Is my DS the only 6 year old in the UK

[nappyaddict]

Without access to a laptop, PC, ipad, tablet, itouch, ipod, nintendo DS, wii, xbox, leapster, leappad or playstation?

Because it seems that way! Am I depriving him?

Nappy Addict hasn't banned these things, she simply doesn't have them and hasn't actively encouraged them.

I don't have any rules re tv or wii, but I'm in charge of laptop. As our tvs isn't in a through room I think the kids forget about it and they definately forget about the wii.

My neighbour/friend designs apps for a living and has a house brimming with gizmos-I totally understand why he has(he didn't own a computer until he was 18 btw). However I have no particular interest in stuff beyond what my laptop does-I have music on that and no interest in computer games, so why would we have an ipad, ipod touch or a games console?The wii has its place on a rainy day when we remember it, but we do seem to prefer other stuff most of the time.

I do understand the power of the internet-it's enriched my life considerably, but I don't think it's a case of be on it by 6 or you'll be behind.

The kids see me doing stuff on computer and learn it at school, so what could a ds add to that?
I (with work) see a lot of homes where people are struggling to put food on the table, I really think this 'technology is a right' argument that some posters seem to be saying is rubbish-priorities people.

My DS is 6 nearly 7 and in yr2. He got a second hand DS for Xmas which he is not allowed Internet access but can play his games for a limited period of time.

He does play on my iPad sometimes mainly times tables games or learning ones.

He also goes on my very old lap top to access the Oxford owl website to read books but he does not go online by himself.

Technology really is a right. The big divide in society is not necessarily class or money any more, but access to it. Not necessarily access for all 6 year olds, but that 'not actively encouraging it' -- what would a parent hope to gain?

I think there's a difference between internet access and having lots of devices-Nappyaddict has internet and shows her 6 yrold things on it. I have a child with sn who struggled with reading at 6, and I can see why she's not introduced him to it particularly-it's till very early.

I'm not sure I agree with you. I can only go on what I know, but I know 14yrold mums living in care, homeless men who literally sleep on the street, family with 6 kids living on benefits-all have internet access of some sort-not 24hrs a day, but certainly daily. The kids I see in school who don't have it at home do have it at school and can go and access it at the library when they're not at school. I really do think it's money and clas ie where they were born/family they were born into that has divided them from the rest of society.
However, if you're talking on a global level, then yes I can see what you're saying and that's when the internet can be a wonderful life affiming thing when it's introduced to communities/sections of society that don't have it.

I don't think Nappyaddict not letting 6yrold use laptop yet and teaching him how to use reference books is really on a par with kids living in a slum who've never seen a computer.

I should rephrase my statement and make it: ds/playstations/ipods are not a right!

It has literally never occurred to me to allow DD1 (nearly 7) on the internet. As far as I am concerned it is addictive and in no way essential at this stage. She used to type a little on it and we skype once a month or so with distant relatives but TBH I was looking forward to getting rid of the internet when I finish my degree! She uses her DS (gift) maybe once a fortnight, usually drawing games and I actually had no idea it could go on the internet - is that right? We have no telly/ DVDs or iPlayer for the kids either (occasional iPlayer for me admittedly). So surprised at this thread, didn't realise how out of step I was, mainly because people I tell (not often) are overwhelmingly positive about these choices.

'TBH I was looking forward to getting rid of the internet when I finish my degree!'

Am shocked.

Why?
Your DD is going to need it for school at the very least.

What sort of circles do you move in?

I don't really see the harm in it (internet etc), but at the same time, the fact that so many 3 years olds are au fait with ipads etc. rather goes to show that it's really not that difficult to master, so delaying a few years is unlikely to harm anyone's long term employment prospects.

I have an irrational hatred of gaming though so will resist the X-box/PS/Wii invasion for as long as I can.

