According to a new study, 49% of children spend their time in front of their screens when their grandparents are taking care of them, and this includes playing video games, watching TV, and using social media apps. This usage of screens among children when they are with their grandparents is creating a gap between generations. One-third of parents also reported that they had disagreements with grandparents about their children’s media usage. The researchers wanted to know how grandparents are adapting and managing children’s media consumption as they are expanding their responsibilities as caretakers.
As the digital age advances, grandparents are facing challenges that they have never faced before, like increased divorce rates, an increased number of working mothers, economic pressure, and digital media. Grandparents are stepping up to help their grandchildren, but they are not prepared for this digital age. A survey of 350 grandparents showed that they take care of at least one grandchild between the ages of 2 and 10. During the time shared with grandparents, grandchildren spend 20% of the time on TV, 10% on watching videos on mobile, 9% on video games, and 8% time is spent on browsing apps. Grandparents are not prepared for this digital landscape, and many problems in childcare are arising because of that.
The study found that there are four strategies that grandparents use to manage the screen time of their grandchildren. These strategies include supervision by watching what kids are doing, restrictive mediation by setting up rules, instructive mediation by talking about content, and co-viewing by watching what the child is watching together. Supervision is the most common strategy used by grandparents while co-viewing is the least common. Setting up rules was also something many grandparents don't want to do because they feel that it's the responsibility of parents. The poor digital skills of grandparents are also the biggest factor when it comes to managing the screen time of children.
The study also found that younger grandparents are more likely to co-view with their grandchildren, while grandmothers are more likely to supervise grandchildren than grandfathers. It was also found that grandparents’ views on media can cause family conflicts, especially when grandparents are too concerned about the screen time of grandchildren. But as grandparents are taking on more caregiving roles, it is important to make sure that they know about how much digital media is beneficial in today's era.
Image: DIW-Aigen
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As the digital age advances, grandparents are facing challenges that they have never faced before, like increased divorce rates, an increased number of working mothers, economic pressure, and digital media. Grandparents are stepping up to help their grandchildren, but they are not prepared for this digital age. A survey of 350 grandparents showed that they take care of at least one grandchild between the ages of 2 and 10. During the time shared with grandparents, grandchildren spend 20% of the time on TV, 10% on watching videos on mobile, 9% on video games, and 8% time is spent on browsing apps. Grandparents are not prepared for this digital landscape, and many problems in childcare are arising because of that.
The study found that there are four strategies that grandparents use to manage the screen time of their grandchildren. These strategies include supervision by watching what kids are doing, restrictive mediation by setting up rules, instructive mediation by talking about content, and co-viewing by watching what the child is watching together. Supervision is the most common strategy used by grandparents while co-viewing is the least common. Setting up rules was also something many grandparents don't want to do because they feel that it's the responsibility of parents. The poor digital skills of grandparents are also the biggest factor when it comes to managing the screen time of children.
The study also found that younger grandparents are more likely to co-view with their grandchildren, while grandmothers are more likely to supervise grandchildren than grandfathers. It was also found that grandparents’ views on media can cause family conflicts, especially when grandparents are too concerned about the screen time of grandchildren. But as grandparents are taking on more caregiving roles, it is important to make sure that they know about how much digital media is beneficial in today's era.
Read next:
• New Studies Show that Google’s AI Overviews Negatively Impact Click-Through Rates
• Study Shows Instagram and TikTok Are Toughest for Achieving Social Media Virality
