Technology and its use in Families with Children

Abstract

Both societal progress and the evolution of information and communication technology (ICT) offer communication opportunities and advantages, as well as challenges at various levels. The literature has documented that the increasing presence of technology in family contexts has made it a central element in the management of routines. It should also be noted that, in family, technology can take on some functions, such as carrying out independent activities as a device, or it can serve as a mechanism for socialization and communication. Using a single question, we carried out a qualitative analysis about people’s perception about the use of information and communication technology as a babysitter. Twenty-eight subjects of both sexes participated in the study, ranging from adolescents to young adults without children, to fathers and mothers, all aged between 14 and 60 years of age. Content analysis revealed that parents use technology as a babysitter due, mainly, to their demanding professional lives as well as in consequence of the usefulness of the tool to family organization. Participants were also found the perceive a need for alternatives.