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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to let 3 of my kids have their own computers?

161 replies

Rosbo · 04/03/2008 19:11

my MIL thinks its spoilt to let them have their own computers, however they are teenagers and use them for schoolwork as well as other things such as social networking sites like facebook and MSN messenger with their friends. Many of their friends have their own laptops or computers too. My dd2 aged 16, recently described herself as "Complete" when her hair straighteners were fixed as she "found it hard to cope" without them. Are my kids becoming too materialistic for their own good?

OP posts:
posieflump · 04/03/2008 19:13

two things would concern me

  1. they wouldn't be using the PC in apublic place like the lounge so it's impossible to know what they were doing on it

  2. they wouldn't go to bed until the early hours because they would be on the PC all night!

Milliways · 04/03/2008 19:14

Mine have their own laptops - saves arguing and means I can MN

You have to teach & trust your kids to use them safely. DD does soo much homework no-one else would ever get a look in!

RubySlippers · 04/03/2008 19:15

what is wrong with sharing?

Original poster
Rosbo · 04/03/2008 19:16

when i say computers, the older two have laptops and do sometimes use them in the lounge, but yes ds had a pc in his room, so could be doing anything tbh.
I switch the internet off on their computers at 9:30 school nights, 10:30 weekends.
Can be later in holidays though, anything up to midnight.

OP posts:
duchesse · 04/03/2008 19:16

I wouldn't let mine. My son might have his own next academic year (yr 11), but am still pondering that despite the fact that he is not interested in online social networking or messaging. I just don't feel that he needs one. If he were, I wouldn't think twice about saying no. For exactly the reasons stated by Posieflump below.

Wilkie · 04/03/2008 19:17

I personally wouldn't

KnickersOnMaHead · 04/03/2008 19:17

Message withdrawn

skidoodle · 04/03/2008 19:18

I have many computers in my house but there is no way I would allow teenagers to have their own laptops if those laptops could connect to the Internet in their bedrooms.

Trusting teenagers to use the Internet safely while they're in their own room away from your supervision is like trusting them to go out all night and not tell you where they are.

LOL at your dd "complete", I love teenagers. they're just so preposterous.

MicrowaveOnly · 04/03/2008 19:22

ABU, its a bit like them having their own TV, it stops them interacting with rest of family..not good surely.

Original poster
Rosbo · 04/03/2008 19:23

Well RubySlippers and KnickersOnMaHead, about 3 years ago we all had one computer which we all shared, then DH got a laptop for work and so did I. Then My DD1 started asking for one for her seond year of gcses, so we discused it and gave her one for her birthday not realising where this would take us...DD2 asked for one about a year ago for her gcses which meant DS1 has the family computer to himself, as my DS2 who is only 3 doesnt really need it.

OP posts:
KnickersOnMaHead · 04/03/2008 19:28

Message withdrawn

flowerybeanbag · 04/03/2008 19:31

I think getting DD1 her own when you already had 1 PC and 2 laptops in the house was probably where you went wrong...

But up to you not MIL.

RubySlippers · 04/03/2008 19:31

i sound mean i know, but i don't think it is unreasonable to suggest that your DD shared the laptop with DD1 - however it is done now

Original poster
Rosbo · 04/03/2008 19:34

But thing is, they both take laptops to school/college with them, and often type up work rather than writing it, they really do use them a lot. Both have all their music on there (DD2 is doing music gcse). Would it be wrong of me to take DD2's laptop away now? What would I do with it once I'd taken it away anyway?

OP posts:
flowerybeanbag · 04/03/2008 19:37

I don't think you can take them away now, no, it's done now as rubyslippers says.

But I would not have done the same.

KnickersOnMaHead · 04/03/2008 19:40

Message withdrawn

flowerybeanbag · 04/03/2008 19:41

I am completely out of touch with secondary education, but what do they do with them at school?

hercules1 · 04/03/2008 19:42

Horses for courses I guess. Not something I'd do but then I don't really want my kids to have everything materially.

RubySlippers · 04/03/2008 19:46

do they not have access to computers at school/library to type up work?

do they really shlepp laptops around with them all day?

KnickersOnMaHead · 04/03/2008 19:48

Message withdrawn

RubySlippers · 04/03/2008 19:50

when i was at school mobiles were still the size of house bricks

cat64 · 04/03/2008 19:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

duchesse · 04/03/2008 19:53

erm...mobiles? Isn't that a thing that hangs over a baby's cot?

Laptop- what you sit on when your granny is reading you a picture book.

[ old as the hills emoticon ]

When I was a teenager, only the really cool kids had walkmans. (and big hair and turquoise batwing sweaters and drainpipe jeans) Bowk

Original poster
Rosbo · 04/03/2008 19:54

No they have lockers to lock their laptops up in. Yeah they have an IT department but it means they can have their laptop out on the desk in lessons and type up notes as the teacher is speaking, also much easier to bring all their work home with them than bringing millions of books back. I dunno, I'm finding it good letting them have their own computers but guilty at the same time

OP posts:
MotherFunk · 04/03/2008 20:13

Message withdrawn