A grand portion of how parents will be able to guide their children with technology use, is how they themselves feel about technology itself and their attitude towards it. If parents want their children to have positive experiences with technology and build that relationship where they know what to do if a problem occurs, then parents will need to have a positive attitude towards technology as well and better equip themselves with the right mindset and resources to be able to help their children with technology at home. In a study based on parental concern about technology, “71% of parents say that the potential harm that children under the age of 12 may face from having access to a smartphone outweighs the potential benefits, while 27% believe the potential benefits outweigh the potential harm” (Auxier et. al., 2020, para. 2). Not only do parents view technology as more negative than positive, but that could also be due to the fact that parents have not yet adjusted to our technology-driven world. It was reported that “Two-thirds of parents say parenting is harder today than 20 years ago, with technologies like social media and smartphones being cited as a reason” (Auxier et. al., 2020, para. 1). 

To change this narrative that technology is harmful and is too difficult to compete with as a parent, instead parents need to redirect their approach. Appropriate parent involvement is essential for productive use of media and technology, which can be done by participating in the child’s net life, setting limits, rules and consequences, explaining Internet safety, and praising positive media use, will help in guiding your child in the right way when using technology (Kaiser, 2020). Some other ways to help limit the negative impacts of technology on children, here are some parenting ideas: Be informed and involved in current digital trends your kids may come across; Be aware of what your child is using technology for; Encourage using screen time for games or shows that are educational; Develop and open relationship to discuss any concerns; Create “unplugged” time on a regular basis – which applies to everyone in the family; Encourage use of imagination and relationship building with others in real life; Be a strong role model yourself when it comes to technology use (Moloney, 2022). 

Parents should try to strengthen their relationship with technology because digital devices aren’t going anywhere and are being used more in schools as well. It is suggested that parents sit down with these devices at home and take the time to get to know how to use them so that they implement the safety rules at home that work best for their family. Fighting against technology can also do more harm than good because then it will only enable a divide between parents and children that are using and knowing how to use their devices. Of course there can still be some limitations to these devices at home, but we need to combat the negative stigma and attitude that all technology is bad. Technology is also something that can be used as a tool to bring families together, and just because you are using technology doesn’t mean that you have to stop doing the other family activities you may still enjoy, like playing sports outside, eating out, playing a board game, or going for a bike ride etc. Parents need to find the common ground within their family system, that is supportive of technology use and regular family activities off devices.