Parenting in the Digital Age
Online platforms in the digital age and the digital devices have heavily influenced the world and have formed the digital age among all teenagers’. Parents and their children now live in. Among 13- to 17-year-olds parents about 94% own a laptop or desktop computer; 72% use Facebook; 76% own a smartphone; and 84% visit online websites at occasionally. They usually utilize a smartphone, other mobile handheld device or a tablet.
Parenting in the digital age has become uneasy for today’s parents due to the technology challenges witnessed in this generation than any other before.
78 percent of surveyed by Family Online Safety Institute expressed that most parents think that technology positively affects their child’s future, life skills, and career. However, many are worried that as their children use more technology they become physically inactive.
Other parent technology advocacy groups suggest that an average of nine hours are spent with entertainment media by teens. For instance, the safety institute’s study has detailed how parents with between 6 and 17 aged kids have dealt with all that consumption. 87 percent of parents have set different kinds of rules for their children to follow in varied technology. Specifically, 19 percent of parents limit five hours or less per week their kids’ tech use. A little, 35 percent (more than one-third) set no restriction at all that their children should utilize.
Potential risks of the Digital age
Traditionally Fathers and Mothers warned their daughters and sons. The physical dangers they face from street pickpocket or strangers. Today, however, parents have to keep their children safe on the World Wide Web which is altogether a different challenge.
The internet is now utilized on a daily basis by children of all ages. For everything ranging from Instagram and Facebook to gaming, shopping, and the latest TV shows streaming. As a result, street pickpockets. Bullying scenario is similar to what these youngsters are likely to suffer from digital fraud or cyber bullying. Parents are finding out hidden dangers of the internet like constant news on cyber criminals cyber extortion and data breaches occurring frequently.
Sexting statistics
Most people think teens engage in high-risk behaviors like skipping school. Using drugs or drinking is the prominent ones in sexting. However, two recent studies reveal this is not the actual case. The studies admit that sexting has become more common than many parents want to admit or might realize.
According to Drexel University study (published in Journal of Sexuality Research and Social Policy), in an anonymous online survey. More than half the respondents (undergraduate students) revealed that they had sexting when they were still teenagers.
Almost 30% admitted including photos in the sexting game. Furthermore, an astonishing 61% of them did not realize that sending nude photos through text could be categorized as child pornography. This was highlighted in Englander recent book, “Bullying and Cyberbullying,” who investigated sexting among other teenager behaviors.
Ensuring safety of kids online
To contain this situation, several parents have taken different steps aimed at monitoring their child’s interactions.Such as, behavior in digital spaces. Personal monitoring has been seen as the most prominent among these steps. As 61% of parents have admitted that they examine fully the websites their teen visit. Another 60% admitted constantly examining the social media profile of their teens. In today’s modern world, teenagers are increasingly using various mobile technologies to share, go online and communicate. As a result, nearly 48% of parents admit that they constantly have to look through their child’s cell phone message or phone call records just to ensure they are safe as they navigate online.
