Contributed by Lisa Steinke
Should kids have computers in their bedrooms? My answer to this question is an unequivocal no.
At our home, the children have a desktop computer that they can use whenever they need it. It’s their computer, not ours. However, it is not located in one of their bedrooms. And they know that this will likely not happen for a long time, if ever. (They’re currently in middle school (age 12), elementary school (age 9), and not yet in school (age 2).)
The computer is currently located in a place where we have easy access to see what the kids are doing online. Although we trust them and have never had an issue, we feel our “better safe than sorry” approach works. And the kids have absolutely no issue with it. At least at this point anyway.
In an age of cyberbullying, online predators and easily accessible content on sites like Youtube.com (that the kids may not have any idea is inappropriate until they click) we feel that too much can go on if we aren’t pretty much looking over their shoulders. If we allowed the children to have a computer in their bedroom it’s almost asking for trouble. Behind a closed door, good child or not, you never know what can happen, if curiosity will get the best of them and they end up looking at something/”chatting with” someone they shouldn’t. Bottom line: If a child has a computer in his bedroom, it will do more harm than good. It’s just not worth the risk.
Sure, we know there are parental controls, etc. that you can install on your child’s computer, but we still prefer the way we are doing it. We have had an open and honest dialogue about why the computer is located where it is and they know it’s because we want to protect them. And the kids understand this and seem to even appreciate it.
So tell me, moms, would you/do you allow your child to have a computer in his room? Why or why not?