ipad or laptop for 13yo boy?

[newnana]

DS1 bought a desktop computer around his 13th birthday that he mainly uses for gaming. His younger brother wants a computer this Christmas. They loved ipads when they were younger, but now they don’t get any use. If you are concerned about usage, you could always put limitations on your internet.

This is exactly where I am. Knowing what games he and his friends play will determine what type of device is appropriate to meet those wants. All devices/platforms are not all the same and do not support the same opportunity for socialization. For the limiting portion of it, I'd look into disabling the device on the network at a certain hour and during certain times like during school. I'd get the device that best meets the gaming/socialization needs and configure the home network for the parenting portion of it to keep him within the boundaries of okay in terms of how long, when, and access. I'd be upfront about it so he's not kicked off a game unexpectedly in the middle of an event or something and so he can plan around it.

[WatchingThemGrow]

Thank you for the ideas and wisdom! His friends play Minecraft Java I think on a MacBook, but they have been playing Krunker maybe. I’m not sure what else but it’s not heavy duty. We are the last ones to join in stuff like this, always! They play on one device and chat via FaceTime. We have a real shortage right now bc DS1 was furious with DD because she had the good iPad and the one he was using was messed up and slow.

I’m thinking maybe I should get an iPad/iMac for me/the family, and let him get the computer he wants with Bday and savings, shopping specs and such with DH. It’s not going to be very nice though... we have been pretty extravagant (to us) with musical gifts this past year, so we need to lay off. DD got a $$ viola, DS1 got a Les Paul guitar, and DS2 got a Roland FP10 piano...all way more than we and grandma usually spend for these events!


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