent. It recently alerted us to something the youngest has been searching for on the internet and we were able to address it with him before it became a proper issue.

 

[admirable]

I have a friend who had a similar situation with her Daughter, she allowed her use of the laptop in her room with out the charger, so when the battery ran out that was it.
There was a rule that any attempt to obtain another charger or battery would mean no laptop for 1 month............she borrowed a battery from a friend and got caught. That taught her a big lesson, her Mum upped the stakes and warned her the next time it was no phone or laptop for two months.
Obviously there was heap big tantrums and falling out but it has worked. Daughter now has a small part time job and is sitting exams this year.

 

[Donnie]

im currently using a time screen app and checking it every few days, seems to be working so far.