The latest findings from nib's fifth annual State of the Nation Parenting Survey indicate a shift in parental concerns regarding their children's device use. Despite an overall increase in concern (73%, a slight rise from 70% in 2022), the survey suggests a trend towards a more balanced engagement with various life aspects by children.
The survey reports that 40% of parents worry about their children’s screen time, a decrease from 45% the previous year and 49% in 2021. The impact of devices on traditional leisure activities also appears to be diminishing as a concern, down to 26% from 30% last year and 33% in 2021. In terms of concentration and focus, parents now report a decrease in negative effects (22%), compared to 27% in the previous year and 29% in 2021.
Device-induced family conflicts have also seen a reduction, standing at 19% in comparison to 25% two years prior.
Parental control over screen time has seen a gradual decline since 2020 when 51% were limiting screen time, to 46% in 2023. Additionally, the practice of checking children's browsing history has seen a slight decrease from 28% in 2020 to 25% in the current year.
Rob Hennin, chief executive officer of nib New Zealand, said that while technology use remains a prime concern, parents are gradually adapting to its pervasive role.
“There’s no escaping device use, whether it be at work, at school or at home, and while it’s important that parents continue to monitor their kid’s usage and keep them safe, it is encouraging to see parents are feeling less worried overall,” Hennin said.
The concern is not entirely allayed, however, with 65% of parents worried about social media's impact and 37% concerned about their children potentially engaging in bullying or online abuse.
Nathan Wallis (pictured above), nib’s resident parenting expert and neuroscience educator, says that this is a critical moment for parents to initiate conversations about online behaviour.
“If parents are worried about their kids bullying others online, it is a great opportunity to start a dialogue with your kids,” Wallis said. “Talk to them about online bullying, what it is, how it affects people and show them how to behave positively online.”
Other concerns cited by parents include the sheer volume of screen time (58%), exposure to inappropriate content (53%), and online predators (51%).
Regarding device usage, 73% of parents have actively sought to regulate it in the past six months, while 37% admit to using it as a distraction for their children. Moreover, less than half (43%) believe they set a positive example with their device use, and 52% concede their dependence on it.
Wallis recommended that parents not overburden themselves about device use but instead adopt straightforward strategies, such as limiting screen time to specific parts of the day and employing online safety tools.
“I’d recommend having a plan around screen time as it’s easy to get into bad habits and allow kids to have more of it than they should, which often leads to the parents feeling guilty. Kids thrive on routine and repetition, because their brains are wired for it, so set aside regular device-free time and device-free zones - for example, no devices at the dinner table or at bedtime,” he said.
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