Kids Choose Phones and Tablets Over Pets and Holidays, According to American Parents
September 25 2018 - 9:00AM
One in three American parents believe their kids value their phones
and tablets more than any other possession or activity, while they
also believe by the age of 8 their children will understand the way
modern gadgets work better than parents do themselves.
These are the key findings from research commissioned by
Hotwire, a global communications agency, as part of an ongoing
global investigation into the way technology will impact the lives
of Generation Alpha – children born after 2010.
Last year Hotwire and Wired Consulting produced a report
alongside neuroscientists, cultural commentators and educators to
shine a light on how technology will shape the next generation and
what they will expect from it. This year, Hotwire’s latest report
turns to the parents to show just how big a role tech plays in
family life, specifically exploring how parents feel about the
relationship between their children and the technology they
use.
In the U.S., parents agreed that Generation Alpha is learning
tech skills at a much faster rate than they are learning. In fact,
the research reveals that parents believe that by the time their
children are eight, they won’t be able to keep up with the way
their kids use technology, leaving them unsure how to help them in
the future.
To try to keep up with their kids, there’s a clear trend towards
parents downloading apps or joining social networks for their
children, with 84% of parents saying they downloaded Instagram and
Facebook because their kids were on it. Digging into this further,
parents say that they are engaging with these apps and social
networks like Facebook (27%), Instagram (22%), YouTube (22%) and
WhatsApp (20%) to understand how they impact their children. While
that may be part of the reason, with only 2% of U.S. parents saying
that they aren’t on social media, it’s clear that parents are also
using those networks for their own purposes, too.
As kids get savvier, parents are also increasingly considering
their kids’ needs when buying electronics for their own use. When
asked about their last major tech purchase, half (54%) of American
parents said they considered how their children would use it and a
fourth (25%) asked their children’s opinion first. The findings
show that American parents believe their kids view their gadgets as
the most important thing in their life, with 31% saying a phone or
tablet tops their kid’s list, compared to days out with the family
(18%), toys (18%), pets (7%) and holidays (5%).
And who influences our children the most? Despite the steady
growth in influencers and now micro-influencers, it’s actually
still just about keeping up with The Jones. 37% of American parents
say their children are most likely to ask them to buy a toy or
gadget because a friend has it, while 22% say their children are
most swayed by online influencers.
But despite the admitted huge impact that technology is having
on their children, American parents are actually optimistic about
the benefits engaging with technology brings to their children. In
fact, 87% of parents think technology will help their children’s
future careers and 40% believe that technology helps their
children’s confidence.
“As a parent of Generation Alpha myself, I’m experiencing
first-hand how technology is just natural to today’s children. From
turning the lights on by talking at Alexa, to expecting that a
robot does the vacuuming, and preferring to watch YouTube videos of
the latest Beyblade battles versus playing it in real-life,
Generation Alpha’s digital prowess is staggering,” said Laura
Macdonald, head of consumer, North America at Hotwire. “American
parents aren’t scared of technology today, but recognize it is now
an essential skill for getting a good job tomorrow. While screen
time shouldn’t overshadow kids getting the right amount of exercise
and playing outdoors, it can no longer be seen as a cheap way to
entertain the kids, but as a necessary tool to helping build a
brighter future.”
To read the full report of The Parents of Generation Alpha,
please click here. This report will be discussed on-stage at the
ANA Masters of Marketing on October 27 in Orlando, Florida.
Notes to editorThe research was
carried out by OnePoll on behalf of Hotwire in July 2018, with a
sample size of 8,000 people with children aged between four and
nine years-old across the following countries:
- UK
- USA
- France
- Germany
- Spain
- Italy
- The Netherlands
- Australia
About HotwireHotwire, the global communications
agency, helps CMOs better engage and connect with their customers.
From Sydney to San Francisco, we operate with a borderless mind-set
across 22 locations including the UK, US, France, Germany, Spain,
Italy and Australia, together with co-branded partners Yellow
Communications in the Netherlands and Belgium, Active DMC in the
Middle East and VIANEWS in Brazil, as well as other affiliate
partners. For more information, please visit
www.hotwireglobal.com.About Enero Hotwire is
wholly owned by Enero Group Limited, a company listed on the
Australian Securities Exchange (ASX:EGG). The Enero Group is a
boutique network of marketing and communications businesses that
includes BMF, CPR, Frank PR, Hotwire, Naked Communications, OB
Media, Precinct, Orchard Marketing, The Digital Edge and The
Leading Edge. For more information, please visit www.enero.com.
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