laptops

[Mouse]

Just curious if your children have their own laptops and about how old were they when you got one for them. Did you buy it, was it a joint venture, or did you have them set aside money for one? Grandparents have mentioned that the kids are in high school and should have one, but I'm not sure how I feel about it. :confused:

[Teachin'Mine]

My dd was 11 when she got her laptop. Many private schools require laptops for their classes. No matter whether we like it or not, we're very much in the computer age, and our kids will be using computers whether for college classes, or for work. I think the sooner they become familiar with them the better. It also helps with writing tremendously - both in speed and editing and with spelling as well. I wanted to teach my daughter typing as soon as we started home schooling in 1st grade, but she had no interest and was content with hunt and peck. I kept asking each year, but it wasn't until she got her laptop that she was interested. She used a free online typing tutor, and really took off quickly. She uses it mostly for her own writing, and for chatting with friends. I'd like her to be doing more internet searching, but she does a little for some of her classes, and will no doubt be doing more of that next year.

 

What is your hesitation in getting them a computer? There's still lots of school work that requires handwriting, so that skill won't be lost. Monitoring when they're on for fun as opposed to doing school work is challenging. :tongue_smilie: That and music downloads (youtube, etc) are the only cons I can think of, but the pros definitely outweigh them.

 

Maybe their grandparents asked since they'd like to make a contribution towards one? :D

 

We bought hers as a Christmas gift from us - she got other things from Santa. We made it from us since we wanted to make rules about its use and all.

Edited June 24, 2010 by Teachin'Mine

[Guest Cheryl in SoCal]

My kids have always (from toddlerhood) had a desktop that they share but never their own personal computer. They know how to use it but don't spend large amounts of time on it and there is no reason they need their own personal laptop. If they took classes somewhere it would make more sense to have their own but even then I don't think taking a couple of classes away from home would make it a necessity like going to college full time would. If they did have their own laptops they wouldn't be able to take them in their rooms unless the wireless internet router for our home was off.

 

My kids aren't into email or texting so they are probably in the minority when it comes to wanting laptops (they don't want one). I had to force them to get cell phones last year:lol:

[jld]

We're getting one for dd15 because I don't want to share the home computer, lol!

 

Seriously, we are 6 here without dh (he has a laptop for work), and all of us (okay, not the toddler, lol) want some computer time. It would just be easier to have another one available. And our computer in America is 7 years old :eek:, so it will be nice to use hers when we are on vacation there.

 

Also, she travelled to France twice this year to see her grandparents, and had to rely on their rather old computer. It would really just be more convenient for her to have her own for future visits.

 

Also, I totally trust her in every way with the use of it.

[Guest Cheryl in SoCal]

I just wanted to add that it's not that I DO trust my children or they wouldn't have internet access at all. However, I don't think they should have unlimited hours of internet access alone in their rooms. I doubt they would use it anyway (their won't even turn their cell phones on unless they are leaving the house and we make them:lol:) but it would still be a rule, and would be for my dh and me as well.

[kewb]

We got laptops for our kids last year (11 & 9) to help with school. Much easier to have everone at their own station viewing the same video or information. They are not allowed to use them in their rooms.

[Mouse]

I really don't know why I'm hesitant. We are in the same boat that we had to force the kids to have cell phones. Neither of them text or hardly even talk on them. Although the kids have some great friends they would rather be face to face then on the cell. I guess I worry that the laptop will not be utilized as much as it should be and would end up needing to be replaced by the time they are off to college - Taking money which is not flowing fast from the money tree. The kids are in 10th and 9th grade so college classes are not an option yet. In our state they have to be 16 to duel enroll.

 

On the flip side of my mind is the fact that my dd loves to make stories and type them up and there have been times I had to steal back the computer in order to get things done. The thought she might get involved with writing and find a passion is a real bonus to the equation. My DS would probably be working on a game making program and learning how to program in other areas.

 

Thanks for the replies and I look forward to hearing more.

[creekland]

My oldest is getting a lap top this summer - as he goes to college (a little before so he knows how to use it.) I'm in the hunting mode for a decent, inexpensive one now (hints welcome).

 

My boys have had access to our (2) computers, but I've never had the urge to get them their own. They also don't have their own cell phones, but oldest will have one for college.

 

I think technology does more harm to growing brains than it helps, so we allow it in moderation.

[AngieW in Texas]

We have a netbook that all the kids can share (although the 12yo is the primary user).

 

We got the 17yo a nice laptop for her birthday. We had to make sure that it was a laptop that could handle heavy graphics use because she plans to major in graphic design. She's using it for the digital imaging class she's taking at the cc this summer.

 

The plan right now is to get each of the kids a laptop for the 17th birthday to take to college.

[Teachin'Mine]

In talking with dd about it, we realized she was 9 and not 11 at the time. It took another year or two for her to learn to type. With that, she was able to write long novels, and that would have been really hard to do longhand. And like others had mentioned, it was hard sharing the computer with her. :lol: I think they're worth the money even if it's only for her to be able to write as often and as much as she likes.

 

It's not that long before they'll be in college, but I know what you mean about maybe needing a new one by then with the technology changing so incredibly fast. Maybe you could get them an inexpensive one to share now. I know not everyone is a fan of Dell, but their prices can't be beat. Try to wait for a good package price which includes a few years of service so any problems will be covered. They usually have really good sales around mid-August. Last year they had a some great combo deals on a laptop and a netbook added for only $99. The netbook would be enough for a writer and is really portable.

