[macrojack]

If portability isn't the sole purpose in considering Ipod, why not a computer instead. Set her up with a pair of powered speakers and teach her to load discs and organize her music. The computer and her privileges and access can grow with her and an Ipod can enter later and be loaded from the library she has already amassed. A Mac Mini would be a natural for this. Or you could probably find a free setup just by requesting that AC members donate their extra keyboard, CPU, monitor, or mouse to the cause.

[nunhgrader]

I'm with AB's opinion. A flash player (like the Shuffle or Creative's Zen) would probably be more appropriate. They don't break as easy and volume limiting is available to protect your daughter's ears. She will love it plus she will understand the technology behind the product. I love the iPod but, I find the price to be related to popularity instead of performance.

[pm314]

I have a 9yr-old, 7yr-old and 5yr-old.  All three know how to find and play music on my squeezebox but I'm not sure I would want the younger ones to have anything with earphones (when they have tried mine they usually crank it up )
My 9yr-old will be getting a $60 i_river U10 for Christmas. It plays mp3s, Audible books, videos and some flash games and has an FM tuner and can display pictures. Not a bad little player for the money. I hope she likes it.

[rbrb]

Nice.  I'm sure your daughter will like the i river

[F-100]

Just looking for other's opinions for a young child who wants to enjoy music.

If you want your child to enjoy music, I highly recommend you to talk to him/her to see if  he/she wants to take music lesson. Currently, all my 3 youngsters (age 9, 6 and 4) are enrolling in piano lessons and the oldest one have  been playing for over 2 years now. It's a joyful moment, especially for any parents, to watch your own kid playing solo recital piano on stage.  At home, we would sit down after dinner and  listen to them practicing their music lessons. Although they don't sound  anywhere like Diana Krall, but it's live music in our own living room...

Hopefully, some day one of them grow up to be like Diana Krall or Patricia Barber. It's my dream....

[JLM]

My highly responsible 15 year old daughter broke her Nano in 2 months (partially because no "holder" was available when it first came out).

A cheap flash drive (with volume limiter) is as far as I'd go.  And I'd set rules for it's limited use.


Rant warning:

I'm an old fart parent, but hate that the 10 - 16 year old stepsons who can't step foot into the van or a sit-down restaurant without MP3, DVD player (long trips), and/or gameboy.  As a result they have no attention span, are disconnected from the world around them, have never read a book for pleasure or knowledge, and have no life skills past personal hygene.

Thanks, I feel a little better now. 

[pacifico]

JLM,

Personal hygeine is questionable at that age too. 

I had an interesting journey in my life. I was supposedly "gifted" when I was younger but then my academic progress fell apart when I was in high school. While not totally dominated by video games, I did have a serious penchant for drinking, smoking and skateboarding. Being totally disconnected from the world, I chose biochemistry for my major in college because I was also fascinated with the physiology of drugs and how to destroy stuff by of course chemical methods. Well the school I went to had a very very serious program, many kids went to harvard or princeton after they got their degress. Needless to say the first year was a real asskicker and I was on academic probation by the end of my first year. Like many of my academic bretheren, I did go on to get my PH. D. and post doc'ed at a very reputable place. Moral of the story, at the age of 16 no one knows how they'll wind up. I have a kid now and actually will not encourage to do the sciences. I think you just have to help them find their talents and yes, do pull them away from their electronic devices at some point. They need some contact with reality. They'll get away from that when they enter the workforce!!!!!!!

[Carlman]

Wow... 3 pages already... I had no idea this thread would run like this..

I can only mimic the rant above about isolation.  I think parents like to 'turn off' their children fairly often so they give them a game, music, drugs, etc. when they're young.  (Yes, I've herad of a few parents that give their children benadryl for long trips... )  As they get into their teens, that's how they've learned to deal with people... to turn inward and deal with an entertainment device or drugs.  That's what I see happening with some children I grew up around. 

There's plenty of other problems they can grow up with.... regardless of electronica.  However, I've noticed a lot more often than not parents who participate with their children and supply mature guidance (not friendship) appear to produce successful children.

-C

[pacifico]

You guys are really making me appreciate my wife...no tv for our daughter and she stays home with 4 days a week so she doesn't become disengaged through the "school" she goes to. When I come home I play with her and try to teach her things. She already knows how to turn on the stereo and loves to dance at 16 mos. of age. Like I said earlier, I've suffered alot of hard lessons in life but the greatest thing I want to share with her is how to develop a thinking mind for whatever she may decide to do in life.

It's a real gift to have a working brain and perhaps the greatest thing you can give anyone. This may be an oversimplification but in today's oversimplified world....well you know where I am going with this.

[JLM]

... Must resist ranting..... kids..... schools..... old fart.....  must resist..... stay on topic..... 

Good parenting advice above!

[dB Cooper]

JLM makes an excellent point about kids being isolated from the world around them. Many seemingly can't go anywhere without one of these lifestyle appliances. Try the sound of silence occasionally, kids, if you can stand to listen to your own thoughts. An occasional bird chirping can be a nice addition to your day if you let it.

[Frihed91]

American kids badly need to learn social skills: as in having conversations about important topics to them with their parents, brothers and sisters.  When i moved to Denmark 10 years ago, i was amazed how much time danish families devote to conversation amongst themselves and friends who visit.  There is plenty of time for music.  My step son has been playing in one or more bands at a time since he was about 13 and just got his first ipod at 23.  He is an average danish kid, but i think he would win prizes in the US for being social, witty, warm, well-versed, charming, etc.  He also makes good life decisions and respects his mom and real dad

[lonewolfny42]

Meby.....Since it's after X'mas.....what did Santa bring your daughter ? 

[meby]

I decided to build her a computer from my old computers collecting dust in the basement, that way I can just copy my .flac recordings to her hard drive and she can play her stuff in her room and through my Squeezebox when she wants..  I bought her an x-box 360 as her major present.

[Bemopti123]

American kids badly need to learn social skills: as in having conversations about important topics to them with their parents, brothers and sisters.... but i think he would win prizes in the US for being social, witty, warm, well-versed, charming, etc.  He also makes good life decisions and respects his mom and real dad

I would refrain from getting an IPOD for a 6 year old.  Children in the US have enough distractions and are constantly brain washed with all that is "necessary."  I say watching bad TV is bad enough.  The music lesson idea, I definetly think an excellent way of getting into music.  I just wish I could play an instrument, the way I know how to mess with expensive equipment.