{"id":68141,"date":"2017-01-23T21:01:21","date_gmt":"2017-01-24T05:01:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/securingtomorrow.mcafee.com\/?p=68141"},"modified":"2025-08-26T21:04:17","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T04:04:17","slug":"connected-family-smarthome-2017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/family-safety\/connected-family-smarthome-2017\/","title":{"rendered":"Raising Kids in a Digital World: Top Takeaways from Our 2017 Connected Family Survey"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today\u2019s world is certainly a digital one. Everything, from the stores where we shop to the messages we send to one another, interacts with the internet in some fashion\u2014and sometimes in ways that aren\u2019t exactly secure. In fact, risky interactions with the Web can even extend to the homes and family. So, what impact (good or bad) does the digital world truly have on today\u2019s families?<\/p>\n

To better understand family habits and attitudes towards the connected lifestyle, we conducted a global survey of 13,000 adults about their children\u2019s digital habits, how they, as parents, supervised internet time and more. The results are, well, telling. Here\u2019s what we found:<\/p>\n

Kids are spending more time on digital devices than ever before<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This one is not surprising, but we now have statistics to back it up: Children today are spending more time in front of a screen than ever before. In fact, about 20 percent of respondents say they allow their children three to four hours of screen time per day. The majority, 48 percent, allow their children a solid one to two hours a day. This includes use before bedtime, alone and when children interact with friends.<\/p>\n

To expand, 76 percent of parents allow their child to bring an internet-connected device to bed. Perhaps predictably, almost a quarter of parents today don\u2019t monitor how their children use a device before bed.<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t to say those parents aren\u2019t worried\u201480 percent of parents said they\u2019re concerned about who their child interacts with online\u2014rather, they simply don\u2019t know how to monitor their child\u2019s browsing habits and interactions.<\/p>\n

Parents aren\u2019t sure how to manage kids\u2019 screen time<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Digital devices are new. So are the social mores that go with them. This means there\u2019s a lot of tension over device use within the family. In fact, about 32 percent of respondents said they\u2019ve argued with their child about bringing a device to bed.<\/p>\n

So how do parents today govern device use? It boils down to two methods: the tried and true method of confiscation (35 percent), and, for the tech savvy, monitoring software (23 percent). But monitoring methods are going to have to change\u2014and likely towards the more technical side of things. The reason is simple: the more time a child spends online, the more likely they\u2019ll be present (or actively seek out) age-inappropriate content. In fact, 34 percent of responding parents report they have discovered their child has visited an inappropriate website.<\/p>\n

So, what\u2019s the answer? New solutions, such as McAfee Secure Home Platform<\/a> can help you manage and protect devices connected to your home network while providing parental controls that can be suited to the needs of all age groups. Perhaps more critical to the healthy use of today\u2019s digital devices is simply talking to children about today\u2019s dangers online. The good news is that a lot of parents already do this. A solid 85 percent of respondents say they at least occasionally talk to their children about online dangers. Conversely, and perhaps a bit naively, the parents who don\u2019t talk to their children say they believe their children already know about online dangers and don\u2019t need more discussion on this topic.<\/p>\n

Overall, this survey brings to light the confusion parents feel about how to keep their families safe online, especially in light of increased device usage \u2013 pointing to the need for better solutions. Here are a few tips and tricks parents can keep in mind when raising their children alongside digital devices, to help us start closing that gap.<\/p>\n