Compromise - When there is only 1 computer but 2 people wanting to use!

well, you are slightly luckier than me. I have to wrestle the computer with my 3 eldest children. They need it for project work, chat discussions, play games and you know what stuff kids get into these days. What I did is that, apart from cooking, I spend the whole morning on the computer. When they get from school in the afternoon and evening, they will take turns to surf. Then, I'll do all my house chores during that time. I can even surf a few hours at night when they go to sleep at 10. Purchasing a laptop is another great way too.

Well when I seen this it certainly sounded exactly what we were going through in our house a couple of months ago. I owned a laptop years ago and went travelling so gave it to my Mum and little sister who were not really that bothered with it and when I came back and moved home the laptop gave up on us anyway. My sister had been downloading music from a really bad site so the thing was riddled with viruses. Mum and I split in for a new PC and we really did pay half each. So my Mum wanted some entertainment one night so I showed her how to play Literati, then my sister discovered mySpace and I had myLot. For ages we just shared the one computer but it was like someone was always wanting on and you felt like you HAD to come off when you had been on for an hour. My mum loves her Literati and now her messenger is full of friends that she looks out for being online so she can play against them so she decided to buy us a laptop between us off of eBay for 200 quid. Basically we kind of got ripped off cos the harddrive was failing and I had to pay 75 pound to replace it but now we do have the two. Me and Emma share the laptop. If my Mum is in then we are not allowed to use the PC but it works out fine for us cos Emma has to go to bed at 10pm and I like to stay up late anyway and I work all weekend so I can go on mostly when I want and vice versa. Getting a second computer was definately the best thing that we ever done.

Hi Ellie! There's a Gadget called a KVM Splitter that allows you to hook up 2 monitors and keyboards to one computer,so 2 users can work the same machine..It could be useful if you didn't want to go the new computer route..I think they're about $100-would you have an old monitor lying around?

Well, it is a matter of who is free and who uses it first. I too share a computer with my wife. There is no problem with who gets what first. As long as the computer is free, the other person can use it. No particular arrangement to use the computer. If you have a spare, setting up a wireless would definitely be a good way to share the same connection. If your daughter is back only for a short period of time, then let it be. No point spending money on a laptop just to use the net for that period. We'd all still be here to post on your posting when your daughters go home. No worries!

I guess I look at this a little differently. You don't say home from where, or her age. If she has moved back home from being independent then why should you have to give up your computer time, or be responsible for buying her a laptop? I bought my children a computer for Christmas, but they are school age and live at home. Not trying to be hard nosed here, but sometimes I think parents go above board where grown children are concerned. How will they ever learn to stand on their own two feet.

Hi, oh yes, I know what you feel! But we found the decision - we turn on two onlines and change of sitting on the computer hourly :)

I wonder how exactly are you able to write what is happening right here in my house.She steals my PC.Well she is my first priority and she too understands me.

when i was still a student, me and my sister kinda compete with the use of our computer at home. but that happens occasionally because even if we are both at home during weekends, both of us go out on a different schedule. sometimes, if she's out, i'm at home. if i'm out, she's at home. so we seldom bicker over the computer. ^__^;; but now, my sister already has two kids and a husband to care for, we don't compete for the computer anymore. she rarely use the computer now because she's often with her kids at their house. and the computer kinda became mine because i'm now the one solely spending for its maintenance and internet service. nobody else in the family is interested in computer. lucky me. ^__^

I have seven children, so I know exactly what you mean! I know the library allows thirty minutes per user, and if nobody else is waiting, then you can have another thirty minutes! I try to limit the children's usage to one hour a day, as that is the new suggestion by doctors. They say one hour of television or computer usage, as children are becoming obese at an alarming rate! You will notice during holidays and weekends, that I am not online as much, due to giving the kids their time, or that I am online much more at night and during school hours, so I can get some time and concentrate too!

i used to have this problem because of my junior brother that was staying with me for a couple of months this guy can stay online for more than 24hours if its possible but i quickly found a solution to that i purchased another pc and placed it in my room and connecting it to the net as well,now no one uses that with me so no need to compromise,it also allow me to leave some pages on as they are

I thought that had responded to this a few days ago. But I see that I couldn't have. Apart from violence I think that you have to work out a share rota. She gets early mornings, and mid evenings (oh, asleep first thing out with her friends later. Sorry love you can't have everything in life) and you get the rest of the day. Ellie my dear, you need wifi and a laptop I think. Give her the laptop. The keyboard's a menace to use, you can't get comfy using it to type. Whilst you can sit up at the table, back straight, sensibly sized screen the right distance away and use a proper keyboard. Problem solved. (apart from the £500 to equip yourself).

I have two boys that love to get on the computer and chat...I get on the computer while their in school...Then when they get home they can have it for a couple of hours..That way I can get some cleaning done and fix supper..I know its hard....My husband has a laptop, so when hes home I don't have to worry about sharing...

Good thing for me, I do not have to share my laptop with anyone in the house. My laptop is like a personal thing for me, just like my cellphone nobody touches them except me...lol...Well, if I'm in that situation, maybe we could schedule the use of computer.

It does happen with my sister 3 years ago when we had only 1 computer. It's really quite annoying when both of us want to use it at the same time, specially if we need to get both our homework done in the computer. What my parents just did was bought another computer, and it had really been worth it. It's now more convenient to the both of us. Right now my mom bought her own laptop to use it for office work. I really suggest buying another computer, however if your actually planning on saving. I suggest taking turns, if you had been in the computer all day, then it's just right to let your daughter have a chat with her friends unless you really need the computer badly.

My husband and I both insist on having our own computer, and when we got married we both had our own computer. I have a laptop, and he has a desktop. We both love being able to do what we need to do and want to do at the precise moment we want to do it.

that happens a lot here in our household. we just set a time limit or bribe each other if we despeartely need to use it. but there are times when everyone is nice you simply have to ask once.

Since I am on the computer all week long my husband uses the computer on the weekends. I get frustrated though because sometimes I think he is just doing it so I can't use it. He only plays card games on the internet and checkers, so he doesn't do any work. I let him play on the computer for a few hours and then I ask him if he can get off and let me do some of my work. Sometimes he will get off and let me on, but most of the time he says no. It's his turn. I have thought about getting another computer but can't really afford it, so I just have to put up with it and let my work slide by on the weekends.

If she just wants internet, get her an Asus Eee PC. May be a fair bit small, but worth it!

There is only one workable solution where no one is displaced, angry or irritable and that is to get a second computer. There are plenty of cheap ways to do it too, but unless you want the laptop don't let yourself be the displaced one with a lesser computer.

Well, my husband and I as well as our 8 year old son all love to be online. We remedied the situation by giving our son the existing desktop and purchasing two laptops and a router. Everyone is happy!!