how old are your kids and have they got a lap top/own computer and/or mobile phone?

DC1 mobile 18th birthday (it was a good one!)
dc2-6 (2-16) none of the above

Both my DDs had a second hand mobile (on PAYG) aged 10ish but didn't really use them much until starting secondary school.

The issue of how vital a computer is really depends upon the school and how they set their homework.

DD2 in year 7 has lots of of her homework set on an internet system called Moodle. In fact some of her subjects have the resources such as Maths text books on them which is great for her school bag but not if the internet goes down!

On the recent snow days they had quite a bit of work set which was compulsory to complete. She was not amused!

Mobiles when they walked home. So year 5 for son and year 6 for daughter. Both PAYG. Daughter moved onto a £10 month calls/texts/data contract when she went into year 10. Most of her friends are still on PAYG : they end up using her phone for calls home because they are free!

Laptop. Both children had one of their own when they went into year 7. Both use it a lot for homework. I'm not sure how necessary it is if they are not affordable but, if you can afford to buy one, it is much more practical.

Be warned laptops encourage bedroom hibernation, whereas stand alones you are in more control of where the child spends their computer time.

DS1 (17) has his own laptop (since start of Y10) and an iphone (christmas present)
DD1 (14) got her own laptop at the start of this year (Y10) and has a phone
DS2 (11) uses the family computer or DH's laptop for homework and has had his own phone since starting secondary

TBH They really don't need their own laptop/computer until they start doing coursework for GCSEs/A-Levels because until then only a small amount of homework actually needs the computer.

They have all had phones since the start of secondary because they have a complicated ish journey and often have after school stuff so its easier that they can call me and I can call them if need be.

DD got a cheap PAYG mobile in Y6 for starting secondary - we get a free texts deal which she makes full use of! She wants a fancier one for her birthday.

She uses the PC (downstairs) or laptop (sometimes in her room) for about half of her hmework - we like to keep tabs on what she's up to, though she's pretty sensible and no Facebook yet

DD (11) has mobile, was 2010 Christmas present, ready for secondary school, and she now walks to and from school alone, so texts when leaving school.

Thinking maybe laptop will be next Christmas present, but am still wary of her having it upstairs on her own, so wil try to insist on downstairs for internet stuff.

My 2 DDs (11 & 14) had phones from about year 6. Neither have a laptop of their own, they use the family home computer downstairs. However, DD is getting one for her 15th birthday as she is needing it alot more for school work. I think 14/15 upwards is a good age for own laptop but younger I would worry. It takes them away from other activities and also you never know who they are chatting to. School homework online is only about 2 or 3 times a week. They can easily do it on the home computer.

My DD got a laptop and a mobile for starting Secondary School.

The laptop is in the living room where I have full view of the screen and she uses it nearly every day for homework.

The phone is the cheapest PAYG I could find, so noone will want to steal it.

ds1 got a mobile when he started secondary and, having begged for one for years, has rarely used it since (2.5 yrs).

He had shared computer access at home anyway, but he got his own laptop at the start of yr9. But this doesn't live in his bedroom.

We'll do the same when ds2 is 13.

DD1 (yr9) had a cheap PAYG mobile since yr5. The had to hand them in at schol and collect them end of day. It was needed as she did so many after school clubs with times always changing that DH never knew if, when or where to pick her up from. Upgraded iaround her 12th birthday, to a cheap touchscreen. Have only just put her on a rolling month contract as she had been so good with it.
She has had one of our old PCs in her room since yr7 which does for a bit of emailing, homework. But she is increasingly borrowing DHs mac for music stuff, and my laptop when she needs windows 7. Have resisted getting her own laptop as worried she will be forever on facebook.

DD2 (8, yr 3) got a cheap payg phone a few months ago. She asked for it as a birthday present, mainly uses it for video clips and texting friends so it is more of a toy. She had a netbook for her 7th birthday as she loves writing song lyrics, poems and stories so wanted it mainly for word documents. She only has a school email address. Does a bit of surfing, mainly for video and film clips. A few online maths, word, arty games/ puzzles. All pretty harmless / educational.

