it’s A Crowded House, But Kids Can Stay Online All Summer And You Won't Miss & Single Cali (NAPSA)-—As kids count the days until summer break, parents prepare themselves for the battle brewing. A full house means com- petition for everything from the TV remate control to the keys to the minivan. However, that ten- sion is minor comparedto the battles that rage in homes with only one phone line and a dial-up connection to the Internet. A recent survey by CallWave, an Internet telephone services company, found that the average household using their service is online 15 hours a week. That dumber rises considerably during holiday weeks and summertime when children are home from school. Fortunately, many families have discovered a wayto keep the peace between children and parents (and an open phone line) while kids are home for the summer. CallWave’s free Internet Answering Maching enables Web surfers with a single phone line to hear who’s calling while they’re ouline. Instead of getting a busy signal, callers are greeted by a brief recording and can leave a voice message, which online users hear instantly through their ecormputer speakers. The service works using the “Call Forward On Busy” feature of a standard phone line. “Our kids would be online for hours and no one wouldbe able to get through on the phone,” said ane parent. “They'd say that they would be off in a few minutes, but weren't. We were considering adding a second phone line until we heard about CallWave. It’s Many parents who are away from home use internet answering machines to stay in contact with their Web surfing kids. great-—-ne more arguing with the kids.” Parents also use the service to stay in touch with kids, who are busy surfing the Web for boy band sites, playing games and e-mailing friends, while they are away from the house. “My daughter wanted to stay online for hours and we would argue about it,” said one working mom. “Since getting CallWave, she spends all the time she wants. if T need to get a hold of my children from work, I just call and leave a message.” Withthe cost of a second phone line often costing upwards of $500 a year, the Internet Answering Machineis the smart wayfor families to stay connected, even when lines of communication are seem- ingly limited. For more information and to download the free software, visit www.callwave.com.
