To think a 7yr old should NOT have a mobile phone or Laptop

[ray81]

DD is 7 and wants a mobile and a Laptop, i have of course said NO. I dont want her to have a mobile until she goes to secondary school and a Laptop, well i just dont think its neseccary when we have a family one.
However many of the children in her class seem to have mobiles and some have laptops, her best friend is one of them. She is going to junior school in september and i know that the older children will have mobiles to.

I simply do not agree she needs or should have one at this age but feel quilty for her probably being the odd one out.
Does anyone think i am being unreasonable.

Ps i am sorry if this has been done before.

My DD if almost 6 has a notebook with all the appropriate safety software. She wanted it, we had the cash so she got it. She's a bit spoilt I suppose.

She's been using a PC since she was about 18 months old and I see no reason to stop her now.

Thats the thing isn't it children want things, parents can afford to give them, the children get them.

If I asked my DS if he'd like his own computer he'd probably say yes. I could afford to get him one. However I can't see the benefit to him of giving him a PC at the age of 7 so he won't be having one for the time being.

I think children are spoiled in terms of material gadgets (in general - not aimed at anyone in particular here). Surely it would be much better for them to be playing outside - they spend a significant time at school looking at the whiteboard, they watch a bit of TV surely it isn't good for their health to be spending ages playing with a computer.

I'm feeling like a freak on this thread!

Its the old everything in moderation statement, I personally see no harm in children having laptops, mobiles, their own tv, music player etc, however it wouldn't be healthy to use them 100% of the time. Unfortunately we live in a society where children are classed as a nuisance, not wanting to stereotype but I have to say the elderly are the worst for begrudging children their right to play outside and just generally be children......its then these same people who criticise and say that children these days don't know how to play, thats because when they want to play a game of hopscotch in the street they're called a nuisance!!!!! So basically children get condemned for whatever they do. As my children have been in school all day I let them choose what to do when they get home, most of the time they choose to play out. The reason my eldest have a mobile is so they can contact me when they stay with their dad, as well as learning how to use it responsibly.

I disagree with the person who said that children having mobiles increases their chance of getting mugged, its the person doing the mugging thats in the wrong not the person with the phone, everything we do in life carries a risk, I wouldn't stop driving a car because everytime I get in it theres a risk someone could bump into me, I'm not gonna stop crossing roads because evertime I do so theres a risk I could get run over, if we all had that attitude to life then no one would ever do anything for fear of this that and the other happening. For me the benefits of my children having a mobile far outweigh the risks.

leonie - my child does have access to the computer - he shares the family computer and has his own username on it (and parental controls). If a computer is shared it is more likely to be used in moderation.

I don't think they need them, but I have a lot of things I don't need.

DS will probably have both in the next few years and he is 5. We are nerdies he is shaping up to be quite a nerdy himself and we like gadgets.

I have lots of gadgets, DH has even more and DS has a couple already.

happywomble, for my dcs who have severe joint problems, access to a computer is far more important that a TV

obviously they could do without either- but the homework wouldn't get done

Cory - I think your case is completely different. Of course your children should have ready access to a computer if it helps them.