| Author |
Message |
    
Cathy
Supporter
Username: Clkelley
Post Number: 735
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, March 6, 2005 - 1:35 pm: |     |
I'm tired of having to give up my laptop all the time to the little sprout. She is limited to half an hour on school nights, but she'll hover over you like a vulture until it's her turn. And weekends are a problem. Apparently she was upstairs a short time ago consulting her crazy 8 ball to find out if mama was done with the computer yet.
We're thinking of breaking down and buying a laptop for her, if we can get one that is cheap enough. Anybody know of any good places to start looking, things to keep in mind, etc.?
We don't want a desktop as we don't want her buried in her room on the computer. We don't have a place for a desktop in any of our public areas of the house.
fwiw she is seven years old, not sure if that makes any difference when looking. |
composerjohn
Citizen
Username: Composerjohn
Post Number: 165
Registered: 8-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, March 6, 2005 - 1:41 pm: | |
does a seven year old really need a laptop?? You can get her a nice Mac mini for $499 (not including monitor, but you can connect most). I know you said you didn't want a desktop, but because the mini is so compact, it is easily portable.
If you want a laptop and know what brand/model, visit www.pricegrabber.com for the best price. |
Cathy
Supporter
Username: Clkelley
Post Number: 736
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, March 6, 2005 - 2:04 pm: | |
The problem with any kind of desktop is where to put it. We don't want her buried in her room. At present she uses my laptop, and we can see her while she's using it, she's able to interact with us, etc. etc. We want something portable that can be used in the living roon. It may be impossible to do this inexpensively - but that's what I want to find out. |
monster
Supporter
Username: Monster
Post Number: 621
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, March 6, 2005 - 2:20 pm: | |
John took the words right out of my mouth, and after a suggestion of a Mac Mini, I might also suggest a used/refurbished iBook. Not much of a reason to worry about the little one bringing home a nasty virus or a case of the worms while having an Apple a day.
That being said, keep in mind that laptops or laptops, and kids are kids, I know of a couple of people that have had the screens on their laptops broken after their child left it in the floor, and then ended up stepping on it, or got a little careless and dropped it (ouch), and a liquid spill here or there.
Another option to consider is a refurbished eMac from Apple, there are several models to be found on Apple's "Special Deals" section under "Apple Certified", here is a link; http://tinyurl.com/52pud
Priced from $549 to $799, all come with a full warranty for a year, and "AppleCare" is available to bring that up to 3 years.
Here is a link to a page of iBooks at Expercom, http://tinyurl.com/56tap
I like the deal on this one, http://tinyurl.com/6sjnv
Here is a link fo an iBook at Techrestore, http://tinyurl.com/3pflb
they have more here.
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mjc
Citizen
Username: Mjc
Post Number: 323
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, March 6, 2005 - 3:15 pm: | |
My husband has gotten a couple of used laptops from eBay with good results, but being tech-impaired I can't tell you what to look for.
Second monster about the possibilities for accidents (even the spouse spilled on a screen one time, and it croaked), but presumably if your child could for example take proper care of a musical instrument, s/he could learn to do the same with a laptop. Perhaps since you're overseeing time and place of use, you could also set up some guidelines, no food, never on the floor, whatever seems right.
Congratulations on holding the line IRT hours and location of computer use! As a retiring mom (sons now 18 and 19), I can tell you it isn't easy but IMO it's very much worthwhile.
happy hunting, happy family time -
MC |
Cathy
Supporter
Username: Clkelley
Post Number: 737
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, March 6, 2005 - 3:42 pm: | |
monster, thank you $1 million or more for the links. I will start there.
We do have a very strict laptop care protocol in the house - no food, insructions on how to be careful with it, etc. I still have my heart in mouth sometimes but I try to let it go - my kid is a natural neatnik & no where near as klutzy as her mom. The chances are probably greater that I would damage it myself, than that she would.
Holding the line on computer use is tough, but TV turnoff at school helped a lot. It includes comptuer games, not just TV. She opted for "silver" rather than "gold" although it's always been our rule to have no TV on school nights. She can easily live without TV, but not without her games. Some of them are educational but not all, and I can't be looking over her shoulder all the time to see if she's doing games at CyberChase (PBS program devoted to math) or at BrainlessTeenDoll.Com. |
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