Exploring Emerging Challenges in Parenting Styles in the Digital Age: From Control to Meaningful Engagement with Children's Virtual Worlds

This qualitative study explores the emerging challenges in parenting styles within the context of the digital age, focusing on the transition from traditional control-based approaches to more meaningful engagement with children’s virtual lives. Drawing on in-depth, semi-structured interviews with sixteen parents of children aged ۸ to ۱۵, the research employed an interpretative phenomenological approach to examine how parents experience, interpret, and adapt to their children’s use of digital technologies. Thematic analysis revealed four major patterns: the reconfiguration of parental control, emotional ambivalence regarding digital risks and benefits, the development of dialogic trust, and the emergence of collaborative digital engagement. Participants reported that strict control methods were often ineffective and led to secrecy or conflict, prompting many to adopt more relational, flexible strategies. Emotional tensions, including anxiety and guilt, were common among parents who felt outpaced by their children’s digital fluency. However, those who emphasized communication and co-experiencing digital environments described stronger relationships and improved mutual understanding. The findings underscore the need to move beyond simplistic notions of screen time management and consider digital parenting as a dynamic, emotionally charged, and context-dependent process. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on digital parenting by highlighting the importance of trust, empathy, and adaptability. Practical recommendations are offered to support families in navigating digital life together with awareness, connection, and resilience.

کلیدواژه ها:

Parenting Styles ، Digital Parenting ، Child–Technology Interaction ، Family Dynamics in the Digital Age