what do you allow your 8 year old to do??

[Celeste]

Ava just turned 6, and has had her own camera for a year. It's a kids Fisher Price (I think) one, but she loves to take pics with it. I don't think it's that far fetched to think that she might have a nicer one in the next 2 years.

Now the other stuff...dating, pacts, texting...no way, no how. I fully intend on doing my darnedest to keep her "innocent" and little girlish as long as possible. Even now, it is getting harder to find clothes that I think are appropriate for a little girl. Forget Target anymore. Anyway, the only thing out of op's list that I would allow an 8 year old to do is have a camera.

[KrisM]

Mine has a digital camera. So does my 6 year old. I got them for a great price ($14 or so) and they're nice cameras. They enjoy taking their own pictures. Way back in 1979, I had my own camera by age 8 as well. Clearly not digital, but an inexpensive camera that was mine. Could be this one: http://kodak.3106.net/index.php?p=211&cam=1009. Anyway, I don't think a camera is an outrageous thing for an 8 year old to have. What age is okay to get a camera, do you think?

Mine doesn't have a phone or text. He has no need for one.

[momgoddesswife]

Our daughter will be 8 in August and she has her own Blackberry Playbook, got it for Christmas from her grandfather our 6 year old son got one too, she also has an Ipod touch and a Nintendo DS.

Other than that she likes to dress in dresses but mostly like clothes from Aeropostale and American Eagle. My sister, only sibling, her aunt is 18 so she likes to dress like her. She looks up to her aunt and my sister is actually a pretty good role model.

She has a "boyfriend" they have been in school together since Kindergarten, but they don't date or kiss etc. It's more of a "I call him my boyfriend" they have been saying they are going to get married since Kindy. It's rather sweet and his parents also think so, he's VERY protective of her and since she has special needs (Epilepsy & Global Developmental Delay) it's kind of nice that she has someone to stick up for her.

She does not have a cell phone and will not be getting one until she is at least 14.

While she has I guess what some would consider a lot of tech toys she regularly plays with TMNT, Lego's, reads like Crazy, listens to music, plays outside, loves crafts and we bake together all the time. She also plays soccer and lacrosse.

She's still very much a kid and i wouldn't consider her to be growing up too quickly just because she has some technology available to her. BUT we are also biased since we live in the city where RIM was founded.

[3girlsallnaughty]

Wow...my dd is 7 but close enough. Her tech toy is a leappad....her big girl shows are Victorious and iCarley and she still occasionally sleeps with me bc she's little. She's into stationary and Barbies. She has no interest in cell phones or laptops. On the other hand I've seen the flip side of the coin with a now 8yo who spends her time watching Nikki Minaj videos on youtube...dressing sexy (gross) and zombified on MTV and the internet with her mom. Idk...we live in a tiny farming communicating where life is still slow so maybe that's a factor. Kids still do 4-H and girl scouts here. It's just a slower lifestyle so maybe that's a factor.

[soonerfan]

My 6 year old saved her money for 7 months to buy an iPod touch. It is wonderful because she needs no other tech toy (and I still don't think I would have purchased it). She uses it for games, music and using FaceTime and iMessage with daddy while he's overseas, her half brothers and our relatives. Yes, she texts. I think it is a great (monitored) way for her to communicate with those she loves.

The other stuff sounds insane--8 year olds dating???? No way!

[raymark]

Originally Posted by Kiliki I didn't say or imply anything bad about the girl, or her parents... or at least wasn't trying to... I certainly don't disagree with their parenting style, and they are not permissive imo. All kids have awkward stages they go through, it's not a bad thing, it's part of growing up.... I was just describing the 8 yr old that I know. So your response to my post totally baffles me... did you quote me on accident? Did I misunderstand your point here? Did you misunderstand my post?

I felt that you were responding to someone concerning some children turning into 'loose' or bad kids because of permissive parents & implying in your post that kids this age should be shy/quiet/akward. Perhaps I misunderstood? I was just pointing out that some parents are permissive in good ways & in our case being permissive parents with our 2 ODDs created confident outgoing young children that both turned out to be senior class presidents with perfect GPAs & college scholarships.

[DalesWidda]

My oldest daughter saved up for her own dslr camera and bought it for her ninth birthday. She takes excellent care of it. Everything else, nope, not in my home!

[abunchoflemons]

Still needs permission for computer and no cell. No real working camera. I just don't think they need. Maybe a cell for separated parents so try feel like they have privacy. Id they are going somewhere maybe a cell as I have found out it's nice to have......in case car trouble or something.....if carpooling with others to make sure art least one feel is available. I was in cat that no one brought phone as some were over minutes.... Night and on interstate.

[Nerissa]

DS will be 6 next month and DH and I are seriously considering an inexpensive tablet. I don't see it any different than any of the "kid" hand held game devises except that I can put free games on it instead of paying $20 each for a game.

The boys have a camera that they share and can use. It is my old point and shoot camera.

DS2 got a vtech little hand held game for christmas and really has no desire to use it--the graphics suck--after playing the same type of educational game on my tablet.

I remember getting my first "real" camera by 7 or 8.

Technology is not evil. Just because my 6 year old has/uses more advanced techonoly devises than the "childrens" ones doesn't mean he is not a kid. He still plays lego type things, cars, draws, plays outside ect.

[Icryinbaseball]

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