Our Changing Online Lives by David O'Connell

Each year, we get several questions from parents regarding their children’s internet use. Many parents, if not most, find themselves a bit overwhelmed by the pace of new technology, especially when they see their children so technologically adept. Most questions fall into two general categories: 

1. How can I understand the latest technology my child is using?
2. How can I best help my child navigate the online world?

In 2010, the Kaiser Family Foundation published its latest results of a ten-year longitudinal study (Generation M2) on the media consumption habits of kids aged 8-18. Kaisers’ definition of media ranges from TV, music, computers, to magazines and books.  When the study was initially done in 1999 there were no iPods, iPads or iPhones (and Apple stock averaged around the $50 mark). A majority of teens’ media exposure came mainly from a television, often situated in a family space. Today, while TV content is still king, teens’ viewing habits have changed.  Adolescents are more likely to receive TV or other types of media on a personal device, often with no one monitoring or helping them interpret the content.

The study concluded that those between the ages of 8 and 18 spent 7.5 hours per day with electronic devices, not including the time spent texting or talking on a cell phone.  On average, because teens often use more than one device at a time, they consume over 10 hours of content in that 7.5 hours. The study also linked low academic achievement with heavy electronic device use.  What was not clear is whether the use of the devices causes the problems, or those with difficulties turn to the devices.

While I understand that the typical Duke School student may not fold neatly into the Kaiser survey, (many DS parents find books under their child’s pillow, not media devices) the report should at least lead us to raise an eyebrow. While I doubt most DS students are consuming 10 hours of electronic media content a day, I do not doubt that our rate of increase parallels the outside world.

Lastly the study emphasized the importance of parents creating guidelines for their sons’ and daughters’ use of devices such as iPods, smart phones and laptops. It is difficult to create effective rules without understanding the technology.  With that in mind, I invite parents to come work with us for an evening in February (date and details to follow) to learn about the technology your son or daughter uses and discuss recommendations for creating effective guidelines.

The complete Kaiser study is available at http://www.kff.org/entmedia/8010.cfm