Do your Kids have their own computers?

[TallBill]

No kids yet, but if I did then they would certainly have their own PC. I had a computer when I was 12 or 13 and all I did on it was mess around with BASIC since we didn't have internet. Then when I turned 16 I bought a PC and broadband. I wish that I had the opportunity to get more knowledge earlier, and will highly encourage my children to be tech smart. Just just chatting/email, but programming/graphic design, whatever prodoctive use interests them (I'm hoping anyways).

 

[Sealy]

My kids are 3 and 6 and they both use the computer daily. My youngest has our old compie in his room...although now he's been using our main compie downstairs, he hates how slow the one in his room is...they learn fast! I love that they're on the computer, I actually prefer it over t.v. At least the games they play are all educational. All online games, and one site actually is teaching my youngest all his letters, the sounds and how to spell, he'll be reading soon. It's just like anything...be involved with your kids, and aware of what they're doing, and you'll be able to help keep them safe from the dangers of what's out there, or least give them the smarts to know about the dangers.

 

[Madwand1]

My son's had his own computer since he was about 4. It's always been fairly locked down -- running Vista Parental Controls right now, with non-admin access of course, and I enable sites selectively for him. There's a lot of junk out there, and even kids' web sites are full of advertising that we can do without.

I like what we can do with the computer in terms of education, and he even enjoys doing that to some extent, but it's still much better when that "automated education" is assisted by me being right there, helping him out, directing him to worthwhile challenges, praising him, etc. Besides, we can learn some things ourselves doing that.

I enforce Internet lockouts sometimes through the router (sometimes scheduled), as well as full computer lockout through the login at times. I lock out some games and folders at times using file system level privileges, and even use a little digital timer for game time limits. It's easier for kids to understand time's up when a beeper's going off than by looking at a clock or by feel.

All this might sound draconian to some, but to be honest, it'd much easier for us to be lax and let the computer be the babysitter, teacher, etc., and hence avoid that responsibility, but it's better for him when we don't.

Here's a recent article on software Parental Controls:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7235466.stm

 

[winr]

My Grandson has used my Computers since He was 2.

He is eight now and likes DOD and COD4 the best..at the moment, it is amazing how quickly toddlers will learn.

 

[PHiuR]

No, but I had my first family computer in 3rd/4th grade. I built my own computer in 7th grade with the help of one of my sister's friends. I then built my second computer by myself in 9th grade, which went into my room. Following that, I built my current setup in 11th grade that I still use today in 16th grade.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

I got my computer in 3rd grade. I rarely used it... maybe weekends for games, just a bit too. Even in 6th grade computer was for HW only, but I snuck on in the afternoons when my parents weren't home yet. I did that all through high school. High school was when I got on every night in front of my parents... after I finished the hw I could write on paper (math hw and such).

Now it's just a I sit down in front of my computer the second I get home. Sad huh? Sad. What a pathetic world I live in. I need to get a life. I even did this in the summer with an internship. Can you imagine sitting in front of a computer at work all day and then coming back to sit in front at home? Ugh.

 

[Ika]

I have a feeling my early exposure to computers (first one when I was... 6?) has led to my addiction to games and stuff.

Nowadays if I'm not with friends, I'm usually at my computer, procrastinating.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Yes, daughter has her own Dell PC, she is 13.

Main uses: Homework, YouTube, shopping, chatting, & email.

 

[jlfirehawk]

MY 10 year old and my 7 year old have their own with, one has a lcd the other doesnt, my 3 year old doesnt have one yet but plays on my laptop. It works nice so they stay off my desktop, course the wife tends to stay on it, so I just turn the sound up while playing my ps3.

 

[Superself]

What pisses me off is that I enforce restrictions at home but my daughter tells me that she can damn near browse anywhere they please at her private school....even browse to sites on their system that THEY warned us about during the netbully seminar!!
:disgust:

 

[livingsacrifice]

If I had a kid I'd really want them to start from the beginning with learning computers, have them learn how to build one and how the entire start up process works. I think it helps too if they start from the bottom with learning DOS up to present software. Always felt that was the best way to learn.

 

[MotionMan]

Originally posted by: livingsacrifice
If I had a kid I'd really want them to start from the beginning with learning computers, have them learn how to build one and how the entire start up process works. I think it helps too if they start from the bottom with learning DOS up to present software. Always felt that was the best way to learn.

That is a little tough to do with a 3-year-old who just wants to play with Mickey and Handy Manny.

MotionMan

 

[jjones]

My daughter is 6 and she's had her own computer for the past year or so. It's one of my old rigs running a p4 3 gig and 9800 pro. She uses it mostly for gaming, but she does have her own e-mail so her grandparents can keep in touch with her, and she does use internet for homework sometimes with either my supervision or my wife's.

