ok so those of you with older children do they have their own computers or a computer in their room? do you think its right for parents to let their kids have computers in their own room?

me personally no i do not thinkits okay without some sort of tracking software on there

There will be no computers in his own room until he is in college. No need whatsoever.
To me, that is inviting trouble.... no matter how hard to "try" to protect them.

I had a computer in my room at 17. It had no internet access unless my parents allowed it, and only on certain sites(IE the school website, etc). If I wanted internet I had to use the family computer.

I had a computer in my room at 17. It had no internet access unless my parents allowed it, and only on certain sites(IE the school website, etc). If I wanted internet I had to use the family computer.

That is a good idea.

Obviously my children are way too young for their own computers. DH and I have discussed it though, and we will probably provide a "family" computer once they reach a school age where computer research will help them in school. It would not be in their bedrooms however, it would be in a common area (most likely next to our computers); and it will definitely have software which allows us to both control and monitor what they do online.

If they want their own computer for their room, they can buy it themselves, and I probably wouldn't give that kind of option until they're jr. or sr. in high school. And again, it would have software which would allow us to monitor what they do online as long as they were under-aged and in our home. Once they leave my house they can do whatever they want.

Yes, I'm an anal overprotective parent :lmao. My kids will probably hate me when they reach teenage years, but hey! better safe than sorry.

I had a computer in my room at 17. It had no internet access unless my parents allowed it, and only on certain sites(IE the school website, etc). If I wanted internet I had to use the family computer.

That's smart... for me I had one in my room in highschool and my brother has one in his and he was younger when he got his. I dont think I would do that with my kids but I'm glad my mom did it for me. :giggle

my four and six year olds have a computer in their room with internet access on it. granted it is strict acess, but they have it. they mostly play games, and dont do that much anyway. they will always be allowed to ahve a computer in their room until they prove that they shouldnt be allowed that privledge.

That is a good idea.

It was necessary when I was taking 5 AP classes and writing 2-3 papers a night and taking all the family comp time. It really worked for me. After 5 months, they allowed me unlimited internet access because they got sick of me being up at odd hours on the family comp. But I was a good kid and never did anything bad...except talk to DH(then DB) for hours at a time :rofl

My children have a computer, it's a shared one that is in my oldest DD's room. Both of their sign in's are limited acess and age appropriate and we get report cards on their activity. They are also both limited to one hour a day and only between the hours of 5 and 7 pm. Usually they are not even on the internet but outside playing at that time of day.

There will be no computers in his own room until he is in college. No need whatsoever.
To me, that is inviting trouble.... no matter how hard to "try" to protect them.

I agree 100%. There will be no chats/myspace/facebook/blogs or anything of the sort for my kids. Anything they need to do on a computer they can do on the family computer in the living room. And god help them because everything is going to be blocked. :lmao

my four and six year olds have a computer in their room with internet access on it. granted it is strict acess, but they have it. they mostly play games, and dont do that much anyway. they will always be allowed to ahve a computer in their room until they prove that they shouldnt be allowed that privledge.

Wow, that is really young. Does your 4 year old do well with the internet. I mean like what does he/she look up or at? I couldnt imagine my four year old on the net. LOL

my four year old isnt stupid. it doesnt take much to play on nickjr or disney.com

We have two computers in our home. The one in the living room is the only one with internet service, though. The kids' computer is ONLY for playing their games and typing papers on. If they want/need to do anything internet based they have to a) have permission (specific to what it is they plan to do) and b) use the computer that is out where I can monitor their activity.

my four year old isnt stupid. it doesnt take much to play on nickjr or disney.com

I have no doubt your four year old is not stupid. Never did imply that ;)
I must just be old fashion and not "up to date" on the having kids that young and computers. I just have not seen a child that young on a computer and actually type in things and what not.

I guess I am just use to coloring books and Dr Seuss at that age... sorry :)

I think it'll be "case by case". If the kid is responsible and mature about things, they might get one when they're around 16/17. Tracking software is a must, and they will have restricted use until the prove themselves. It's just common sense.

Now if one of my kids always lies, is shady, etc; if they ever give me reason to not trust them, they won't get one in their rooms, no question.

It will really depend on the situation and the child in question.

for now for the four year old it has been just playing games, but with my six year old, he has his own email account and sends emails to family and his daddy. he has already had to do some research on the internet for homework....in kindergarten! but like i said, they have very restricted access and like a previous poster said we get "report cards" on their daily activity, most days there isnt any. all the websites they also view have to be approved before they can view them!

One of my DD's teachers requires her to email her homework to her once a week. She also had computer lab last year that required them to email the teacher certain researched things for homework off the internet.

There will be no computers in the rooms. Right now Kayla has her own AOL acct to go onto the disney, nick, barbie, etc websites. It's the Kids AOL thing and I get emails on everything she does.

Computers are not shoes and food
They aren't even toys

They are expensive, sensitive pieces of equipment.
My kids can have their own when they buy their own.

No computers in their rooms until they are old enough to pay for them. :yes And no internet access until they are in college or out of high school helping pay the bill. :D It is MY house, MY rules. There is no need for any child to have unsupervised access to the internet at any point in time, IMO, I've see too many parents use computers, tvs, video games, computer games, and electronics as baby sitters instead of playing with their own children, reading to them, playing outside. In MY house, the children will have their own computer :giggle in a central location that will be strictly supervised by both DH and me, with limited amount of "free time" allowed on it. :D

No, no computers in there rooms ever. The oldest isn't allowed on them yet. We practice Waldorf in our home and he is starting a Waldorf Kindergarten this fall so he doesn't really get very much time with electronic things no computers, very little tv, etc.

My children are way too young for me to be too worried at the moment. However I would like to have a media room when they get older. Basically it would be an office with a couple of computers so the kids could all do their homework at the same time. I would also be able to know what they are into at all times that way. And I would have the computers set up so that certain things would come up blocked.

No computers in their rooms until they are old enough to pay for them. :yes And no internet access until they are in college or out of high school helping pay the bill. :D It is MY house, MY rules. There is no need for any child to have unsupervised access to the internet at any point in time, IMO, I've see too many parents use computers, tvs, video games, computer games, and electronics as baby sitters instead of playing with their own children, reading to them, playing outside. In MY house, the children will have their own computer :giggle in a central location that will be strictly supervised by both DH and me, with limited amount of "free time" allowed on it. :D

:yes Well said.