Parents Believe Kids Are Too Plugged In

American kids are spending more time than ever in front of the computer, and the trend makes some parents queasy, CNet reports. Three-quarters of Americans age 12 and up spend an average of 8.9 hours online a week, a new study finds. And the numbers will keep rising, as schools adopt digital curricula and social networking goes online, so how much online time is healthy?

A third of parents believe their children spend too much time online, and the numbers are higher when it comes to TV. But experts only condemn such sedentary activities when they interfere with family or outdoor fun. "You don't want them to turn into jelly. You limit what they do, but I don't think they miss out of imaginative play by doing things online," said one parent. (More raising children stories.)