Will my 2-year old destroy my wife's MacBook Air?

May 23, 2009 11:45 PM

Will my 2-year old destroy my wife's MacBook Air?

I am on the verge of getting my wife a MacBook Air as her current PowerBook is showing its age. We have two kids; a two-year old and a three-month old (both girls). What are the odds the the kids will destroy the laptop before it reaches the end of its natural life cycle? My wife stays at home with the kids, so she uses the computer exclusively at home and usually in the family areas. I've been amazed that the current PowerBook hasn't taken a tumble (although the older kid got good at picking the keys off the keyboard when she was about one). It is only this experience that gives me any confidence at all when considering a new computer around the kids. I know I should get a cheap used MacBook for her, but the Air is just so damn cool and so is my wife.

Anyone out there with experience with a MBA around kids?

A side question: does the MBA really get hotter than other laptops?

Thanks

posted by pandabearjohnson to Computers & Internet (22 answers total)

If she's that cool, she'll appreciate you not wanting to risk it. Then again, it could be a valuable teaching moment with your kids.
posted by rhizome at 11:51 PM on May 23, 2009

Let the kids use the PowerBook and keep the Air for your cool wife - they will destroy the Air.
posted by hapax_legomenon at 11:55 PM on May 23, 2009 [2 favorites]

Teach the kids that Mom's computer is off limits. Let the kids have the Powerbook (or get them something like an EEE).
posted by jockc at 12:01 AM on May 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

My 2 year old used to like to pound on the keys and bend the screen back whenever I was using my macbook around him. I think that was because we used to let him play toddler games on it occasionally. We stopped with the games on the macbook and have been consistent about not letting him play with it or touch it and he's caught on pretty quickly that it's a grown up thing that he can't touch. I'm not sure what we'll do when he reaches the age when he realizes he doesn't have to do what we tell him.

I would advise that you tell/show the kids not to touch it, never leave it unattended when it's in reach of the kids (no running into the other room and leaving it on the table), and store it on a tall shelf or cabinet when not in use.

My macbook (not an air) is sturdy and could take the keyboard bashing. Not sure about the macbook air as I've never used one.
posted by Nickel at 12:06 AM on May 24, 2009

"A side question: does the MBA really get hotter than other laptops?"

Many people had problems with the Rev A. Rev B has a CPU which runs 4 watts cooler TDP and updated Nvidia graphics chip which takes some load off the CPU. Flash video, due to its poor coding in OS X, still can ramp up fans if you're watching for an extended period of time, but overall it's a pretty fine machine.

You may want to wait until after WWDC (June 8-12) to see if there are any updates to the Air (not likely, WWDC will most likely be about a new iphone and Snow Leopard) or the start of the back-to-school sale-- which in previous years was along the lines of "buy a mac, get a free ipod".
posted by sharkfu at 12:09 AM on May 24, 2009

Unsupervised use by a 2yo and 3mo? 90% chance of a juice spill and a few falls off the table in the next six months.
posted by zippy at 12:12 AM on May 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

My 3-year-old destroyed my old MacBook by accidentally kicking a glass of water over it. Keep liquids out of the vicinity and you should be OK.
posted by libraryhead at 12:20 AM on May 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

I have a current-gen Air and it feels very solid. Heat has not been a problem for me. But it isn't liquid-proof and you could give a two-year-old a Terminator and I'd still bet on the two-year-old winning.
posted by secret about box at 1:57 AM on May 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

(so if you get her one, make sure the kids know it's not their toy to play with. you know, because kids listen to that kind of warning. :) )
posted by secret about box at 1:59 AM on May 24, 2009

We have always had laptops and our (currently) 6 and 3 year old kids know, and have always known, not to touch. When not in use they're slid under the sofa out of sight. Set the rule when you get the cool Air and stick to it, and it'll stick with the kids. The biggest problem in our house is me wrecking power cords.
posted by tracicle at 1:59 AM on May 24, 2009

On review, never mind my above comment. I thought you were asking whether letting the kids use the Macbook was a good idea.

If it's not theirs, then it should be fine as long as you keep liquids away from it and make sure it's out of reach of the 3 month old. If the two year old considers it interesting, and shows a tendency to whomp on it, then move it out of the way or close it up when you're not using to make it less interesting to the child.
posted by zippy at 2:22 AM on May 24, 2009

The only way you can protect a computer from kids is to keep it somewhere where they can't get their sticky little hands on it. It's not a matter of liquids, it's not a matter of just keeping three-month-old away- the kids will know it's something interesting and they WILL break it unless you and your wife are diligent about keeping the computer away from the kids.
posted by dunkadunc at 4:32 AM on May 24, 2009

I second the idea about the EEE. But have you thought about getting an EEE for your wife, and one for your kid? Honestly as much as I've coveted Mac laptops in the past, I'm so happy with my 1000HE if they were of equal value I don't think I'd trade. It's truly awesome and much smaller than a Macbook Air, I believe. And in some ways more of a functional computer.

You could get a 1000HE for your wife and a solid state drive cheapo eee for your child and they could have matching computers.

