Digital Hell: Young Parents Struggle to Handle Kid's Screen Time Habits, Prompts Family Tension

screen-time parenting family life Digital Media Use Family Arguments Family Tension

By Jo Anne Hubert , Parent Herald Aug 19, 12:16 pm

Photo: (Photo : Pexel/Rodnae Productions)

Millennial parents are on the blind side in managing their kids and their gadgets. With no available "rule book" on how to regulate the amount of screen time their children use on smartphones and tablets, this has been an emerging parental problem that has been causing many family arguments, stress, and tension, a recent survey says.

When it comes to their children's media habits and screen time, a team at Edith Cowan University found that most modern parents are just "winging it" or are doing it without much knowledge and preparation.

The study talked to 281 Australian parents, and a shocking 75 percent were honest enough to confess that conflict and family disagreements arose over mobile media usage. However, nearly 1 out of 3 have never searched for any official guidelines on children's digital media use, Study Finds reported.

With this, lead researcher and Ph.D. student Stephanie Milford emphasized the urgency and significance of parents' education on the critical role mobile media plays in shaping their children's behaviors and characters. There is a great need for the development and availability of digital media use guidelines that will be easy for parents to understand and implement.

Negative consequences of mobile media on kids

The study showed that parents now see mobile media's negative consequences on their kids. Many parents have witnessed their children find it harder to focus, follow directions, exercise self-control, and handle emotions.

Moreover, at least 1 in 5 observed that their children lack exercise, have problems completing tasks, are addicted to gaming, have sleep problems, and are socially withdrawn.

Prior studies have already revealed the negative correlation of smartphones with child development. However, the research showed that many parents are unaware of the impact and influence mobile media usage has on their children's behavior and executive functioning, defined as the essential skills used to work, learn and manage daily life. Though these parents are alarmed, it is still unclear how they should approach and discipline their children concerning this matter.

'Where do we look for advice?

Surprisingly, though the study showed high rates of oppositional behavior from children, like arguing back, only a few parents sought information and help from trusted sources such as GPs, teachers, or counselors. Instead, it was found that parents are using informal networks, where there is a lot of conflicting advice on how much screen time should be given to children. This points out that "official guidelines around digital media use are either difficult to understand or not fit for purpose," Milford proclaimed.

She further stated, "We know today's mums and dads struggle with no frame of reference because these devices didn't exist when they were children. Parents are trying their best by using a range of strategies they have heard about, to try to curb their children's mobile media use."

As mediation strategies, almost seventy percent of parents are limiting their children's screen time, sixty-eight percent strike a conversation with their kids to know what they use their device for, sixty-six percent check the websites and apps their kids' visit and use, and almost fifty-nine percent take away and put off mobile media as punishment, as reported from resercher's university release.

The research team is currently launching a new study entitled "Parents' Knowledge, Understanding and Mediation Practices of Digital Device Use Among Children," which aims to investigate knowledge, skills, attitudes, and decision-making processes regarding children's digital device use and the impact that this may have on their lives and to explore the factors that influence children's digital device use in the home environment