FamiliesKids Living and Learning with New Media

Susan Lightbody

Introduction

We live in a society where technology is booming and is used for so many different purposes. The use of technology amongst young children today is more frequent than ever. In this chapter Heather A. Horst evaluates how families deal with there children using media, and how it affects social dynamics of the household.

Children and New Media

-Lay Theory of Media Effects- The belief that media causes children to become antisocial, violent, unproductive and desensitized to a variety of influences, such as commercialization, sex, and violence (Horst, 150). While parents make efforts to embrace their kids using new media, they admit that new media also incites anxiety and discomfort.

This theory relates to the article by Danah Boyd, Why Parents Help Children Violate Facebook’s 13+ Rule. Basically the article sums up how parents think it is ok for their children to lie about their age in order

to set up a Facebook account and connect with people they may not know.

When parents become the ones who allow their children to access social media sites such as Facebook, than they

are the ones who are left responsible. Some parents may monitor their children closely and see who they are

talking with, and what ads they are clicking on. While other parents may not be as concerned and let their children

have free range over the internet.

“Those who want to help youth navigate commercial tools often encounter the complexities of age restrictions. Consider the 7th grade teacher whose students are heavy Facebook users. Should she admonish her students for being on Facebook underage? Or should she make sure that they understand how privacy settings work?” (Boyd)

This quote also from the article Why Parents Help Children Violate Facebook’s 13+ Rule, makes a strong point. If it is inevitable that young children will be using facebook, than they should be taught about privacy settings and how to keep their information private. In today’s society Facebook and social media websites should be something young children need to be educated about.

Media SpacesDepending on where media devices are located corresponds to how frequently one may use that device. For example if a computer is in the living room or kitchen which is a common place where the family gathers than children are less likely to spend excessive amounts of time with media. They learn that they need to share the computer with other family members, and just use it as a tool to do schoolwork and research certain topics. Parents also have control over how long their child spends on the device if it is located in a common family space. Compared to if the computer was in the child's bedroom, that child is more likely to stay up late, chat with friends, play games and put off doing school work. As well as waste mindless hours in front of the screen.

-Horst points out that some families “unplugg” which means they do not use any form of social media as entertainment. They gather around the table and play board games as a family activity. Some families however spend time gathering around a variety of media devices as an activity. For example, to make websites, videos, and edit digital photographs. In some families this helps parents stay involved with their kids and helps them create a strong bond because the children are working alongside their parents.

-Kids today are more familiar with technology than there parents. “They play an important role as the technology expert or broker in the family, translating websites and other forms of information for there parents” (Horst, 167).

-When parents and their children get involved with media together they become closer, and feel more connected; The computer mediates between the generations. (Horst, 170)

-My mom displays a perfect example, as someone older she depends on the younger generation to help her with her electronic media. When she got her Ipad she was clueless as to how to use it. She had to rely on my younger cousin who was 13 at the time to help her navigate it. She therefore spent a few hours with him and because of that they felt more connected. They never would have spent time together if my mom did not need assistance.

Kids and New Media Usage

From a kids’ perspective, mothers are often described by kids as “clueless” or “hopeless” outside the

domain of of communication technologies and fathers as being the ones who play and tinker with

technology alongside their kids–suggest that new media continue to contribute to the production and

reproduction of class and gender inequities in American society (Horst, 171).

The previous slide was a perfect example of this with my mom and her Ipad. My mom and other people

her age who are not familiar with technology are thought of differently in the sense that younger people

tend to know so much more information regarding media and technology. Younger generations can not

go to their parents and ask how do I link my email to my Ipod? Because their parents most likely do not

have the answer.

Kids and New Media Usage

-Parenting styles differ when it comes to allowing their kids time with media usage.

-Parents allow there children to use new media for a variety of reasons, rewards, for example getting good grades, may be rewarded with an Ipod, camera, video game etc.

-Parents also allow their children to use media for educational purposes, they want their kids to be successful so they buy them a computer thinking it will enhance their learning and allow them to focus more on academics, and research.

-Media usage can also be used as a bribe. A parent might say to their child, “if you finish your homework, you can stay up late and watch an extra show.” Or “if you behave at dinner I’ll buy you that video game you’ve been wanting.” The reasons why parents use time with media as bribes is because it works. Even when I babysit I always bribe the children with staying up late and watching a show past their bedtime because it never fails.

Reasons for Media Usage

While the pros of media usage can bring parents and children together and create a connected bonded feeling, the cons of media usage can also cause fights and aggressive behavior.

Media usage causes tension with other members of the family such as siblings.

For example siblings may fight with each other if they are sharing media devices, and therefore parents have to intervene. While parents usually seem clueless or incompetent in dealing in dealing with the norms and literacies of online peer culture (Horst, 192).

When my brother and I were younger are fights always stemmed from media usage whether it was deciding on a TV show to watch, who got to play Xbox, or whose turn it was to play on the computer, we constantly fought over access and control to our media devices.

Families and Media Usage

Conclusions

-After reading this chapter it is apparent that the ways in which the family functions is a

powerful determining force when it comes to how much media is consumed. Parenting styles

shape media participation (Horst, 190). Some parents hover over what their children are doing

online, others help them create a Facebook account, or set up a computer in their bedrooms for

unlimited access. While other families create a common space for media usage so other family

member can share the device. I know parents who play video games with their kids, and I

know of other parents who forbid video games to be in there house. Every family is unique

when it comes to how much media usage is appropriate.

-Parental attitudes, family values, the location of media devices, rewards, and punishments, are

just a few of the factors that contribute to time families spend with media.

Works Cited

Boyd, Danah. "Why Parents Help Children Violate

Facebook’s 13+ Rule." Weblog post. Social Media Collective

Research Blog. N.p., 1 Nov. 2011. Web. 19 July 2011. <

https://www.courses.maine.edu/webapps/blackboard/content/contentWrapper.jsp?content_id=_1377396_1&display

Name=Why+Parents+Help+Children+Violate+Facebook%27s+13%2B+Rule&course_id=_56122_1&navItem=con

tent&href=http%3A%2F%2Fsocialmediacollective.org%2F2011%2F11%2F01%2Fwhy-parents-help-children-viola

te-facebooks-13-rule%2F

>.Horst, Heather. Hanging Out, Messing Around, and Geeking Out: Kids Living and Learning

with New Media. Cambridge, MA: MIT, 2010. Print.