Journal of Multidisciplinary Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)
ISSN: 2458-9403
Vol. 4 Issue 1, January - 2017
Digital Parenting
Matthew N. O. Sadiku Mahamadou Tembely
Roy G. Perry College of Engineering Roy G. Perry College of Engineering
Prairie View A&M University, TX 77446 Prairie View A&M University, TX 77446
[email protected] [email protected]
Sarhan M. Musa
Roy G. Perry College of Engineering
Prairie View A&M University, TX 77446
[email protected]
Abstract— We have witnessed a massive use of II. TECHNOLOGY
technology in our homes. As millions of children use
the Internet, their parents are concerned about what Technology has dramatically changed our homes
they do and why. Understanding what children do and social lives. The platforms we have at our
online is critical for their wellbeing and for the welfare
of the family in the digital age. This paper provides a
disposal include computer, Internet, television, and
brief introduction on digital parenting. cell phones. Children use technology a lot to text,
chat, play games, Facebook, and YouTube. There
are touchscreen interfaces that even little children can
Keywords—Digital parenting, technoparenting, use. Parents struggle with setting rules (such as how
cyberparenting, parenting online long can children be online, which sites they can or
cannot visit) and boundaries for their children’s use of
technology. The same can be said of viewing
television. People see television as being more
I. INTRODUCTION
entertaining and computers as being educational.
Technology is pervasive and is effecting how family
conduct themselves. There is an increase in Internet III. PARENT ROLES
access at homes. Today’s generation of youths, called
digital natives, have never experienced the world Parents play a key role in e-mature child
without technology. They are more knowledgeable development. They are responsible for keeping their
and understanding of digital technology than their children safe in the modern world, including keeping
parents. They are digital natives, who often use them safe online.
different types of digital media concurrently. Also, Children should be aware of privacy and security
many digital devices are portable and mobile, making threats.
it difficult for the parents to monitor their children. A Parenting styles depend on social class, gender,
major challenge for parents is to adapt mediation and ethnicity. Children use Internet most when their
strategies that take into account the multitasking parents are permissive, while they use it least when
capability of their children [1]. their parents are authoritarian. Families have different
Digital parenting means using digital technology as ways of discharging their responsibilities as digital
a parenting tool. It involves mediation of children’s parents. Parents have to face the problematic issues
use of digital and mobile media. It deals with how of ethics and privacy. They keep their children from
parents appropriate Internet and smartphones in unwisely sharing personal information and prevent
relation to their household’s moral economy. It their computer from viruses and malware or put
assumes the digital competences of both children and themselves at the risk of identity theft. Parents should
parents. Digital parents delight in equipping their be aware of hardware and software for content
children with the latest tech devices. It is the parent’s filtering and virus checking and be willing to buy them.
responsibility to regulate their children’s involvement Most parents are strict with their children and they
in digital and mobile technology. They can use set clear rules and standards. They expect their rules
software to monitor or restrict their children’s online to be obeyed by the children without question. Some
activities [2]. parents feel that if let alone their children will play
aggressive and violent computer games instead of
learning. Wise parents will avoid overrestricting their
children. Effective parenting requires a balance
between parental authority and children’s autonomy
[3].
www.jmest.org
JMESTN42351991 6454
Journal of Multidisciplinary Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)
ISSN: 2458-9403
Vol. 4 Issue 1, January - 2017
IV. CHALLENGES One argument against children’s use of technology is
that it can be psychologically addictive. Risks of
Using technology at home has opportunities and excessive early use of technology include obesity,
challenges. Children may have Internet access at a sleep loss, learning problems, low grades, substance
separate room (such as study room or bedroom) abuse, social isolation, personality disorder,
without their parent supervision. Some parents find depression and behavioral disorders [5]. It seems that
themselves on the other side of digital divide and will children lack e-maturity to manage their risks.
not be able to cope with the digital technology their Children are being exposed to violence, pornography,
children are using. cyber-bullying, infringement of copyrighted material,
Children find it hard and uncomfortable to discuss and identity theft [6].
their Internet use with their parents and tend to
disagree with their parents about Internet risk (see V. CONCLUSION
Figure 1) prevention schemes. The digital divide
separates the haves or have-nots in society, The parents, school teachers, religious ministers,
especially within the family [4]. and government all have roles to play in the
Tech-related concerns that parents have included the technoparenting process. People should not only
inability to know what children are doing online consider the risks but the opportunities that digital
(especially when using mobile devices) and the technology brings to the family. An age-appropriate
frustration in trying to keep up with the rapidly digital literacy education can help children acquire the
changing tech trends. It is hard for low-income urban skills needed for their future career.
parents working two jobs with only cellphone
communication to track their children’s activities.
Figure 1 Overview of Internet risks [6].
www.jmest.org
JMESTN42351991 6455
Journal of Multidisciplinary Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)
ISSN: 2458-9403
Vol. 4 Issue 1, January - 2017
REFERENCES About the authors
[1] B. Nansen and D. Jayemanne, “Infants, Matthew N.O. Sadiku ( [email protected]) is a
interfaces, and intermediation: digital professor at Prairie View A&M University, Texas. He
parenting and the production of ‘iPad baby’ is the author of several books and papers. He is a
videos on the YouTube,” Journal of fellow of IEEE.
Broadcasting & Electronic Media, vol. 60, no.
4, 2016, pp.587-603 Mahamadou Tembely (
[email protected])
is a Ph.D student at Prairie View A&M University,
[2] G. Mascheroni, “Parenting the mobile Texas. He received the 2014 Outstanding MS
Internet in Italian households: parents’ and Graduated Student award for the department of
children’s discourses,” Journal of Children electrical and computer engineering. He is the author
and Media, vol. 8, no. 4, 2014, pp. 440-456. of several papers.
[3] S. Yardi and A. Bruckman, “Social and associate professor in the Department of Engineering
technical challenges in parenting teens’ social Technology at Prairie View A&M University, Texas.
media use,” Proceedings of the SIGCHI He has been the director of Prairie View Networking
Conference on Human Factors in Computing Academy, Texas, since 2004. He is an LTD Spring
Systems, 2011, pp. 3237-3246. and Boeing Welliver Fellow.
[4] Y. C. Wong, “Cyber-parenting: Internet
benefits, risks and parenting issues,” Journal
of Technology in Human Services, vol. 28,
no. 4, 2010, pp. 252-273.
[5] D. J. Schiano et al., “Parenting digital youth:
how now?” Proceedings of the 2016 CHI
Conference Extended Abstracts on Human
Factors in Computing Systems, 2016, pp.
3181-3189.
[6] M. Valcke et al., “Long-term study of safe
Internet use of young children,”
Computers & Education, vol. 57, 2011, pp.
1292-1305.
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JMESTN42351991 6456
