How to Use Mac OS X Leopard Parental Controls

Monitoring your kids' activities and looking out for their safety when they use the computer is always a difficult job. Fortunately, MacIntosh OS X Leopard's Parental Controls are simpler and easier to understand than ever before (like everything else on Leopard).

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Access the "System Preferences" icon in either the "Applications" window or on the toolbar. It's the silver square with the gears. Click on the "Parental Controls icon" in the "System" menu. Input your user name and password.

2. Limit your kids' computer use with the "Time Limits" tab. Use the time limit slide controls to set a specific number of hours on weekdays and weekends. Set an hour the computer becomes inaccessible in the "Bedtime" section.

3. Go to the "Content" window to determine which websites will be accessible. Not only can you make a list of "whitelisted" sites and automatically try to limit adult sites, but you can hide profanity in the OS X dictionary.

4. Build a list of approved chat and email addresses for iChat and Mail. In the "Mail and iChat" section, click the "+" below the list, type an email address and press "Enter." Repeat this for as many addresses as you need.

5. View your kids' computer activity in the "Logs" section, which includes a complete list of websites visited, used applications and iChat sessions. You can track as far back as you wish and you can restrict or allow usage from this section.

Tips & Warnings

• The computer's administrator account cannot access Parental Controls. You must create another user account and enable Parental Controls for it.