How can you possibly get rid of the Internet when you finish your degree? My elderly mother is a second class citizen those days because she isn't on the Internet, even she asks me to do things for her.
Schools have everything on line, jobs are applied for online, homework relies on you being online. Socially you need to be on line, I am much older than most on here but even clubs that I belong to like a book club, rely on contact online. Banking- the whole of everyday life is online.
You can't turn back the clock. I would say that the one way to make DCs computer addicts is to ban anything in the way of games. They are not all evil, a bit like McDonalds or sweets- if you make it something that they have occasionally they learn for themselves to use in moderation and it is no big deal.

ds 6 and 8 have access to computer, a laptop, ipad, xbox and wii. we don't limit the time they spend on them. we find that they get boared within 10 minutes and move onto something else. ds1 also uses either laptop or compuer for homework

beehavingbadly- really? Have you never had homework from school suggesting that your child look something up on the Internet? Have your children never asked to look something up? There are fantastic television programmes for children- and lots of adult ones that are good for children too. Why on earth would you not use these resources with your children?

As a teacher I was always giving children websites that they could use for a subject - it is the norm - there is so much fantastic stuff on there I can't see why you would ignore it.

If people want school help on here I direct them to a web site - it is probably the one example of them being grateful for my advice!

see my kids didnt use the pc etc at a young age and the elder 2 who are 12 and 10 are a whizz now,i said earlier that ds1 inparticular has a really talent in it and his teacher seems to think he could have a career in it he is already doing programming etca nd loves it, but he didnt really use the pc much until last yr of primary, starting high school, i was there but nto something he was that interested in, used it a bit for homework.

ds2 now uses it for homework.

ds3 is 7 and goes on it occasionally and also does it at school and is doing just fine but it really is occasional.

ds4 is 4 and doesnt use it at all, he did tell me he had used an ipad at pre-school!

we have games consoles and we have rationed their use, to sensible levels! tho ds1 now does this himself, ds2 needs a bit of guidance.

i dont think they need it at a young age, but like anything its another learning opportunity, and they will certainly need it by high school age.

and quite frankly for my own selfish reason ie mnet! etc i wouldnt be without the internet, i feel like my arm has dropped off when my internet doesnt work, ditto when i loose my mobile phone, which is a bit crap really but shows you how much technology has impacted our lives in the last few yrs!

A 3 yr old doesn't need one at all ,but a 6 yr old is double that age. You certainly need it by double again at 12yrs- and double again at 24yrs you will be a second class citizen-unable to access what a lot of people take for granted.
UCAS is all online, student loans on line-DS has absolutely nothing on paper from university.
You don't need much time at 6 yrs, but you will go to friends and out in the world-I can't see any point in deliberately going without-you might as well teach moderation from a young age.

DH and I are both geeky, he's also a gamer, so the technology has always been present in our house. I used computers from the age of 10( I'm 42 now).
DD 7 uses Ipads and laptops daily at school, she's had a digital camera since the age of 3 and loves photography, she can manipulate her photos and print them.
She's a v. active child and the Wii fit or Just Dance with friends has been a lifesaver on rainy days.
But she still finds time for reading,drawing, gymnastics, loves to play outside. So I'm not worried.

Richmanpoorman -- you couldn't even be tempted by Wii Fit or Wii Sports, Wii Dance or harmless games for children like Mini golf?

ExoticFruits yes, sadly so is mine. She always was very much a knit your own lentils person and for her pains is now dependent on my sister for a lot of information gathering for virtually every single aspect of her life, including directions for forays into the country to visit her siblings since the construction of so many new motorways in Ireland. Banking requires a trip to the bank for her, use of cheques in the post, stamps, petrol, parking... Despite her commitment to leaving a small carbon footprint (very Green in her outlook always) she actually lets her (irrational, it has to be admitted) aversion to machines and technology result in more use of petrocarbon resources than she should. She does need the car to keep out and about with her young at heart groups and various classes and volunteering she does which are fantastic for her. It took my sister and me years to persuade her to learn to drive after dad died, and she finally did at age 69 as soon as she got her licence she was astonished at the freedom she had, but she could limit its impact by having a computer and learning to use it. We are trying to lure her by demonstrating the wonders of skype. At the moment, skyping me (and the possibility of seeing my DCs face to face) requires a trip to my sister's flat for her.