Edited June 24, 2010 by Teachin'Mine

[Night Elf]

Just curious if your children have their own laptops and about how old were they when you got one for them. Did you buy it, was it a joint venture, or did you have them set aside money for one? Grandparents have mentioned that the kids are in high school and should have one, but I'm not sure how I feel about it. :confused:

 

For our family, computers for each child are a very high priority. Basically, we consider it a necessary school expense. They have been about 10 yrs. old when they get their own. Right now, of the 5 of us, only my ds13 has a desktop while the rest of us have laptops. He doesn't want a laptop but if he did, we'd purchase one. Some of our school work, and lots of research, is done on the computer and it would just be a mess if we had to share.

 

I even bought myself a 2nd laptop for school. It's one of those really small ones that fit into my backpack. I cannot lug around this regular sized laptop. It's also easier to sit on my lap during class.

[Spock]

Just curious if your children have their own laptops and about how old were they when you got one for them. Did you buy it, was it a joint venture, or did you have them set aside money for one? Grandparents have mentioned that the kids are in high school and should have one, but I'm not sure how I feel about it. :confused:

 

The whole family shares a desktop, except my second son. He got a laptop for his 15th birthday. My oldest will probably be getting a laptop before he starts college in August, since almost all of his classes have a "required online component" and it is already hard to share the desktop between 5 of us.

[ereks mom]

ER & I also each have desktops.

[EKS]

We got one for our son when he was 13 and doing high school level work in all subjects. It was a great investment.

[mysticamethyst]

Each of mine have their own desktop. I would get the olders laptops if they asked but they also do a lot of gaming and a laptop willl not work for that. My yougest is like a bull in china shop and no way would I get her a laptop. Most of their assignements are done on thier computers then emailed to me or saved on a storage drive hubby set up just for school work and programs. :001_smile:

[Hannah C.]

I bought myself a laptop the summer after I graduated from high school, with graduation money and money I had saved from working. My parents had paid for a two-week summer program at a college, which is why I bought the computer. Otherwise I believe it would have been my graduation present.

 

Before that, I had free access to the family computer, if no one else was using it or needed to use it.

[AnitaMcC]

None of our kids have their own computers until they graduate high school. They share one desktop and sometimes they can use their father's desktop computer. I have my laptop and Dh has his mini-laptop.

 

What Dh and I do is when kids graduate high school (and are going to college) we buy them a computer.. either a desktop or a laptop.

 

Our kids are welcome to save up their own money to buy one but it won't be Dh or I buying them one before they graduate high school. Of course if Ds does graduate high school at the end of 10th grade... we will be buying him a laptop (that is what he wants) earlier than planned.

 

Although I have two laptops that Ds is trying to repair himself... if he gets either or both working he can have them.

[Amy in CO]

I got my kids a netbook to share for Christmas. This year we had 3 kids doing Rosetta, 2 in typing, and 1 in an online class. There was so much it was hard to use it for research or typing papers. So getting the netbook really helped spread out the work. Also, getting it for them as a combined gift prevents them for getting possessive of it. I have considered getting another one for this coming year since the kids are using them more and more.

[Nan in Mass]

Mine did in high school. For what it is worth, we've never done desk-top computers (or at least, not since the 80's). We began with laptops. I have my doubts about computer and children, and computers and teens, and computers and adults, but I looked at how my children's friends were using them in high school and decided that I would be putting my children at a severe disadvantage by not letting them be part of their lives. This isn't like deciding not to have a game system or deciding not to let them pierce their ears. When I am driving my children's friends around, they often have their laptops open in the car. In one 20 minute car ride, they will contact their friends (who are probably on the bus doing something similar) to tell them what to bring to the game that afternoon, review the rules to whatever game they have all just decided to play, pull up the latest funny video they have discovered and hold up the laptop so everyone can watch it, check on the progress of the latest online game they are involved in, pull up their pictures to show their friends in the car what happened when they melted a model in the microwave last night, get directions for where they are going this weekend and a map, show their friends the latest cool place on google earth, google that cool quote that they can't quite remember from history class, google that video of the cool science explosion that their chemistry teacher told them about, check on whether the sequel to the book they just read has been published yet, see if the movie they want to see is available at the library to figure out whether it is worth detouring past the library, check on their homework assignments, and google that new word that they heard. It is an absolutely hysterical mixture of entertainment, education, social networking, worthless junk, and teenage curiosity. My college-aged sons use them to manage their ipods, write papers, check on assignments, get notes, get directions and maps, download tab music for guitar, look for new music, keep up with their friends, email us, skype, and check out anything they are curious about. Their college requires that they have one. We decided that the advantages outweighed the disadvantages, and that since this is a pretty open thing, it would be better for ours to learn to use them under our supervision and before their grades depend on them not accidentally (or on purpose) going to sites that are going to bring down their computer or accidentally wiping out their research paper or accidentally putting so many games or so much music that the whole things comes to a screeching hault. We also thought if they began using them at home that the newness of access to all those games, all that information, all that social networking would wear off. And we thought it would be better if we could teach them good habits, like keeping one's files in trees, and basic fixes for common problems like not having the drivers for a printer or having the default set to a different one. If we hadn't been able to afford them, it might not have been worth it. People use the library around here for internet access, especially for high speed access.

-Nan

Edited June 25, 2010 by Nan in Mass

[anissa]

My 14 yr old ds is saving money to buy his own. He will most likely get $ for his birthday to help out. He really could use his own as he is entering high school.

[FloridaLisa]

It's been our tradition to give each child a laptop for his/her birthday when entering high school. They have several online classes and it just freed up our downstairs computer. Two of mine are free to use them in their rooms; one uses it downstairs at the dining table.

 

HTH,

Lisa

[Mom22ns]

I have two kids. They have a desktop and a laptop between them. That way one can always go to a quiet place to work if they need to. DH and & both have laptops. The one the kids have is my old one. They've had it about 2 years now and we all really love having the convenience.