Security wise?

The aim of it is writing practice whilst keeping in contact with family.

Sessions will be monitored.

I already have my gmail account linked to my android phone, can I have his gmail account linked to it as well? as a second account?

Ta

umm why not invest in a pen and paper?

He is doing that as well, teacher recommended laptop use.

qwerty – yes, you can add his account to your android phone if its running jelly bean.

Its really useful for them to get to grips with using a laptop (track pads, mice, identifying icons like “Next” or”Enter” etc) so I have set up some lightweight linux on a netbook to let them get some experience.

Yes, you can link the second Gmail account to phone.

Ensure safe browsing, phishing and other web concepts are understood. Disable the ability to click on links sent via email etc?

At 7, I would always want them to be in a public room / monitored on their use. Ours never use gadgets in rooms really (iPods, DS’s and certainly laptop). We (And school) have had good conversations about it all and hopefully will continue too.
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Mrs_OAB and I still password lots of stuff on the laptop as well. We are on windows and also use Microsoft Family Safety to monitor and restrict each childs laptop account and go via Open DNS. iPods are locked to my account, and the boys do not have password so have to ask to update/purchase apps. Router also has time controls on to shut it off, unless you have password.
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Eldest OAB has a phone, on Vodafone, and that has Vodafone Guardian on it, which again monitors, limits and ‘locks down’ the phone as needed. It also allows him to refuse calls / text and in doing so it sends message to mrs_oab to let her know.
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Ours will never have TV / laptop etc in their room either.
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Sorry to be firm, but I think that intermanerd is probably the biggest risk to our children, and their childhood going. Having said that, ours too have access to facetime & skype for family, email accounts as they need, phones as they get older etc etc.

I have 2 gmail accounts running on my android phone.

I would make sure that he does not know the password, that way you will always have control of the account.

I would make sure that he does not know the password, that way you will always have control of the account.

Thats achieved by having it linked to the phone – 2 factor authentication – it means even if you have a password and log in from another PC it won’t work without the text message pin that gets sent to the phone, If you have a gmail account you really should enable this.

Googles policy actually states you should be 13 or over to have a gmail account. If his true age of birth gets entered at any point they will lock the account and you have to reenable it with a new DoB.