laptops and teens question.

[Lorena]

Dh and I have been thinking about getting ds14 a laptop or note book for his birthday. He will be 15 in March. Do you think that is a good age? He writes a lot od papers and I think it may help him keep his notes more organized.
I guess I don't know what would be better a laptop or notebook?

[atlmom2]

We had a family laptop and family desktop.  No personal computers till they were out of HS.  2 kids, 2 computers and so they could not take them to their rooms.  Only in community areas of the house.  Do you have other computers??? Also at that age he will need a newer one for college so you are buying 2 computers in a span of a few years just for your son. 

[Hannahluvsdogs]

A laptop and a notebook are the same thing. Do you mean a netbook? A netbook is a smaller laptop without some of the features like playing DVDs. I got my DS a laptop for Christmas when he was 13, but he is very into computers. If your DS is just going to be using it for schoolwork a netbook will be fine. If you want him to be able to watch movies or play online games he'll need a laptop.

[Lorena]

We have one laptop in my office that 9 of use use.

Quoting atlmom2:

We had a family laptop and family desktop.  No personal computers till they were out of HS.  2 kids, 2 computers and so they could not take them to their rooms.  Only in community areas of the house.  Do you have other computers??? Also at that age he will need a newer one for college so you are buying 2 computers in a span of a few years just for your son. 

[atlmom2]

For 9, I would get another family laptop, not just for one child then.  Just me. 

Quoting Lorena:

We have one laptop in my office that 9 of use use.

Quoting atlmom2:

We had a family laptop and family desktop.  No personal computers till they were out of HS.  2 kids, 2 computers and so they could not take them to their rooms.  Only in community areas of the house.  Do you have other computers??? Also at that age he will need a newer one for college so you are buying 2 computers in a span of a few years just for your son. 

[Lorena]

Yes, a NetBook and I do not want him watxhing movies or playing games. At home he will only ne able to use the internet if I sing him in. I am the only one who knows the password. and he will only be able to use the internet in the downstaires area and only homework related things. I want to be able to set up blocks so he can not access things that I do not want him to.

Quoting Hannahluvsdogs:

A laptop and a notebook are the same thing. Do you mean a netbook? A netbook is a smaller laptop without some of the features like playing DVDs. I got my DS a laptop for Christmas when he was 13, but he is very into computers. If your DS is just going to be using it for schoolwork a netbook will be fine. If you want him to be able to watch movies or play online games he'll need a laptop.

[MamaSnaps]

Mine have laptops from the 13 year old to the 17 year old. They are not on-line 24/7 and we monitor them closely. I have rarely had to take the laptop away. I can shut them out of the internet from my desktop and they only have a limited time to spend there.
Everything is networked so I can sit at my desktop and browse what is on their computers.

The older two had netbooks a while back and that was a stupid investment where we were concerned. The laptops have been much better for performance and use than the netbooks were.

[Lorena]

What where your problems with the NetBook?

Quoting MamaSnaps:

Mine have laptops from the 13 year old to the 17 year old. They are not on-line 24/7 and we monitor them closely. I have rarely had to take the laptop away. I can shut them out of the internet from my desktop and they only have a limited time to spend there.
Everything is networked so I can sit at my desktop and browse what is on their computers.

The older two had netbooks a while back and that was a stupid investment where we were concerned. The laptops have been much better for performance and use than the netbooks were.

[Shopsha0911]

We have a family desk top, we did not purchase personal computers until college and then it was for a hs graduation gift. I didn't want them surfing without supervision of course they looked at thing they were not suppose to when I was not home, computer history is your friend. 

Our hs is now issuing Netbooks to student for use in school and at home, they do need to be returned when books are turned in. 

[Lorena]

We were looking for him to be able to take it to school to take notes and work on projects.

Quoting atlmom2:

For 9, I would get another family laptop, not just for one child then.  Just me. 

Quoting Lorena:

We have one laptop in my office that 9 of use use.

Quoting atlmom2:

We had a family laptop and family desktop.  No personal computers till they were out of HS.  2 kids, 2 computers and so they could not take them to their rooms.  Only in community areas of the house.  Do you have other computers??? Also at that age he will need a newer one for college so you are buying 2 computers in a span of a few years just for your son. 

[atlmom2]

My kids could never take computers to school.  Not allowed.  Youngest graduated last year. 

Quoting Lorena:

We were looking for him to be able to take it to school to take notes and work on projects.

Quoting atlmom2:

For 9, I would get another family laptop, not just for one child then.  Just me. 

Quoting Lorena:

We have one laptop in my office that 9 of use use.

Quoting atlmom2:

We had a family laptop and family desktop.  No personal computers till they were out of HS.  2 kids, 2 computers and so they could not take them to their rooms.  Only in community areas of the house.  Do you have other computers??? Also at that age he will need a newer one for college so you are buying 2 computers in a span of a few years just for your son.