2020 has been a particularly difficult year, but for parents this comes on top of two decades of increasing pressure. According to the Pew Research Center for Internet and technology, “Two-thirds of parents in the U.S. say parenting is harder today than it was 20 years ago, with many citing technologies – like social media or smartphones – as a reason.”
While some news stories might suggest that the cyber bullying and radicalization that occur online are the largest concerns for parents, in fact most parents are primarily concerned about screen time for their children. Parents are nervous that excessive screen time may affect their children’s development and their socialization.
The issue has become much more complex during the COVID-19 crisis because online services are now the place of children’s study and their primary means of socialization. Although the report by the Pew center is published just before the COVID-19 crisis, the report provides a wealth of important information and is an important read for anyone interested in the subject.