Computer Time for 7 Year Old

For mine (7) he has never used any electronics besides TV.

Battling a child over ipad use (or video games, etc.) would quickly become NOT cool. :)

So we don't have any in the house and never will. I am just not wanting to fight that battle. I have other battles to fight, though! :)

I also didn't give my daughter a "time limit". I just made sure she did everything else before "free time" and computer time was part of "free time".

Since he already has physical activity as part of his weekly routine, I wouldn't worry about a time limit. You already mention he is completing his homework and reading assignment. The iPad sure beats T.V.

As long as he is spending time playing outside, doing physical activity, getting his homework done, and hopefully some free play with toys I don't see a need to limit time doing math and reading on the computer. I limit the amount of time my kids spend gaming to an hour after school on Tuesdays, and unlimited Friday evenings.

I am pretty strict with how much screen time my son gets daily, and this doesn't sound like alot to me at all, especially if he is doing all his schoolwork and reading before he gets on the iPad.

No time limit here either. As long as homework, chores are done their free time is there's to do whatever the want. If I think it is getting excessive, meaning homework is getting done or when I ask them to put it away and they put up a fight. The electronic get's put up for a few days, I think it's important, even at that age that they learn to find a balance, and not just be told what the balance is. If that makes any sense.

i really just use my best judgment. between christmas toys, visiting friends/family, and going out and playing in the snow, he hasn't been on it for weeks.

but mine is in kindergarten and doesn't have much homework. to me if it was for homework that would not count towards a total "number" of minutes per week. but it also wouldn't work for us, to keep a tally and structure it on a timetable. that seems too much like micromanagement for me. my mind doesn't work like that, my brain starts spinning and i start seeing double ;)

if i really had to guesstimate and come up with a number of hours i have allowed him to be on the computer per week, it might come up to two? but that's probably rounding up, big time.

Sounds like your son does razkids ebooks-or something similar. I also let my 7 year old do that for 20 (sometimes I allow 30) min 2-3 times per week.
We have 4kids in the house so they each get a 10 minute turn on the iPad. I have to set a timer for each-if I don't they will get lost and would stare at the screen all day if I let them.
The longest they will each get is 20 minutes and then it gets put away. And I donott let them use it everyday.
I do also save it for doctors appointments and times when I know they will be waiting for a while.

This is just my opinion, so if you don't like my ideas, you can just ignore me and I won't be offended. :) (As a precursor to my answer, I homeschool my children through K12 and my 7 year old is a year ahead in all of her classes, so again, academically gifted.)

I do not put a "limit" per se on my children's screen time, be it TV, Nintendo (Wii or DS), computer, etc. We just use common sense, and every day is different. There may be some days where everyone in the house has a cold and all we want to do is lay around and watch TV after school...so that's what we do. Whenever she gets a new game, particularly if it's a Mario or Zelda, she will want to spend more time than normal on gaming...which is okay with me. I am an avid gamer.

An IPad is an awesome gift, but I want to encourage you to at least consider some sort of real gaming system if you're going to allow him to do these types of activities. Games don't always have to be "educational," and you'd be surprised at how truly educational the NONeducational games can be. Basically, I don't my want my children's "fun" time and "game" time to just be an extension of their education, because I feel like I'm giving them an excellent education. I want them to have fun.

Again, I still think it's an awesome gift, and you know your child best. I'd tailor it solely on who he is, what he does in his free time, etc. Mom knows best!

My son is 6 years old and has been using computers since he was 3. Like your son my is also very advanced, he even figured out my password to get into my computer. He has a DS as well as access to my kindlefire and laptop. He is restricted to what he is allowed to go to. He is allowed to use Netflix which he maneuvers by himself, as well as go to PBSKids.org. I downloaded google chrome and have the icons saved on the task bar so he knows which are his and which are mine. Because their are so many electronical options now in our lives we limit our son. He is allowed either DS, Computer, Kindle (if im not on it) or the TV. Because of where I am outside options aren't always available especially in the winter we are a little more lax on this subject.

BUT because we want him to live outside of electronics as well we have family "No electronics day"...NO T.V., computers, cellphones (unless work calls) etc. This happens a couple of times a week to give all of us a break, we play games or read "real books" or for my son he plays in his room with toys he sometimes forgets he has.

I don't know if I would put him on a "timed limit" but I wouldn't let him play all night every night. Even when my son plays it is never more then an hour or hour and a half depending on what I am doing or need to finish up.

I don't allow the electronics during the week. During the weekend, only a total of an hour. We are a half Chinese family, and believe that a lot of the games are too planned out. We want our daughter, who attends a gifted school, to create her own games to tap into her own personal creativity. She also knows that if she ever wants a device, she needs to earn the money herself and pay for it herself. She's 8 and the only thing she seems to ask for is a Nook, so she can read on the go. I may actually buy her that at next birthday because she reads at the high school level and the books are bigger than her hands. That would be the only device that I wouldn't limit during the week as long as her other homework is done and it was just for reading. I would think if you are a teacher, you know what is good for your child. My husband was raised in China, so I need to conform to some of his wishes, especially since his whole family was raised the same way and are all happy and successful.

I don't think I'd count the time spent on the iPad doing reading quizzes at school. For me, a half an hour a few times a week would be the limit. In fact, thinking it through, that's where my family is headed. My two girls love my iPad and play somewhat educational games on it when they're allowed. It's typically once or twice a week after school -- almost never on the weekends because we all have more energy.

My SIL used to allow her kids to use the computer/video games as many minutes as they read per day..

She also insisted they play outside twice as long if not more.. Children this age need active play every day and after sitting and participating in school for all of those hours, we need to help them get outside and really run around.