Although in a certain way I'm against giving little kids computers. Plenty of time later for them to become addicts and check Metafilter on a Sunday AM>
posted by sully75 at 5:23 AM on May 24, 2009

Don't do it. We had an older but perfectly workable Sony laptop for my wife that the kids played with sometimes. It was left on the floor for two minutes while they went to get something, then my two year old completely did not understand that you can't step on the closed computer lid to reach the TV remote. That laptop isn't quite as useful with that wonderful cracked screen.
posted by shinynewnick at 6:23 AM on May 24, 2009

Give a kid a rubber hammer and an anvil and you can say goodbye to the anvil.
posted by FauxScot at 6:44 AM on May 24, 2009 [2 favorites]

I'm dubious of any implied suggestion that a two year/three month old child would properly understand that his/her EEE PC is the equivalent to Mommy's MacBook Air. Fact of the matter is if you leave both out both would be played with. You should definitely go with the MacBook Air, but keep it well out of reach when not using it and realize that it would have to be completely out of sight when charging it, and save yourself $300 by not buying an EEE PC a child, you might as well give them an old disconnected cellphone or cordless phone, it will be just as entertaining for them.
posted by furtive at 6:51 AM on May 24, 2009

hapax_legomenon has it. Definitely keep the MBA sealed up and 100% out of reach when not in use, but hook the kids up w/ something computerish to play with. Last two year old I had in my apartment would not leave my computer alone until I gave her my busted old keyboard to pound on.
posted by EatTheWeek at 7:38 AM on May 24, 2009

Kids can be very inventive when it comes to screwing up computers. I speak from experience. When my daughter was little she inserted several wheat thin crackers into the floppy drive when I had my back turned.

I don't think telling the kids not to mess with it or storing it in a high shelf will make much difference. At the first chance, they'll drag a chair over or stack various toys, furniture, and other items to climb up to the shelf and grab it. The 2 year old is probably the one you'll really have to watch since she is old enough to see it as something neat and have the means and mobility to hatch a plan to get to it. I would get your wife one but ask her to lock it up in an extra room or in a shelf with a lock where the kids can't get to it.
posted by GlowWyrm at 7:44 AM on May 24, 2009

A side question: does the MBA really get hotter than other laptops?

Hotter than my macbook, but not by much in my experience.

It's truly awesome and much smaller than a Macbook Air, I believe. And in some ways more of a functional computer.

That is laughably untrue. If you value size above everything and don't mind a small screen and cramped keyboard and all you'll do is surf the web with very minimal needs, ok. But no, it's not more functional.
posted by Dennis Murphy at 11:06 AM on May 24, 2009

laughably? well, it is smaller. That's true. It has the same size hard drive. It runs Microsoft office with ease, including excel. I have 30 gigs of music on it which it plays with abandon. Neither has a DVD drive. It starts up quickly. The keyboard is totally fine and I have gigantic hands.

I have another computer for photoshop, I've never tried it although I'd be happy enough travelling with this computer for doing photography work if I just needed to view files and back up cards.

Oh snap! Looks like no microphone jack on the Air, one USB port (vs 3 on the EEE) and no SD slot. At 4x the price.

Anyway, let's not get into this. I think you're wrong but I won't say you are laughably wrong. They are accomplishing similar things, one is pretty styling, one is pretty utilitarian. I've had a fair amount of laptops and this is by far the coolest computer I've ever used.
posted by sully75 at 1:47 PM on May 24, 2009

Kids are hard on equipment. Whatever brand you buy.

Mine have trashed 3 laptops in 2 years. And they are much, much older.

Quite honestly the only solution is to get them their own cheap machine. An EEE may be "ok" - at this age - but we found the screen size cumbersome. Plus, most childrens software still comes on CD/DVD ROM and frankly, I don't have the time to convert it to standalone ISO's...

So - we got them cheap, standard Windows-based laptops and so far they have been fine.

If - big if, I get the kids a Apple-product, it will be a Mini attached to a TV - then it will be very hard for them to destory.
posted by jkaczor at 6:59 PM on May 24, 2009

I looked at the MBA and was deterred by the uni-aluminum case. We had a previous generation MB Pro with the aluminum and it was dropped/knocked onto the floor by the kids a few too many times. t got to the point that the latch no longer worked to keep the case closed -- we had to flip it upside down to get it to sleep. We had the latch replaced twice but it got to the point the the entire bottom case was so dented, it needed to be replaced. We just got a new MB instead.

My kids are a bit older at this point and I still have a hard time getting them to keep their crummy paws off the screens of our laptops and even desktop. No matter how many times we've explained to not touch, as soon as they see something cool (zooborns!!), their little hands go straight for the screen. My four year old also thinks it's hilarious to tap the mouse a little too, uh, eagerly.

Without a doubt, I would absolutely get one of these cases (this place has them way cheaper than the Apple stores and they shipped ours pretty fast) and slap it on the MBA as soon as you get it out of the box, and never leave it unsupervised where the kids could get a hold of it - even if it's closed and charging.

The case, btw, does have vents that completely align with the computer ones so that it doesn't obstruct the air movement to cool the computer. It's not something that is obvious in the pictures on the site.
posted by dancinglamb at 9:27 AM on May 25, 2009