The rise and rise of technology, especially in the form of cellphones, gadgets, and computers, and excessive use of these devices connected to the internet, leads to compulsive use of digital parenting. Young kids and teens are obsessed with the virtual world, and they use social media apps, explore cyberspace for more and more information, and use it for educational purposes. However, technology may have come with advantages, but when it comes to children, it has also brought numerous risk factors that can harm kids mentally, socially, and emotionally. Today, children are the victims of cyber bullies, stalkers, and sexual predators may get involved in sexual hookups, sexting, and obsession with social messaging apps.
However, parents have a very irrational approach to digital activities; they are aware but have multiple thoughts about digital parenting. Age is the main factor for parents to monitor their kids and teens’ digital activities. Parents themselves spend a number of hours on digital devices. Parents have the habit of checking their kids and teens social media accounts on a regular basis. However, they also make a check on the digital activities of teens.
Parents have a number of challenges when it comes to digital parenting. They have to deal with restrictive meditation, intrusive meditation, and last but not least is co-viewing, where both parents and kids get involved in using the artificial world to the fullest. However, co-learning in the digital world has become very important for parents. However, co-presence is another issue among parents and children, too. Where everybody in the house sticks with their mobile phones and gadgets connected to the internet.
Even the World’s biggest name in the field of technology, Bill Gates,
has put a restriction on their children. He doesn’t allow young kids and teens to use mobile phones and gadgets at dinner time at all, according to an interview he gave to the Mirror.
Teens almost spend an average of 9 hours a day on the media and gadgets such as TV, social media, and even online games, CNN Reports stated that.
However, parents can perform a number of digital parenting tips that can really help out parents to protect teens and kids from digital obsession and vulnerabilities. Parents can talk to the children and remain calm and cool. They can have conversations on a regular basis and talk to the children to the point. Moreover, parents need to be a little bit tech–savvy and get information about digital parenting and about the digital world. Parents can set parental control on their kids’ devices and get to know what they are doing on smartphones, gadgets, and PCs.
