To get a 7 year old his own laptop

[SpecialAnonymousName]

Ahem.

So, it's what DS really really wants for his 7th birthday. At the moment, he probably spends maybe 6 hours a week on either cbeebies or Club Penguin. He got a digital camera for Christmas and we're trying to get him to make sure he uploads photos before deleting them (he gets much nicer pictures of people than I do, probably because people smile more for him ). DH and I both work in IT, and we have a pc each plus work laptops plus cupboard full of old/slow laptops etc.

We would insist on him not having the laptop in his room, but only wherever we are.

He would only be able to use it when he would usually be allowed on a computer.

We would lock it down completely for internet access etc, and make sure we had admin override so he couldn't change his password to something we couldn't access.

I'm thinking we could spend £200 on a netbook and make him sooooo happy.

I'm also thinking a lot of our family and friends would be appalled...

Is it so bad? What do you think?

If you can afford it why not. My youngest is 7 - she has to log on to school website just to get her homework (I don't approve of that but that is another story) and often has to join in on her class "forum" learning platform.
I got a new laptop recently for my birthday (about to do my dissertation and old one was struggling). DD loves my old laptop (it is passworded and only gets internet access in lounge so we can always see what she is on) - and has a habit of rebooting regularly - which is ace as it forms natural break and she knows time up. She only accesses CBBC or Nick Junior, or sites for school - she loves it

We went through the same thought process. We have work laptops which we can't really let DS use, and one desktop which is in DH's study and therefore far from convenient. In the end, the time, hassle, and cost of licences involved in rebuilding one of the old laptops to make it fit for purpose drove us to exactly what you are suggesting - and DS loves his netbook and hasn't abused the privilege at all.

we can afford one although it wouldn't occurr to me to get dd one yet. she borrows mine although it drains my laptop as the sites she frequents are made using flash and seem to suck the life out of mine and i have to wait a while before i can use it having shut down her sites. having said that, we she is a bit older but i like her spending time reading and hanging out with us or just generally playing with her toys. i know things in some ways have progressed however i don't think all are necessarily for the better. i preferred the way i played with things as a child instead of my dd sitting like a robot at a laptop for hours not to mention the fear of some sexual content suddenly popping up. call me old fashioned but i like her being a child for a little longer

Absolutely - computers are everywhere now, life as we know it would fall over without them , like it or not. If a child learns to use one, so much the better. Yes it may be expensive but it doesn't follow that every birthday has to be expensive.
I think it's a good idea if you can afford it.

Do you want to cripple your child? Speaking as someone who now has to use voice recognition software because I've buggered my back, arm and hand through using a laptop, I would never, ever give a growing child one. They are TERRIBLE ergonomically. If he must have a computer, give him a desktop.

Can I just hijack and ask somebody to explain this computer grant for low income families thing, please? How does it work?

We are currently computerless, thankfully my friend gave me his old iPhone just before the laptop died. I'm hopefully getting a PC grant from the OU as my next course requires one, but would love to know more about the other grant please?

why not?

dd1 (6) has an iPad

dd2 (3) uses my itouch (now that her sister uses her ipad)

obviously not all the time, but they both enjoy looking thorugh photos, various apps, occasional web surfing.

it's a good thing to get used to using one, as long as all sensible precautions are in place

I have just brought a laptop each for my boys for xmas. Kids can do more on computers now than most adults. As long as they are not sitting on them like hermits I do not see what the issue is. My kids are 6 and 7 and they are so smart because they have access to IT ( obveiously monitored ) . They ask a question and boom they have an answer. They have found out how the human body works, about the great fire of London ect. IT is not going to go backwards but constantly develop. They are already ahead of the game. It's being taught in schools so I don't see the harm. My kids still do kids stuff like play football, ride bikes ect. Your family obviously know slot about computers so it is only natural that your child will follow. Go for it