She's been using computers at school since she was about 3, but without internet access.

 

[Ramma2]

Our 5 year old uses both the desktop and the laptop about 3-5 times a week. Mostly to play his Webkinz lately, but he does have some educational games on there too.

I will probably set him up with an older rig when he starts first grade next year, with content filtering of course!

http://www1.k9webprotection.com/
Free internet filtering and parental controls for anyone that is interested.

 

[Madwand1]

Originally posted by: livingsacrifice
If I had a kid I'd really want them to start from the beginning with learning computers, have them learn how to build one and how the entire start up process works. I think it helps too if they start from the bottom with learning DOS up to present software. Always felt that was the best way to learn.

Little kids can handle 1's and 0's just fine. So I guess you could get them programming in binary to start.

 

[Cienja]

My kids share a PC that I put in the family room. I try to keep an eye on the content by using MSN (I get a report every other day that shows where they've been, etc.), plus I like to peek over their shoulder and ask them what they are doing. Naturally, they both want laptops now...

So, I agree with you.

 

[3NF]

Wow - I wish I had a computer when I was a kid. We had Rubik's Cubes. If we wanted to play any sort of FPS game, we went into the woods and shot each other with BB guns.

 

[bladder23]

Originally posted by: 3NF
Wow - I wish I had a computer when I was a kid. We had Rubik's Cubes. If we wanted to play any sort of FPS game, we went into the woods and shot each other with BB guns.

I would take a BB gun anyday over my counter-strike addiction.

 

[michaelsslave]

speaking from experience, no matter how hard you try, they will find '*****' and enjoy it

 

[hanoverphist]

Originally posted by: Heller
Got into a discussion earlier today, and i said to my friend, a computer is the best investment for a kid, only because I personally learn alot from the internet, (how to build a computer, how to fix this) the internet is probably the best learning tool for a kid.. anybody agree? along as you keep them away from ***** you sure be fine...

anybody else agree with me ? do your kids us the computer daily? do they have their own?

maybe im completely insane, who knows

i have 3 kids, 10, 10 and 13. they have a choice of computer in my office, as well as a laptop rolling around the living room. they use them daily, but i do limit their time online. they do research, talk to their friends, play a couple games and draw in photoshop. some of their teachers even post their homework and assignments online to complete thru their school website. i think its a great thing, they always teach the great grandparents stuff when we go over there. takes some of the strain off their questions for me hehe.

 

[Heller]

Originally posted by: bladder23

Originally posted by: 3NF
Wow - I wish I had a computer when I was a kid. We had Rubik's Cubes. If we wanted to play any sort of FPS game, we went into the woods and shot each other with BB guns.

I would take a BB gun anyday over my counter-strike addiction.

Source or 1.6?

I made thisback when I played competitive forever ago

 

[hanoverphist]

Originally posted by: Heller

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
My kid is 5 and between my wife, my son and I we have 3 computers in the house. All of them can access the internet and none of them are in any bedrooms.

Why cause if its in the bedroom, it must mean its used for porn right?

no, but it gives too much privacy. kids are more apt to follow the rules if they know there are other eyes around.

 

[Cienja]

Originally posted by: 3NF
Wow - I wish I had a computer when I was a kid. We had Rubik's Cubes. If we wanted to play any sort of FPS game, we went into the woods and shot each other with BB guns.

Same here! LOL!!

 

[Scarpozzi]

My dad was a Commodore Tech.... (worked for Sperry before that)

I grew up with Vic20s and C64s and Amiga 500s when those suckers came out. The stuff I learned when I was extremely young was basic, but no one else was using QLink at 300bps back then except for me and a select few that weren't still using sliderules.

My advice is to go ahead and give kids computers, but invest in NetNanny or whatever you can to filter the content. There are simply too many bad things on the Internet these days. If I were a parent, I would feel it to be my responsibility to block bad content wherever possible from my kids.

If nothing else, I would make a user account for them with limited access and block sites like craigslist, myspace, facebook, and most if not all chat programs. This can be done by making the hosts file in Windows/System32/drivers/etc/ read only after making loopback entries for whatever sites you want to block. It's a good workaround for someone not inclined enough to query a DNS server.

 

[MotionMan]

Originally posted by: Cienja

Originally posted by: 3NF
Wow - I wish I had a computer when I was a kid. We had Rubik's Cubes. If we wanted to play any sort of FPS game, we went into the woods and shot each other with BB guns.

Same here! LOL!!

One of my best friends in high school had an Apple IIe and I spent hours upon hours playing One on One (Dr. J v. Bird) on a monochrome (green) monitor with a joystick just like this one.

Those were the days.

MotionMan