Young children as Internet users

Abstract

In the current available research concerning the real usage of the internet among the young children, most researchers particularly emphases on the risk and opportunities regarding the active use of the internet. Limited experimental research emphases on the role-based and impact of the parent guidelines in the context. In the current studies, internet parenting methods are well-defined and operationalized to study the influence on the real usage of the internet among children both at home and in school. In these researches two major dimensions are distinguished in the internet parenting methods: that is parental control and parental warmth.

The methods differ when controlling for parent gender, educational background, and age appropriateness. Parenting methods are also seen to be connected significantly to the level of parent internet usage, internet attitude and internet experience. Parental methods have been found to contribute greatly to the child internet usage. The highest internet level usage among the children is apparent when the parents approve a permissive parenting method; the lowest level is observed when the parent approves controlled internet parenting method. The variables internet parenting method, parent internet behavior, and parent educational background greatly influence Internet usage of children at home and school. The aim of this thesis is was to addressing a fundamental research question: “What parents think about their children’s Internet use.”

The theoretic and practical inferences are discussed and directions for future research. The research question in this thesis involves a qualitative study that involves a semi-structured interview conducted in a comfortable and friendly environment. As a requirement eleven children and five families were interviewed. The parents who were interviewed are well aware of their children internet access and usage.