CHILDREN AT HOME WITH COMPUTERS

A few of the hot-selling video games for children this Christmas are Tomb Raider II; Riven, Myst and Starfleet Academy.

Abby Morris, 6, played with the Spiderman Cartoon Maker program.

David Morris has a home computer, but increasingly he finds it tough to get computer time.

His youngest two children -- Abby, 6, and Josh, 10 -- regularly play computer games on it after school.

"They are starting to take over my computer," he said.

His oldest son, Joe, 14, monopolizes another computer in the basement of their Cape Girardeau home.

"The big problem now is computer time," said Morris, who owns Cape Color World, a paint and wallpaper store.

Morris said his wife, Kathy, is learning to use computers too.

The Morris family bought their first computer about 10 years ago. "I have always been interested in computers," Morris said.

"At our store, we have three computers," he pointed out.

At home, Morris uses his computer to keep track of business matters.

But Abby and Josh, use the computer for entertainment.

Abby likes putting Spiderman through his paces in the CD-Rom "Spiderman Cartoon Maker" game.

So what does Abby like most about computer games? "Playing with my daddy," she said.

Abby also confided that she likes the computer mouse.

Like many children, who have grown up in the age of home computers, Abby is adept at running computer programs with a click of the mouse.

Josh knows how to transfer games, downloading them onto disks from the Internet. He frequently plays a computer card game that is similar to solitaire. Another favorite is a pinball game.

Joe spends his time designing web pages and chatting on the Internet.

Joe said he hasn't turned off his computer in six months. He spends many nights in front of the computer screen.

He designed Cape Color World's web page earlier this year and set up the web site at their church, First Christian Church.

"He's smart," Josh said of his brother.

Joe has been punching computer keys since he was 5 years old.

He knows about the inner workings of computers and how to upgrade them.

David and Joe Morris recently put a new "mother board" for the computer system at Cape Color World.

David Morris said his son jumped right into the project without the slightest hesitation.

David Morris said the family has a lot of old computer parts around the house.

He knows there are new and better computers on the market. But Morris said he can't afford to buy a new computer all the time.

"Financially, I have to stay behind the curve," he said.

Middle School teacher Tanda Smith said computers are a good educational tool.

Smith teaches seventh grade gifted students at L.J. Schultz School.

"We have been doing a study of famous people and they have been using the Internet and other sources to look up information," she said.

"I think they have such good programs out there. I would much rather have them at the computer doing a learning game than doing Sega or Nintendo, or just watching television," Smith said.

Smith said she is learning from many of the students when it comes to computers.

"They know so much more than I do at this point," she said. "The adults are a lot of times way behind the kids in their computer knowledge."

Smith said one of her students has his own web page. He reviews books and movies and puts them on his web page.

One of her students is 13-year-old Nathan Bragg, who frequently plays on the home computer.

"I sometimes get on it before school," he said.

Bragg said he has logged on home computers for about eight years. His family's first home computer was limited to a word processor, he said.

Bragg said the family now is on about its fourth different computer.

Bragg regularly chats and plays games with people from around the world on the Internet. He has played computer games with individuals from Canada and Australia. "One time, I played someone from Japan," he said.

John Hill, 12, likes games like "Civilization II." Hill explained, "You have to start and build your own civilization."

Hill said he uses a computer for school reports too. "I never write things out anymore. I just type them on the computer."

Lisa Crain, 12, is a "I Love Lucy" fan. Through the Internet, she has been researching the life of Lucille Ball, the start of the television show.

Crain said that she and her friends make movies through the use of a computer program. "You have to pick the scenes, pick the titles and make the characters move," she said.

Crain also communicates with her grandmother via electronic mail even though she lives within walking distance.

For Crain and others her age, it is hard to imagine communicating any other way.