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What age is right to give a kid a computer?

musty345 said:
Just out of interest, after not having a computer in their room till relatively later on, how handy are your kids with computers?
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One is an aerospace engineer, 'nuff said. The other works at a law firm, on a computer most of the time. But, they had access to the family computer, which we bought when the oldest was about to enter middle school, and never had one in their own room until they moved into a dorm. This was before the "computer in every room" era. ;)
 
Thanks for feedback everyone. Still not decided exactly what to do quite yet. I am certainly holding off for the time being, and perhaps I will set up a little desk next to mine so he can use the computer in the study. I should probably point out that a) this is a 867 MHz quicksilver - it isn't going to play games and I think I can lock it down... b) it won't have an internet connection. It will have a basic word processor so I can help with learning letters & numbers and will have a painting program - I think that will be about as exciting as it will get! Once again thanks for the feedback, it is appreciated.
 
No kids here, but let him have the computer and do what he wants with it. If you're a good parent, he won't get into TOO much trouble. With any luck, he'll learn (like I did) the in an outs of the technology and use it to his advantage when he needs it in school and life. If my parents didn't let me use a computer when I was 3 onwards, there's no chance I would be where i am today.

When he's old enough, just say "Look son, every man looks at porn, and if he says he doesn't, he's a liar. Just don't get into anything I can't or won't bail you out of." Then again, I take the Nathan Fillion/Richard Castle approach to kids...which is probably why I'm never having kids.
 
I wouldn't want my future children to have an excessive amount of computer time, and until a certain age they don't need any computer privacy.

I would say a shared public (as in the computer is in a public place in the house) computer is best until the kid starts high school. After that they need privacy for certain things (especially boys) so your job as a parent is to trust outwardly and worry inwardly.

I also wouldn't let them have a TV in their rooms until the second half of their senior year.

Oh, and no sugar until age 4. :p
 
CalBoy said:
I would say a shared public (as in the computer is in a public place in the house) computer is best until the kid starts high school. After that they need privacy for certain things (especially boys) so your job as a parent is to trust outwardly and worry inwardly.
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Good one! I love that! :D
 
As a person who didn't have a computer until I was about 17, I would say let him have it now, but as others stated, make a time limit for it. You're never to young to start learning a tool you'll spend the rest of your life using.

I'd even suggest when he's a little older have him try multiple OS's. Its a very valuable skill.
 
And said:
I have a spare G4 quicksilver that I am going to set up for my son. What age would you say is the right age for this though, I don't want to push him and equally I don't want him to get heavily involved in a computer when there are other things to do too, like feeding ducks, lego, play-doh, brio train sets, drawing, etc etc etc.! He is nearly 3 soon, but I am thinking that holding off would be sensible for a while yet, any input from macrumors parents would be great! Cheers, and.
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Having been a computer scientist, and a neurological scientist, I believe that your child should get his smartphone and computer at 10, but it is a good idea to give him a dialling phone with no added features at 9, as a way to train him. When he gets his electronics at 10, he should be allowed them in his room, as it will give him a sens e of responsibility.
 
I think it depends on needs. We got divorced when our daughter was 4, and she got an iPad so she could talk to either of us at any time.
 
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I certainly hope the op made a decision by now.
 
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Hrududu said:
What's a computer?
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I love that ad. Can't believe how much has changed in the time since this thread was originally posted. I'm so tempted to try replacing my MB Pro with an iPad; if it weren't for all the CDs and DVDs I haven't ripped yet, I'd already have made up my mind.
 
Gregg2 said:
This.


Not this.


Exactly.

At a young age, most kids wouldn't know how to use a computer for things that are inappropriate. But by the time they are 10 or 11, they'll learn, from friends with permissive parents, if not some other way. No TV in bedrooms either; kids or adults. Bedrooms are for sleeping in. Seriously, medical folks will tell you this as well, especially those who treat people for insomnia.

I know that's a radical opinion, but mark it down; if you put a computer or TV in a kid's bedroom, there will be problems. Keep those things out in the open and interact with the kid while using them, and even one step further, leave them off sometimes!

My kids got computers of their own when they went to college. Until then, there was a family computer, in the Living Room. The TV was downstairs in the Family Room. Oh, and we ate dinner together as a family 7 nights a week. One kid got his first cell phone when he moved into a boarding house without a land line his sophomore year, the other one when he graduated. Until then, they didn't need one, and never asked to have one.
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Wonder what Steve Job's parents would say to this.
 
And said:
I have a spare G4 quicksilver that I am going to set up for my son. What age would you say is the right age for this though, I don't want to push him and equally I don't want him to get heavily involved in a computer when there are other things to do too, like feeding ducks, lego, play-doh, brio train sets, drawing, etc etc etc.! He is nearly 3 soon, but I am thinking that holding off would be sensible for a while yet, any input from macrumors parents would be great! Cheers, and.
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Different views. I wouldn't worry about pushing... They'd grow up in today's world regardless. So starting age probably doesn't matter much.

If you don't wanna supervise, stick K9 web protection on the system.... That would block just about any kid out of anything, including removing it with a password
 
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