Parental Control Tracking - Building Trust and Encouraging Free Play
In this weeks "Digital Families" Podcast I speak with Sonia Livingstone a professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science, who is also the co-Author with Alicia Blum-Ross of the recently released book based on her research "Parenting for a Digital Future: How Hopes and Fears About Technology Shape Children’s Lives". about parental controls, screentime vs free play and tracking.
Recently there has been quite a bit of discussion about parental controls and apps that can track children. Now that our children are getting back to face to face and socialising, many parents are understandably using the available technology to track and surveil their kids online and offline behaviour. But when do parental controls and tracking become overbearing or an invasion of privacy, when should parents start to give the child more space and trust?
Many of my clients are working with me on issues around winding back screentime and developing better habits around online devices. Some parents are reporting that their children seem to have lost the ability to entertain themselves off screens after so much screentime during Covid lockdowns. Sonia Livingstone and I discuss the issue of the importance of children having "Free Play" both on screens and off. How we can transition children from screens to healthy play that is so important for their development.
Sonias Book Parenting For A Digital Future Is Available Here: www.sonialivingstone.net
Find out more about Leonie Smith at www.thecybersafetylady.com.au