[suzannesoc]

Hi - I'm the mom to two boys ages 3 & 5 who are both mildly autistic but of average to above average intelligence. Their school has recommended they use a computer at home to which I have no problem with. Unfortunately, I'm not willing to let them "play" on my laptop and we have a Gateway pentium from '98 which appears to be dying on us. I don't want to dump hundreds of dollars into the Gateway just to find out it's the hard drive that is useless. I bought my 70-yr old dad an eMac last year and he likes it. I like to think he won't crack into the case to see how this one works -- as he did with the three previous PCs his kids handed down to him.
I guess my question is: what do we need on the computer so the boys can play educational games, learn how to use a computer and download games from the internet? I've been batting back up forth between the eMac and iMac. I'm concerned the iMacs screen will be too delicate for my 3 yr old. He likes to touch everything.
Any suggestions and help are greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Suzanne

[MacSis]

Excellent choice for the boys.
I used to have an eMac and it is a solid seventy pounds and a very nice screen.
One thing I'd recommend is establishing an account for each of them. That way, they would have to learn to type in a password (even a simple one, such as their own name) and you could limit what they can get into.
Make sure you are the Administration on the computer.
Kids can learn how to navigate computers with an amazing speed.
They are still young, but there are some really great children's programs that introduce them to basic learning: recognition of alphabet, numbers from Reader Rabbit's Interactive Journey. It is a good program.
You can also find many nice freeware and shareware programs online for them.
One thing you might want to use, if the kids like to keep the computer loud, is a headphone! It saved my ears many times when my daughter would play on the computer.
Wish I could think of more, but I'm sure others will have more words to share.
You're a good mom.
Oh, about the eMac....I had to install ram on mine once and it is fairly easy to break into, so keep an eye on your Dad!

[macnuke]

MacSis very much has the right of it.
it's not the screen of the iMacs you need to worry about. it's the whole thing.
age 3 and 5 of any kind of child will turn it every way they can.. and it's usually upside down on the floor before it's all over.
but that's kids.
the weight and stability of the eMac will be a bonus and the CRT will stand the test of time.
good rec. there.
and for dad.. two words of advice with his computer...
Gorilla Glue
m /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[suzannesoc]

MacSis - thanks for the suggestions.
/forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif I never would have thought of the separate accounts. Good thinking!!

[suzannesoc]

Which eMac would do the the job? The combo drive or the super drive?
Increase the memory?
Up the hard drive?
I don't know how much kids programs would eat up memory and such.
Thanks,
Suzanne

[MacSis]

When we went on vacation and I took my iBook, I learned the importance of having an account so my daughter could watch a dvd or play a game.
It is really easy to set up and the password thing can make the older son feel important and teach the younger one to spell his name.
You'll love the eMac for the boys.
The speaker is very loud, too!

[suzannesoc]

As for the Gorilla Glue, Dad has been keeping his bear paws away from the case. In fact, I've had to tell him a number of times to call Apple with his questions - can't watch video on FoxNews. There are some things I can't do living so far from the 'rents. But I'll be sure to recommend the Gorilla Glue to my Mom - she'll find it quite funny. I'm sure if he had the macMini he'd have that thing open in a heart beat. /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Thanks again.
S-

[macnuke]

Hi
Combo Drive should be fine.. you lose DVD burning, but not DVD playback.
so while they can't rip movies, they can still burn a music CD and watch DVD's
memory should be upped to 512 minimum. if you want to spend for it, add a 512M or 1G stick and make it play real nice.
80G hard drive should give you plenty of life. as they grow, you can remove the older and no longer played games.
and as far as games for children go, many do a minimum install so they don't take up too much HD space and require the CD/DVD to be IN the computer when running the game.
there are ways to get around that and should you wish the games to be fully installed and running without the CD/DVD, there are ways to do it, just come back and ask.
but it's good to teach them to be gentle with a few things, that is from my memory of being a young boy with hands of steel and a touch like a sledge hammer.
I do cardiac nuclear medicine now and am quite deft with a needle.. or so my patients say. so we CAN grow out of it /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
hope that helps.. MacSis gave you some outstanding suggestions.. so you should be mostly set.
go forth and purchase and have fun with the kiddos.
m /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[suzannesoc]

Thanks macnuke -- that's basically what I bought my dad -- 512MB and the 40G. He only uses it to surf the net, write the occasionaly email, play solitaire and mahjong and check his stocks. I also took the opportunity to convince him it was time to upgrade to cable internet from dial up.
Glad to hear that we can outgrow our "bull in the china shop" behaviors. My 3 yr old now realizes he doesn't have to pound the square peg into the round hole. He can now simply side the shapes into their appropriate spaces -- no pounding necessary. /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[macnuke]

the new model eMac with the combo comes with 256m and an 80G HD.
way short on memory, good enough on the HD.
while you are shopping tho, and adding RAM isn't that big of a chore to do yourself, take a look at the AppleStore Red Tag refurbs. i and many around here have had great luck with them and saved some bucks (for RAM)
/forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[suzannesoc]

I will look into that. thanks for the suggestions.
S- /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[kavemanwestcoast]

I would disagree, the eMac is very very long in the tooth. While they were very robust they are at the age where they die, we find the power supplies just give out.

Your children should have the best, not some old junk.

I would recommend a new iMac, @$1,199, you are going to get a far better run for your money than an old G4.

The screens are glass and don't mind little fingers at all, they just wipe clean. An old CRT is a health issue, especially with flickering.

If physical stability is a problem you can easily screw the iMac's foot to a desk and then it's no going any-where.

The youngest children need the best technology, that's the way to do it, don't short change your children.
And don't scrimp on the software either...

[macnuke]

considering his children are now THREE YEARS older.........


and the eMacs are a thing of the past.

please be a sport and note the date of the last posting in a thread. you seem to have resurrected a zombie with zero relevance in todays market.