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Original poster

Age for own computer?

47 replies

bubbles1112 · 22/10/2010 14:08

Hello, my dd will be 6 in December (roller boots for this one!) and I was thinking about getting her a netbook (small laptop!) for Christmas. She loves going on cbeebies website and other children sites. she loves to write letters too and obviously computers play quite a big part in their school lives.
So do you think 6 is too young? I'm sure lots of 6 year olds have a DS or a Wii (which dd does not).....
Thank you

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Kammy · 22/10/2010 14:43

I don't know what your dd is like, but my ds will never get his own computer only when it becomes absolutely nessecary at secondary school! He is a computer addict and I have to very carefully limit the ammount of time on ds/computer.

FWIW, my neice got one when she went to secondary and my sister has real problems keeping her off it. She's glued to facebook, homework consists mainly of cut and paste from Wikipedia, up in the middle of the night...when she is here, the broadband router is unplugged and hidden at 8 pm it's so bad.

Have you got a desktop you can let her use? Pref in a living room so that as she gets older you can monitor what she is doing?

I know I have strong views, but I think a bit of care is needed otherwise it's possible some children end up with problems. So I would say - think twice!

DooinMeCleanin · 22/10/2010 14:48

Dd1(7) has just procured an old PC from my parents and then cleverly worked out how to get internet in her room ("What we need, mum, is a router. Do you know what one of those is? You can phone Aunty X's boyfriend if you don't" Hmm).

However I would never buy her one, and we will have net nanny etc and the router will be switched off at certain times of the day.

KatieScarlett2833 · 22/10/2010 14:50

Get them one as soon as they are able to move a mouse. Your life will be your own and when they are teens they will know all about sex so you are spared the embarassing convos.

willali · 22/10/2010 15:36

WAAAAAY too young IMVHO. Also netbook screen so very tiny and not good for games etc. I think children need to learn to use the computer safely so desktop if you must in a prominent place in your house so you can regularly look over shoulder. This should be the norm until they truly need their own laptop. My DS will get one for his 13th B'day in preparation for going to Public School despite begging for one for the past 5 years at least!!

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 22/10/2010 21:53

DS is 7 and nagging for a laptop so I've told him he has to save up half the cost from his pocket money before we will discuss it. That should give me a couple of years breathing space as there is not a lot of spare pocket money after DS has bought the usual 7 yr old tat stuff

JustGettingByMum · 22/10/2010 22:18

We have a general use PC in the kitchen for all to use, DS1 and 2 got their own lap top at 15, before then, despite all their pleading, it wasnt needed. It has only really been necessary in Y11.

pixel01 · 22/10/2010 22:24

Personally I don't think it is too young provided you monitor her use very carefully. My DC didn't have their own computers at that age but they did use the family one and found certain useful things (spelling,maths and so on)

So it's up to you really.

Whocantakeasunrise · 22/10/2010 23:01

My ds only wants 5 presents for Christmas -
ipod touch
laptop
mobile phone
xbox 360
gaming chair
He'll be 6.
He won't be getting any off that list.
In fairness his problem is he has a teenage sister, who does have the gadgets but didn't get them until she was a teenager.

AreYouAFreudOfTheDark · 22/10/2010 23:08

Way too young IMO. Nothing wrong with her using the computer but having her own one just seems unnecessary.

pugsandseals · 22/10/2010 23:21

Having had 'the chat' from our child protection officer at INSET this year, no way will I be going down the laptop route with DD (age 8). Children younger than DD can be contacted through skype, msn, facebook etc. & there were cases quoted of school photos being seen on the childs wall via webcam so that the offender could find out about the school & try to meet up with the child. Horrifying! DD will be watched on the computer in our living room forever if I have my way after hearing that!

tikkapots · 23/10/2010 08:57

My kids use my laptop and I have been thinking of getting DS a laptop for his 7th birthday. He loves to go on Cbeebies and educations city as well as making pictures etc.

If he gets a laptop he will only be allowed to use it in our company for a limited amount of time on certain days. I don't see an issue with this, he will not have the opportunity to be stalked by paedophiles or look up porn and the laptop will be used appropriately whilst being monitored by us.

He has a wii and a PSP and he is not allowed to play with those everyday, the useage is limited and appropriate. He certainly will NOT be on Facebook or MSN and he will NOT have a webcam.

Surely, if managed in this way a child can make good use of a laptop for learning and research purposes ??

