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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To buy my 5 year old a netbook?

126 replies

AmazingBouncingFerret · 22/07/2011 21:06

My DS is going to be 5 in December. DH and I have been musing over the idea of his own little netbook type thing.

We only have the one laptop and DH work one. So there is no family type computer for him to play on.

I can't think of anything else that wouldnt be a complete waste of money tbh.

He has a huge amount of toys that he is very happy with and he is not into anything specific. (I know that could change between now and his birthday)

Is it too big and expensive a present for someone so young?

Has anyone else's 5yr old got one?

OP posts:

Original poster

AmazingBouncingFerret · 23/07/2011 21:25

Why is it such a problem to not want him to use mine?

OP posts:

lockets · 23/07/2011 21:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MissBeehiving · 23/07/2011 21:28

DS1 has use of the iPad and does his younger brother (22mos).

They also do all the other stuff that small boys do - read, do puzzles, art/craft, lego, get muddy, get wet, chase the dog, fall out of trees, watch Scooby Doo/Night Garden, pick their noses play with friends, bug hunt etc etc etc - like lots of other little boys.

The iPad is great for downloading books, playing spelling and numeracy games and Tap Zoo - or whatever the app of the moment is.

I don't understand why there is so much antipathy towards younger children using technology when it's just part of what they experience, not the totality of it.

Original poster

AmazingBouncingFerret · 23/07/2011 21:28

He is a very lucky little boy.

OP posts:

Allinabinbag · 23/07/2011 21:29

I work from home and am on and off the computer all day writing, so it's not practical or desirable for me to share my very expensive work laptop with my children. So does my husband. Both ours are insured and paid for by our work, and trying to explain exactly why there are keys missing/sweets inserted between the keys is not that much fun (believe me, I've had to do this!) It's not necessarily about being 'big on sharing' but being realistic that children may use their computers hard or do something not that wise to them, personally I would not fork out a lot for one. Mine have an old desk-top and have been CBeebying together since about the age of 3 (it has turned out very interactive between two, not sure how that would work with one).

We also don't all live in one family room so the idea of having one family computer in which everyone all crowds round and uses (at the same time as the telly?) is a bit outdated, which is why you need the best security measures possible, ours has stopped typing in rude words (only tried once!) and is also on a timer so switches off at a certain time every night to save argument. My rule though is that if you are asked to get off the computer, you do so nicely otherwise you don't get to go on it the next day. Saves moaning and groaning.

lockets · 23/07/2011 21:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MissBeehiving · 23/07/2011 21:30

I wouldn't want my boys using my laptop. Their fingers are sticky.

lockets · 23/07/2011 21:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsGravy · 23/07/2011 21:33

I don't think it's a problem OP, I just don't see why a young child would need one of their own. With all that other lovely stuff he's doing he surely doesn't have time to use the computer a huge amount, which to me would mean spending money on his own netbook a bit pointless.

To be honest, I've been pondering this a lot today. I think it actually comes down to money really. If I were to spend that amount of money on a present for my kids they wouldn't be able to have any toys or birthday treats either. And if it's a choice between them I'd choose toys for a small child. Perhaps if we had more money we'd buy the technological stuff too. I dunno though, as somebody with socialist leanings the rampant consumerism depresses me a bit...but that's a very personal thing that I can see not many people would agree with.

dementedma · 23/07/2011 21:34

ok, I understand what you are saying OP, but surely he will get technology input at school and nursery and by using a shared family PC from time to time. Does he need his own one?
If he likes gardening why not get him his own little gardening set - tools and some seeds? DS also loves to bake and was really happy to get a cupcake set and recipe book and some utensils. But he also likes I.T and uses the family PC or the family laptop from time to time to play Moshimonsters, or to look for recipes, or make simple videos and powerpoints. He is 9.

MrsGravy · 23/07/2011 21:35

Blimey, mine have never done anything to our laptop, they're always in the same room as me when they use it and aren't allowed drinks or food at the same time.

NettoSuperstar · 23/07/2011 21:39

It's entirely up to you.

I swore DD would never have her own phone before she was at high school.

I've just ordered her one, and a better one than I have. She's 9.
I'm also planning on getting a laptop at Christmas, mainly for her use.

nenevomito · 23/07/2011 21:42

I read these threads and wonder if my poor 5yo DS is deprived. He doesn't have any of that stuff. Not even a DS. Also, if I did get an iPad, I wouldn't let his sticky fingers anywhere near it at the price they are.

