Technology is so present in our daily lives that naturally there have been dozens (if not hundreds) of studies analyzing the impact that its use has on the various stages of our lives.
The use of these devices by parents is often thought of as negative, however new research found that those parents who frequently used a smartphone have a warmer and more attached parenting . Of course, this depends on the context and mode of use that they are given.
The study
Published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry , the study analyzed more than 3,600 surveys conducted with parents and tested 12 different measures of smartphone use, in order to find any association between parenting and the use of these devices.
Initially, little evidence was found of a direct relationship between the use of smartphones and parenting, but later it was explored whether this influence depended on whether or not it displaced time with the family , and whether it was associated with family conflicts.
According to the results, when time with the family was shifted by a few levels, more smartphone use was associated with better parenting , and not worse, as is commonly thought.
The researchers explain that this is because smartphones are one of the essential links of parents with the outside world , in terms of information, support, or simply to connect with other parents in situations similar to their own.
That is, as long as the use of cell phones is not a substitute for family time , they are a great tool that can help parents provide a better parenting for their children: a warm and attached parenting.
” Smartphone use by parents has been demonized as a risk to families by various sectors of the community and the media, but across diverse family settings, mobile phones play multiple roles in a family, including providing social support and information, as well as enabling work tasks. As long as phones don’t have a huge impact on family time, smartphones tend to be linked to positive (and not negative) parenting , “says Dr. Kathryn. Modecki, lead author of the research
Technology as an ally for parents
I have always thought that technology, when used well, can be a great ally for everyone, but especially for parents . We have at our fingertips a means that can help us find any information related to the upbringing and care of our children.
For this reason, and as the study says, using mobile phones appropriately and frequently, but without interrupting time with our children, can make the quality of our upbringing better , not only by being better informed , but by feeling supported by other parents.
And it is that as we have commented on other occasions, it takes a tribe to raise a child, and in current times, this tribe has gone digital , finding it in a support group for parents, online educational resources, advice forums, etc. .
So instead of completely demonizing the use of mobiles, let’s look at them objectively and use them responsibly. They can help us to be better parents, but let’s not let them get between us and time with our children , otherwise it could prevent the connection and bond with them from being strengthened.
Photo | Rawpixel
Via | EurekAlert
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