Parents and Media

Parental mediation makes a real difference in the role media play in their children's lives.

The Kaiser Family Foundation conducted a study in 2003 that reports

Parent Concerns

• 9 out of 10 parents believe that media contributes to children becoming too materialistic, using coarse language, engaging in sex earlier and behaving in anti-social ways.
• 58% of parents think that media can have a positive effect on their children.
• More parents are concerned about the content of television programs, video games, internet sites and music lyrics than the amount of time children spend with the media.
• Of parents who are satisfied with their children's online activities, 81% cite educational value as the reason.
• Parents who are more web savvy are less concerned about their children's online experience.

Parent Actions

• Most parents provide a media-rich environment for their children, but 65% say they could do a better job of supervising their children's media use.
• 2/3 of children are not allowed to use the tv, internet or video games until homework or chores are completed.
• What parents say they do, does not match what kids say their parents do (such as enforcing time limits, checking sites their children have visited etc.).
• 76% of children say and adult is nearby when they go online at home, compared to only 35% of teens.
• The majority of parents and of children believe that parents have a strong influence over which web sites children visit.

For more information, check out the study here.