Bridging the parent-child digital divide
“The more things change, the more they remain the same”.
Independence, self confidence and autonomy are some of the key characteristics of generation Z.
Over generations, the actors and scenes might change but the overarching theme between parents and teens remains consistent. The idea of independence, freedom, rebellion, autonomy have been hallmarks of teenage years for as long as we can remember. I’m not sure your parents knew everything you got up to as a teenager, neither might you want them to. I do think past generations of parents had it easier.
Gone are the days when a child in protest locks herself up in a room to listen to music on a walkman or buried in a good romance novel. These days technology makes the process more complex. Children are not even present in the moment enough to disagree or protest in this “always on, tiktok, swipe left, capture now era”.
The truth is the “parent-child divide” has widened due to the growing digital divide between our children’s understanding and application of technology and our understanding and application of technology as parents.
Many parents are far behind their children in terms of knowledge; today’s children seem to be born holding a mobile phone in one hand literally. They feel at home with technology and don’t see it as being external, they see it as an integral part of their lives. The intuitive design of devices seem like a language children today are programmed to speak from birth.
As a digital immigrant, it’s tough to keep up in comparison to the digital natives. To give an example, I type-search on my laptop and mobile except whilst driving or using Alexa. My children since I can remember, voice search on any device even if it’s a laptop. This might seem like a slight difference in behaviour but it speaks to habit and also, the ability to unlearn and relearn. In speaking to parents, what is clear is that most of us struggle with connecting with our children the closer they get to technology.
The Digital Divide Widens
In a world where 42% of 6–17-year-olds admit to being exposed to explicit content and 95% of teens admit to witnessing online bullying or cruel behaviour, not enough parents know or understand what their children are doing online. As a parent, this scares me.
If left unchecked, as the pace of technological development continues to quicken, the digital gulf between parents and their children will only get larger.
According to a recent UK report, 99% of 8–15 year olds play games. This is close to being the reality even in some major markets in Africa due to high mobile and smartphone penetration. In Nigeria, YouTube Gaming views have been on a rise. Children are watching gameplay videos.
Yes!
Watching other people play games. It’s a trend amongst kids from 8+ across the world. If your child has ever said these words;
“I would like to be a YouTuber
“I would like to be a Video Game Developer
I love Minecraft
I want to play Fortnite to win money”
or you’ve seen some weird dance steps;
“the floss”
“orange justice”
or heard words like, vbucks, emotes, redstone or crafting, then you are exactly like me.
Technology has changed a lot of things but our role as parents hasn’t changed. We need to seek to understand in order to keep our children safe online. Video games are not the enemy.
Join us on our quest to get parents to understand and get involved in gaming. Through our events, parents are offered insights into the world of gaming, keeping children safe online and immersive careers education for their children.
Three Tips to help Parent in this Digital Age
- Parental Controls: Ensure you set parental controls on consoles and devices to suit the age of your child.
- Check the game’s rating: Europe uses PEGI rating and the US, ESRB. Age ratings in games ensure that content is clearly labelled for the minimum age group for which it is suitable. Age ratings provide guidance to help you decide whether or not to buy a particular game or app. The PEGI rating on a game confirms that it contains content suitable for a certain age group and above. So a 7-rated game is suitable for everyone who is seven or older, while an 18-rated game is deemed suitable for adults only. It is not, however, a measure of who will enjoy the game or how difficult that game is. When buying a game for anyone under the age of 18, always look at the age rating to check it is suitable for the intended end-user.
- Talk to your child about their favourite game: Contrary to what most people think, children are more likely to get excited about your interest and show you how to play.