DS1 19 - He got his 1st computer at 11 & PAYG mobile at 12.

DS2 14 - He got his computer at 11 & PAYG mobile.

DD 9 - Has my old laptop to use downstairs for homework/CBBC.

DD will be getting a PAYG mobile when she starts Guides next year. Also, her own computer when she is 11.

Same as many on here - DD got a cheap Payg mobile when starting secondary. She and her two younger siblings share a computer which is in shared living space - but we have said we will pay half towards a laptop for her 14th birthday in July if she can save up the other half.

DD1 (yr9) had a cheap PAYG mobile since yr5. The had to hand them in at schol and collect them end of day. It was needed as she did so many after school clubs with times always changing that DH never knew if, when or where to pick her up from. Upgraded iaround her 12th birthday, to a cheap touchscreen. Have only just put her on a rolling month contract as she had been so good with it.
She has had one of our old PCs in her room since yr7 which does for a bit of emailing, homework. But she is increasingly borrowing DHs mac for music stuff, and my laptop when she needs windows 7. Have resisted getting her own laptop as worried she will be forever on facebook.

DD2 (8, yr 3) got a cheap payg phone a few months ago. She asked for it as a birthday present, mainly uses it for video clips and texting friends so it is more of a toy. She had a netbook for her 7th birthday as she loves writing song lyrics, poems and stories so wanted it mainly for word documents. She only has a school email address. Does a bit of surfing, mainly for video and film clips. A few online maths, word, arty games/ puzzles. All pretty harmless / educational.

Mine got Mobiles as a "present" for starting in Year 7. Desktop computers at home from year 7 with internet access in their bedrooms (we have a network in the house with four computers on it), laptops as a "present" for getting into Univeristy.

DD had a phone from the summer of year 6 when she started to get the bus home from school on her own. She had a laptop from year 7 when she joined her senior school.

DS1 (13 tomorrow ) has had a PAYG mobile since the start of Yr7. DS2 (10) will get one in September when he does the same.

We have two family PCs and my laptop, all of which are networked and have internet access (PCs are in the living room) They don't need their own personal ones atm. DS1 generally does PC based homework at school anyway.

DS has had a mobile phone since he was 6 - an old one of mine that he mostly used for games until he was 10, then occasionally used it for calls. I plan to get him an Android phone soon so he can use Google Calendar etc to organise himself.

He got a free laptop in Year 6 through Home Access. But only uses it for games as school doesn't set homework and it's too heavy to carry into school.

Dd1 in Y6 got a mobile for Christmas but rarely uses it. My husband is buying a new work laptop (he's self employed) and so she got his old one - yesterday. Her laptop is better than mine.

DD is 11 and has a netbook. She had a phone too but never used it or charged it

DS1 is 14 and has a netbook and a phone.

Ds2 is 15 and has had his own phone and laptop since year 6. The phone is on a contract and forms part of his monthly allowance.

He wouldn't have got a laptop so early from us as we had a home PC in addition to our laptops, but his bloody father bought him one instead of paying maintenance so he has that still.

DD1 is 16. Had laptop in Year 10 when she started doing GCSEs. Had a mobile in Year 8. In Year 10 she got a BlackBerry on a contract

DS1 is 15. Had a laptop in Year 8. Had a mobile from Year 7. Now on a contract with a BlackBerry

DD2 is 12. Has a pay as you go mobile and no laptop. But she does have a desktop in her room.

Ours got their mobiles in yr5/6 because I was travelling by train and needed to contact them if the train was late.

They are 13 and 15 now. 5 year old has just bought his own laptop and DD uses home pc or DH's work laptop.

Ours got phones at 12/13 yrs, and have stuck with cheap PAYG ones for several years.

We have lots of computers though - three of the four have their own computer, plus their dad has one and I have one which the youngest uses when they're home from school. They're all networked so we can use the one printer.

Yes to all except DS2(9) who has nothing although he may soon be getting DD's old cast off computer PC, which he won't use much as it's not lego or gun shaped.