Browsing through houses for sale online (at my sister's flat) has been a real eye opener for her as she is considering putting her house on the market. Decisions on decor, kitchen fixtures, bathroom upgrades -- all are made much easier than they would be without access to online photos. These are significant decisions potentially involving lots of money. We are also pressing home to her the fact that buyers can narrow down their search considerably because they are all online too..

The DCs have learned so much online from sites recommended by their teachers. I can't at this point imagine how homework would be tackled without Smithsonian, National Geographic, several maths sites -- and they tend to browse, click on links and explore other subjects while they are at it. They are also learning to distinguish reputable online sources of information from others. This is a really valuable skill given the proliferation of information on the net.

My DS is 6 and thinks he's the only boy in the world without a DS or Wii. All his friends have one.

He is allowed limited access to my laptop to look things up and play the odd free game. DH has an x box which DS might play about once a month (not that keen on any of DH's games).

I don't think he's deprived.

I would allow him to look at the Internet with you though.

maths No- if they want to play golf I'll take them to the driving range and let them whack a bucket of balls. If I want to do exercise I'll go for a run or go to the gym. We did actually have a Wii we bought on a whim a few years ago (after a boozy brunch). Ended up giving it to a friend for her son at Christmas as I think it got used twice in 3 years.

It's not that I see wii fit as "harmful" etc. It just wouldn't occur to me to play golf/tennis etc virtually as opposed to "in real life". However, "never say never"- my DC aren't old enough to employ pester power yet, so we'll see where I end up once they're at school :-). I do have ishooos with a lot of the really violent gaming though. Possibly I need to unclench, but I am slightly suspicious of people who spend their free time pretending to chainsaw other people's limbs off.

Games do have an age certificate! They can be useful - my DSs can play golf with their elderly, disabled grandmother and all have great fun which isn't something they could do in RL. These things have their uses, they are not replacements for the real thing!

You don't actually have to play violent games, you know!

Our 6 year old uses technology very competently but she has grown up with it.
She is currently building her own websites using HTML and CSS that her web developer dad has taught her - the subject matter is usually fact files about water spiders, snow leopards and frill necked lizards and they are hosted on our own web space with the link sent to various relatives for them to admire her work rather than being generally accessible but the research she does both in books and on the Internet is developing useful skills.

She also has a 3DS that she uses when we go on journeys, and we have a PS3 and a Wii that get used occasionally.
Technology is probably more important in our house than most because it's how the bills get paid, and she sees dad constantly learning new things to increase his skill set.

Richman and CharlotteWasBoth How old are your DCs?

defineme What sn does your DC have and how old are they? I let DS have a go on the computer at the libray yesterday and we were asked to leave the computer section because he was a) being noisey and b) banging all the keys and they were worried he might break it. He managed to lock it somehow so no one else could use it afterwards.

6.5 yo DD uses the laptop (quite alot) and the Nintendo DS (occasionally). They are not hers, but belong to the whole family. With regard to the laptop, she uses it mainly for game playing online but has also just started writing her own blog (!). She's very proficient and I think the use of these items has its place in her life. Having said that, I do limit her time on the laptop and she does love doing other stuff too (drawing, writing, crafting outdoor play etc...).

We live in a world which is very different to when we were kids and I don't see any advantage in trying to deny that. Today's children need ICT skills.

Having said that, I realise that a laptop and a DS don't constitute the full range of 'goods' available, but we don't have much interest in getting a Wii/XBox type thing.

nappy He's two, so I have a long journey ahead of me, hence why I'm not saying that an xbox will never cross the threshold (because I know I'll get laughed outta here ).