Its not that I disapprove of it, I'm just too tight.

Original poster

AmazingBouncingFerret · 23/07/2011 21:42

We don't have a family PC but looks like that is going to change...

I've just been talking about it with DH. He has changed his mind on getting him a netbook now (it was his bloody idea!) He wants to buy a monitor for the tower we have behind the TV that we use as a server and get a little desk for in the dining room.

Can we just ban birthdays?

OP posts:

Allinabinbag · 23/07/2011 21:44

MrsGravy, I WAS in the same room as my daughter when she picked the keys off. That's what made it worse, ok, I wasn't staring at the screen, but I was sitting in the next chair! Lesson learnt, children get crappy indestructible old desktop, I have nice new laptop. And, I wouldn't bother supervising my children now anway, at 7 and 5, and with the security controls I have on (and have blocked YouTube), I don't watch them playing Harry Potter on the PlayStation for an hour or more, no thanks.

MollieO · 23/07/2011 21:45

Ds (7) bought a net book with his birthday and pocket money recently. He'd saved up for ages and had enough to buy a Wii or a netbook. He chose a netbook as he thought it would be more useful. He uses it to go on CBBC and write letters and is keeping a journal over the summer holidays. I have good parental control software so there isn't anything else he can do with it.

lockets · 23/07/2011 21:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsGravy · 23/07/2011 21:51

Allinabinbag little monkey!

Original poster

AmazingBouncingFerret · 23/07/2011 21:51

I'd never heard of moshi monsters until this thread! they sound good. He'd only really been on my Dad's computer when we were living with them and that was mainly dino king on youtube. The only other computer use he's had since then was at his nursery.

OP posts:

Swarski · 23/07/2011 22:00

We had a really horrible experience on youtube. My DS (7) was watching a cartoon clip about penguins (he was doing penguins at school) while I was pottering about making tea. He suddenly turned off the computer and went upstairs. He was quiet all evening and then at bedtime starting crying uncontrollably. It took over 30 minutes to clam him down (he is usually a very calm child ) and eventually he told us that he has seen something very scary on youtube. When I looked it was what looked like a completely innocent cartoon of a penguin on a iceberg - but ended with a chicken being eaten and by a shark and its bones spat out - lots of blood and gore. When I watched it I just thought it was a rather pathetic amateur vid, but it has really affected him and he will not go on youtube any more even if we are with him....

Original poster

AmazingBouncingFerret · 23/07/2011 22:02

Swarski.

They should do a child friendly version where the only clips you can access are the equivalent of a Universal rating.

OP posts:

Seona1973 · 23/07/2011 22:04

club penguin is another website dd and ds use

Allinabinbag · 23/07/2011 22:19

Yes, that's why I don't allow YouTube at all, you can type in some lovely innocent non-blocked word like 'kittens' to see a kitten being put in a microwave or some such thing. Mine have only tried to type in rude words once (poo and bum, typical 5 year old originality) and the blocker blocked it straight away and I detected it and told them off. Since then, this has not been a big issue.

But, even though we like computers in our house, work on them and work in related industries, we don't spend much time each week on them. Once you have school, activities, bedtime, and stuff on Saturdays, there's only really Sundays. We play the odd game together, also Singstar (Karaoke type game) as a family, that's one reason I make them share one computer between two, so it has to be negotiated, and computers then become about socializing and chatting about the stuff they see, rather than an isolated activity. I don't think it's essential for children to use computers, but computers are such a big part of mine and my husband's lives, it would be strange to keep them away from them.

Hulababy · 24/07/2011 10:12

dementedma: I suppose all those little ones plugged into their netbooks and ipads at least give their parents time to do something else and not have to interact with them.....

That might be what would happen if you gave technology to your children, but it my home - no! Good parenting and technology can mix very well thank you. They are not exclusive in my home. Myaybe they are in yours, I don't know, but don't assume it is the case in mine.

Hulababy · 24/07/2011 10:15

lockets - I don't want to share my laptop, not because I am selfish and don't agree with sharing. We share pretty much everything else with DD and DH for that matter. But my laptop is linked to DH's work and a lot of information about clients via that and it is has all my school work on, as well as a lot of personal information stuff. If I were to lose my work it would be a nightmare and I wouldn't want to have to risk that when there is no need for me to do so. Much better, and less hassle for me, for DD to have her own Also we can use them at the same time then too.

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