A THIRD of parents are much stricter with their kids than they thought they would be – as they grapple with the dangers of the digital world. A poll of 1,000 mums and dads with children aged between six and 16 found 55 per cent imagined they would be a ‘cool and carefree’ parent – but for many, it isn’t the case. Three in 10 of these said their kids being online so much has forced them to change their approach.
And 79 per cent decided it was ‘better to be safe than sorry’ as they try to safeguard their online activity. It also emerged parents find it easier to let kids have independence in the real world when out with friends (35 per cent), than when online (11 per cent). However, 93 per cent feel it’s important to them to allow their children to grow up with a sense of independence, as 85 per cent at least somewhat struggle to find the balance.
Developmental cognitive neuroscientist professor Sam Wass, who worked with parenting app Findmykids, which commissioned the research, said: “Many parents start off with the intention of being cool and carefree, imagining a relaxed approach to raising their children. “Parents understand real-world risks because we experienced them ourselves as children. “But the online world nowadays is so different to what we experienced when we were children that it’s easy to panic.
“In the online world though, just as real-world play, there is evidence that over-protecting children, and stopping them from experimenting with.
