Parents - question about kids and computers....

[lillygator]

My daughters are a little young - although my 3 year old will play the Blues Clues preschool programs....but if your child uses a comptuer....is it in their room or out in the family room?


With all this talk about kids visting myspace or what have you, do you think it's better to keep computers out of the bedroom and more in the open?

 

[Blondy876]

My 6 year old loves the computer. We only have one and it is in the fmily room. When she gets older I will have no problem with her having one in her room but it will not have internet access. She can use it for homework but if she needs the net to do research she'll have to do it on the family computer.

 

[lillygator]

perfect idea!!

 

[Servants of Evan]

We have three computers in the house. My wife's is in the basement laundry area. She multi-tasks doing laundry and paying the bills online. My son's is in the kitchen area. Since he's four, it's mostly Thomas the Tank Engine, Tonka, etc. My PC is upstairs in my old office area. Only the wife's and mine have internet access and it's going to stay that way for quite some time!

 

[calie_j]

We gave our two teenage boys their own computer for the 1st time last Oct and let them have it in their room. It needs a password to log on which they do not know so we'd log them on and then you have to make sure to shut it off at night cause you know they won't. Well it took them less then 2 months to get in trouble with it; they downloaded a password recovery program and were on it every night from midnight til 4am playing online games (they'd set their alarm clock for after I went to bed late and get off when they heard H's early alarm for work). It will now be kept in the family room after we make room for it, and I'm not in too much of a hurry to give it back after that stunt.

Calie

 

[luvmydogs]

We have ours right out in the open, and that's where it's staying. If ds10 needs it for school, I'll turn off the TV or stereo (they're in the same room) and let him do his work quietly, but I'm still nearby--I don't hover, but he knows I'm around. As much as I'd like to trust him to use good judgement now and as he gets older, I'm also a realist when it comes to the attraction of the internet or games he may not be ready for, or mature enough to play. I'm a huge believer in keeping an eye on, and openly discussing what he looks at or plays on the computer.

 

[dmslush]

We have a ton of computers; three desktops and two laptops LOL, it equals out to one per person. BUT, dd doesn't have one in her room and won't have one in her room.

 

[FreshTressa]

Ours are in an office area...

I think the doors need to be open and the parents need to check content occassionally if they are in the bedrooms.

I would only put in bedrooms if there was a space issue. I think it is better to have them in public areas. To many predators and freaky prOn out there.

 

[barkley]

we have dd (11 1/2) and ds (shy of 9)-they've both used computers since early toddlerhood (dad a computer guy and would let them move the mouse as infants).

they don't currently but have had computers with internet access in their rooms. both have been strongly educated not to go on sites that we have not approved (NICK, BARBIE, CARTOON NETWORK....) and both know to never post their name or personal information-and we've been honest with them regarding why. we routinly checked the history on their pc's as well as our family pc (the only one hooked up right now) and have never found them to stray from their approved sites.

i'm not saying my kids are perfect by any means, but i have to give them the opportunity to show they respect our rules and deserve our trust.

 

[Aidensmom]

He is only 4 now, and he uses my laptop ocassionally, in whatever room I am in.

I am building him his own computer though which he will have in a few weeks, kept in his room, but it will never have internet access. When he gets older and wants to use the web, he'll do so from my laptop with my supervision.

 

[Nancy]

We have 4 computers; my laptop, the main Dell, the other PC and the gaming PC. All but gaming have internet access, all are in rooms that have full family access. Laptop is usually in the living room, but sometimes its moved into the family room if the family is annoying me when I'm doing homework. Dell PC is in the dining room which is between family and living rooms. The other PC is in the front part of my bedroom and if the girls are on it I can see them from the sleeping area. Sometimes my oldest will take the laptop into her room, but she will be 18 in July, so I give her a bit of leeway. The 16 yr old and 13 yr old are not allowed to take it into their rooms.

 

[MoniqueU]

Bad parent here. We have 3 laptops and 3 desktops. 2 of my kids have them in their rooms and the third probably will soon. I know about myspace and I even worse websites then that (offtopic) but my kids are not at an age where they are interested. I willl crsoss that bride when I get there.

 

[dismom9761]

We only have one computer and it is the family room.They love to get on the internet(arcade games,etc)but only with my permission and supervision.The other day my SIL and I were talking and the four boys got too quiet.They were googling words to see what would pop up.NOT a good idea....

 

[the kabuki]

computer is out in the open and that's where it will stay, at least until they can afford to go buy their own which won't be for a long while yet

 

[powellrj]

computer is out in the open and that's where it will stay, at least until they can afford to go buy their own which won't be for a long while yet

Thats how we have always handled it. Oldest DS had his own computer in his room when he was old enought to buy it himself. We toyed with the idea of getting the kids computers in their rooms at Christmas, but decided to keep the buy it yourself rule.

 

[aprilgail2]

I have mine in my room and my 6 year old got her own for Christmas last year and thats in what is her playroom right now but she is moving her bedroom into that playrrom so it will be in her bedroom when we have that done. She has online access via a cable modem but right now its fine since all she goes to are kids sites...once she knows better then it is coming out into the living room or else I will just disconnect her cable modem so she can only use CD games etc.

 

[Hannathy]

Both our computers are out in the open family room and kitchen.

I am more concerned about the isolation than what they will go on. always ask before going to any new sites. But if everyone is in their own rooms when do you interact ? This way my husband can be reading the news on the comp. and still be present to interact, answer math questions and so on, same with the kids.

 

[bettyann29]

No computers in any of the bedrooms .. I like to be able to come up behind them in the office and see what they are doing.. The office is right off of the kitchen so it is in an open area.. Not that I dont trust anyone, but I just like to keep tabs on everything..

 

[Longsx3]

We have 4 computers, 2 of which are techincally DD's (9). Her Laptop that DGrandpa bought her and a Sony Desktop I bought her because DH was using her Laptop so much. Then I have a Desktop and Laptop. 3 of the Computers are in the office including DD's and the other is in the Guest room where Dh chooses to work when he is home. Typically if DD is working on the computer than I am in the office as well, but so far she hasn't had any interest in websites that I wouldn't appove of.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

DH and I have our computers in a upstairs bedroom/ now office.
14yodd has her computer in the "media room", upstairs family room, which is in the open.
9yodd is getting my old computer, soon. It will go into the media room too.

We talk safety till we are blue in the face, we check up on them & sites they go to and have computer use rules.

So far they abide by the rules. They only issues we have had is 9yodd going to Google images and downloading pictures of dogs which has slowed down our computers. Hence why she will be getting her own.