PARENTAL NAVIGATION IN THE PRESCHOOLERS’ DIGITAL WORLD

Parenting requires a different kind of hard work, and it now includes managing the child's exposure to technology, especially with the advent of countless digital devices. The work reported here examines the approaches and perceptions of parents in managing their young children's engagement with digital media. This study uses interviews with parents of preschoolers to explore the challenges, concerns and adaptations that parents conceive as they navigate their children through the digital environment. This qualitative study is anticipated to serve as an initial step into providing important knowledge related to parenting roles that enhance their children's digital literacy. The purpose of this study is to provide insights into responsible digital parenting by examining the different forms and motivations of parental decisions. Key areas of investigation will be parents' perceptions of the benefits and harms associated with digital media, how parents go about setting thresholds and limits and strategies that promote healthy digital behaviors. The purpose of this research is to guide parents focused on the improvement of the quality of the children's interaction with technologies at every stage of the child's development process.