I'm not so sure I'd agree with pafkata90.  I believe in optimising your own work environment.  With respect to using a computer your choice of physical hardware, operating system, software and keyboard layout can have a huge impact on the way you work.  Therefore do what you can to make it easier.

If your children are lucky enough to dictate their own environments - or rather they have their own computers and are not confined to their school workstations, then I'd say take advantage of it.

Changing keyboard layouts isn't trivial - but it's getting far easier for the more modern of operating systems.  Make sure they know how to switch layouts themselves.  You can get by on Qwerty even if you do use another layout for the rare times you need it, and those times where your layout isn't available.  Qwerty is unavoidable. 

I'd have thought that younger people wouldn't struggle to learn duplicitous keyboarding skills.  The younger you learn, the easier I'd expect it to be.  The biggest challenge I'd have thought would be getting them typing in the first place.  You'll need an activity that encourages typing - something fun.

If anything I'd seek some advice on correct touch typing technique, and get them into good habits early on.  Including a 'healthy' posture.  You could seek out an experienced tutor for this (however they may not grok Colemak!)  Learning an alternative layout - will at least encourage them to actually type blindly - that's if you don't change the key caps.

My concern personally would be the lack of a good scientific backing of  Colemak itself, making it harder to justify the layout to others.  Going by the testimonies on this site though, there appears to be a profound preference to the layout over Qwerty - so there is anecdotal evidence supporting it.  Then there is your own belief.  If I personally believed that Colemak was vastly better than Qwerty and thought it was a great skill to have - then I'd be happy to pass that skill on to my kids.

Either way children are amazingly adaptable - and are fast learners, so I don't think you haven't much to loose.  Learning to touch type later on in life for me was a pain.  It was not a pleasurable experience and  pain drove me to it.  This was partially induced from not touch typing.   I really regret not learning the skill earlier.

We had about two computer suites when I was at school - and I personally received about 6 lessons (if you can call them that) on an Archimedes computer using typing software.  That hardly made an impression.  I wasn't lucky enough to have access to the lab, or a computer at home to practice on.  Typing is a nice skill to have, and currently text input seems inescapable in many workplaces.  The easier it is to key - the better in my opinion.

It would really depend on what you are comfortable with.  There is no standard answer to go with this and actually one that would not be workable with any means.  I guess, the solution is to try it on its own rather than base it with a poor judgment still.

And children really easily so it would be no biggie if they are to go with unfamiliar territory as they are surely going to work their way around them that easy.

Tony: They learn QWERTY no matter what, at school for instance. It's like being bilingual - which incidentially is usually a huge advantage to your brain development. ;)

Both Dreymar and pinkyache are making sense. It's fun to discuss things, but it depends not on our discussion but the children to decide whether to learn Colemak.

I think you guys should ask your own children's opinion and post their fair share of opinions here. Maybe we will get some very thoughtful and matured-beyond-age insight.

I've got a few friends, to whom I've explained in detail why I use Colemak and why it's better than Qwerty. Some of them find it interesting, but not worth the effort of changing, but most of them just find the problems that comes with it too big, even though I can argue with that. – I'm saying this just to justify my previous post :)

Now I'm all a about customization and optimization both on the workplace and in the software environment. You'll rarely see me using default shortcuts on most programs and almost everyone considers my computer unusable. But most people aren't all about that, they just don't care. Now teaching your kids just that need for optimization is great. And the others made good points. I think I was too harsh on Colemak on the first post (I was at work...). If they like the idea, maybe go with it. At the end, they'll learn Qwerty, that's inevitable. But knowing Colemak is a great skill.

One more point: I'm no gamer but I don't see the problem with using Colemak for games? I haven't tried a game that doesn't recognize Colemak or reads the keys weird. I believe all the fairly new games shouldn't have problems with that. Just rebind your keys (as you should anyway haha). Am I missing something? Sorry, that's not on topic. Maybe pm me, or start a new thread :)

@Tony: Well, of course I've asked her for her opinion! She's completely cool with Colemak. Duh.

Laddie Buck
> In addition to the brain workout, being extra slow and frustrated will help build character.

Welcome!  I must remember this quote for work!

Esperanto is a manufactured language that supposedly once learnt helps you learn other languages more easily.  Or so that's what the proponents suggest.  Perhaps there is something in learning multiple layouts.  Colemak could be some kind of gateway/stepping stone to something else (perhaps a superior layout!)

For the record, I do not believe that learning another keyboard layout is the same as learning another language. My reasoning goes like this: How many of you started stuttering and slurring in your primary language when learning a secondary language? Anyone? Anybody remember classmates suddenly having trouble piecing together a proper sentence in their native tongue after a foreign language class? Maybe losing points on a written test due to the confusion?

Now how many of you lost WPM on your primary layout when learning a new one? Decreased accuracy? Second guessing the keys? Possibly even increased finger strain?

I think I can safely say; I rest my case.

As for comparing bi-layout to bilingual; it is far easier to switch typing or speaking in different languages, as the mood or need arises, than it is to switch between layouts. I've known plenty of people who will throw in foreign words into a conversation, or switch languages entirely, because they find it easier or better way to express themselves. I have not met anyone who will switch layouts just because it will make a word or two easier to type, then switch back. So the situation becomes one of Colemak on personal computer/devices, Qwerty everywhere else. For the tradeoffs, I don't see it as worthwhile to force this on you kids. It would be like having your kids speak British English at home, and American English at school. Or set all your home computers to use the dotsies font by default. If you are really aiming for the bilingual thing, I'd recommend something with more obvious situational advantages and disadvantages, like ... I dunno, fountain pens... or maybe steno.

(Steno now has at least one opensource implementation. Plover! Also, a browser demo. Hint: backspace will foul up the demo. If it goes odd, reload.)

And I've swapped layouts mid sentence.  It was a broken keyboard that brought me to an alternative layout in the first place!  I usually have a very handy shortcut to switch layouts - it doesn't have to be difficult.