TP

SeaTrek · 24/10/2010 11:31

My son has had his own computer since he was about four. I should add that we didn't buy it for him it was simply a 'spare' that we put the netnanny stuff on. He has it on his own desk, next to mine, in my study.

Spending too much time on it has never been an issue really - it is mainly used for educational things and the odd bit of consumerism. It is a much bigger issue for me limiting his xbox time - which is now weekends only.

nymphadora · 24/10/2010 11:34

dds are getting dh old laptop.Thry are 9&10. They cant get the wireless signal in their room so any internet can only be within our sight so even if they take it up it wont work!

Gory09 · 24/10/2010 11:35

DD1 one got a lap top (party payed by herself) after she passed her 11+. She mainly use it for HW research, and typing projects.

carocaro · 24/10/2010 11:43

DS1 is 8 and is getting one for Xmas. He loves to look at stuff, science, animals, music etc. He is also dyslexic and school are doing a typing course with him as he finds it esier to type and spell than write and spell.

Having a computer does not equal obsession. Me and Dh have laptops for work stuff and DS's will be equipped with all the necessary safety stuff.

roisin · 24/10/2010 18:21

ds1 got a laptop for his 13th birthday this summer. I'm still not 100% comfortable with the idea, but he's not allowed it in his bedroom.

Having just 1 internet-enabled pc in the house (4 of us), automatically limited their internet usage, which is a good think imo.

wotnochocs · 24/10/2010 18:28

i think you should get her one.I don'y know why they are portrayed as being so evil on MN.They are the backbone of living and working in the 21st centuary.Ok you don't want her on it all hours or visiting unsuitable websites, but you put a framework in place to prevent that.

Tarenath · 24/10/2010 19:01

I must be such an evil parent. My ds has his own laptop at 3.5. It's a hand me down from the last time we upgraded ours and all he does at the moment is watch thomas the tank engine on youtube, though he's graduating to watching 'real trains' now :)
He's been 'using' a computer since he was about 6 months old and would sit on my/dads lap bashing the keyboard and is now quite competent. We do limit his time and monitor what he does with it obviously but I really don't see a problem with it. It's no worse than TV time which is also limited and monitored.

anonymousbrainsnatcher · 24/10/2010 19:10

I wouldn't buy my 6yo a computer, but our house Mac sits on the kitchen table and if they want to use it, look something up, play a game or whatever, then I just let them use that within reason for 10 or 15 minutes at a time.

So, the subject of having their own (which they will inevitably one day) hasn't come up and I genuinely don't know what age I might do this.

I suppose it is the control over use/making sure they actually engage with the human race and don't just sit/disappear with it all day every day that is more the issue rather than who actually has or owns the computer.

merrymouse · 25/10/2010 18:50

How much time are you happy for your child to spend on the computer?

How much do you need your computer?

To be honest if your child has access to your computer already, I can't understand what the point of them having their own computer is? Presumably you wouldn't let a 6 year old have unlimited access. It seems like a bit of a non present.

BlarneyStone · 25/10/2010 19:24

DD has had a laptop since Year 3 because we got one through the Home Access scheme. It's been a good age for her to get one. She does a lot of educational games and can now touch type. She does all her homework on the laptop. I don't restrict access but she self-regulates as she has lots of other activities she likes to do at home as well.

PaisleyPumpkin · 25/10/2010 21:43

I'm tempted to get my 6 yr old DD one. To get her off this one!
I was thinking she could have it for her camera photos, emailing her pics and news etc to nana and grandad, watch DVDs, access the websites I put on for her, all sorts really.

LunarSea · 25/10/2010 22:00

ds1 has had one since he was old enough to move a mouse (actually earlier than that possibly as we had a Thomas the Tank Engine game which strapped over the keyboard). It was an old PC of ours which we kept when we upgraded though, rather than one we'd bought specially for him.

nlondondad · 26/10/2010 10:14

I would also recommend getting a desktop machine and putting it in the living room for a child that age.

Also still true that you get a much more powerful machine pound for pound if it is a desktop rather than a laptop.

Rather more controversially, I would also recommend that unless you have access to a reasonably pc savvy person, who knows about windows and its little ways, consider getting a mac. Either an iMac, or if you have an old keyboard and display about, a mac mini.

MollieO · 26/10/2010 13:17

Ds will get his own computer at secondary school and not before.

For Christmas he wants:

Laptop computer
Ipad
Camcorder
SLR digital camera

He has shown me exactly which ones in the John Lewis catalogue. He reckons Father Christmas can afford all of them plus a skateboard.

He is 6. [hgrin]