When (if ever) would you get them their own laptop?

[annettemarie]

I was thinking about this today. Do your kids have their own laptop for homeschooling? How old were they when you got it? Or when will you get them one?

DH thinks college; I was thinking high school.

[ALittleBitCrunchy]

We already have...so 5 and 6. My daughter used my old laptop (I bought a new desktop) and my son has an old desktop. It's worked out great. I'd like to upgrade my son's and change the monitor, but it works

[library lady]

My kids do not have their own laptop per se, but we do have one for the family. We have a computer station set up with 2 computers and a wireless network. We have a laptop that we can use in any room of the house. We have taken it with us so the kids can do their own thing when we go out to certain places. My kids are 7, 4, 2, & 2mo. I don't think they will ever get them their own laptop but we will always share. I can see us getting another laptop for the family when they are older so we can all work on the computer at the same time.

If they want a laptop that they can call their own, I think they will have to buy it themselves.

[moominmamma]

We have a networked buncha computers. Four of them.

One is dh's swanky new home-office desktop computer, paid for by work, off-limits for all except very special tasks. Two are family desktop computers with slightly different configurations and therefore slightly different uses. These are shared, though the kids spend the most time on the one that's full of games and has a good graphics card, and I mostly use the one with the publishing software, graphics programs, music stuff, etc.. Then we have a dinosaur of a laptop, almost 10 years old. We use it just for internet, and as our keep-in-touch computer when we travel.

So essentially we have two shared family computers for five of us, and dh has his own. We are pretty heavy computer users, but I like sharing machines. It gives everyone access to more software and it allows me to stay more aware of what everyone is up to.

If my kids want their own computers they can buy them themselves.

Miranda

[Dakota's Mom]

My son doesn't have a laptop but he has had his own desktop since he was about 3. We have three desktops and two laptops for the three of us. DH builds computers as a hobby so we always have extra computers or computer parts laying around.

Kathi

[napua]

We gave our DD my Sony Vaio when she was 6. It was only 1.5 year old but I replaced it with a MacBook for myself. I am not sure if I would have *bought* one specifically for her at such a young age but since my DH works with computers, we tend to buy a new one every 2 years or so.

[Theoretica]

I'd say when they are old enough to need one for typing longer assignments and such. We have a 'kids computer' set up in our living room that for now is DDs primarily, but she's aware it's not HERS specifically, as the other kids can use it if they wanted. But as for getting them their 'own' laptop I'd vote for waiting until they have lots of papers to write and such, so more around high school.

[mrs*kewpie*pie]

if i had the extra cash laying around i'd get dd one now, shes 9.

but since we don't it'll probably wait until she really needs it rather than just would like it.

[bremen]

i would say having a family computeris good from the time the child can read, and a personal one for the child around middleschool

[Tiffany_PartyOf7]

My kids share a laptop but when we can afford it (and/or find a cheap one used somewhere - or need a new one ourselves and pass down the old one like we did last time) we will get them their own. Currently my 5 yr old and 3 yr old share one. They can both navigate the internet fairly well. They play their educational games on the computer. My 5 yr old uses Word. My 5 yr old has had it since he had just turned 4. My daughter has been using it for about 6 months. My 2 yr old can navigate websites once you are on the website (he can figure youtube out completely alone LOL).

[kewb]

We just got the kids their own this year-so 10 & 8. It really made life easier. For example: They can do dancemat typing at the same time. When we look at a website together instead of all crowding around my laptop everyone has their own. Plus, dh is an IT man and eveything is networked/monitored/etc.

That said, the laptops live in the schoolroom (dining room/living room) and there are rules about using it for recreational time.

[melissabb]

My kids are 8 and 5 and they have their own laptops. We do an on-line curriculum and they also love Webkinz, Pokemon etc so they actually do alot on-line. I think it's great for kids to be computer savy at an early age. I will say however, that you have to be involved in their computer time as to monitor what they are viewing. Laptops and kids should not be given free-range and be attended.

[notjustmamie]

Originally Posted by melissabb

I think it's great for kids to be computer savy at an early age. I will say however, that you have to be involved in their computer time as to monitor what they are viewing. Laptops and kids should not be given free-range and be attended.

: DD is allowed to use my computer while supervised (and it's frightening how much she has figured out how to do all on her own). She's four now. I can't imagine giving her her own computer before high school and probably not until college.

[kathymuggle]

We have one computer in the family room.

This is very much a conscious choice. It is in the family room for internet safety reasons. We only have 1 computer as we have to share it (thus creating a natural limit) - 3 of us have mild internet addiction issues

DS has dysgraphia - there will come a point when he will need a laptop - such as if he chooses to go to school or take classes which require lots of note-taking.

[3momkmb]

If I had the money DD would have one of her own right now, she's in 9th grade. She has a couple of subjects she does teaching textbooks plus she is writing on several stories that she keeps on the computer and a website she frequently updates. Since we spend many evenings (and quite a few mornings too!) outside the house, it would be esaier for everyone if she had a computer she could take with her to get her work done.

My DD2 who is in public school already has one. They all get them to use for school once they hit 7th grade.

[annettemarie]

Just to clarify, we do have a desktop for the kids to use. My oldest likes to use Word to write (he has some small motor issues, so we wanted to get him keyboarding ASAP), and we have Glubble installed and have handpicked what sites we allow access to. THey also each have a few learning games. I'm just wondering, in this technological age, when (if ever) you would consider a laptop to be a necessity in homeschooling.

[MyLittleWonders]

We've told the kids they'd probably have their own laptops when they hit about 15 - about the age they'd be able to start taking classes at the local community college. (It's also when we told them they'd have their own cell phones. ). We are not big on them having that much access to information this young; and being rather eclectic hs'ers, there's not a huge need for them to be on a computer right now.

We have a family desktop ("my" computer), and a family laptop ("dh's" computer) that the boys use with permission. They are used/kept in public areas of the house and used with supervision. We don't like the idea of computers (or TVs for that matter) in their rooms, and purposely plan to keep those types of items in public areas of the house.

[Tiffany_PartyOf7]

Yes, I think its crucial to have the appropriate parental controls set AND be in the same room while they are on the computer.

[Bell]

My dd is 8 and she doesn't have hers. She uses mine. I do want to control what she does on the internet. I think she's too young to tell what she can from what she can't. I let her play on Webkinz site because I trust it and when she wants other site or do research for school, I give her some help or I keep an eye on what she's doing. She will have her laptop when she turns 15. that's what I think!

[Mymble]

Our DD uses a hand-me-down netbook that is "hers" now and then; we don't have a desktop we can let her use most of them time (the only time she goes on the netbook is because I'm working and I'm on the desktop) .

It's a tiny linux-based machine, and all she has access to on it is a drawing program, openoffice, and firefox -- which I have set up with a whitelisting filter so she stays on sites I have checked out thoroughly. It works well for us. Mostly she uses it to draw, or go on starfall or brainpopjr. She doesn't use it at will though -- we have it put up and she asks if she wants to use it.

I doubt I would ever get her her own full-fledged laptop (I doubt we will buy another one for ourselves when our currently one gives up the ghost -- we really find no need for it); she'll probably have her own desktop or one she shares with us (in a public room) in a few more years. Past that I really have no idea!