well thanks for all the replies, i live in N.Ireland, would you believe me if i told you all that i have made my daughter wait 12 to 18 months longer than all,yes all, of her friends, i agree that there is no need for kids to have laptops, but she is studious, intelligent and has been made aware many times of the perils of the computer, i wil have access to laptop at any time and any of her passwords will be given on demand to me to check material and she is fully aware of this, lastly, she knows that i will enter her room at any given time whilst she is using laptop..... she accepts these things( probably unwillingly!!) she certainly needs access to a computer as do i and my wife and my son, so one pc in the house is a strain.
ps. this sims3 sounds like a real bind for a computer from what you guys are saying??