TURKIYE ILETISIM ARASTIRMALARI DERGISI-TURKISH REVIEW OF COMMUNICATION STUDIES, sa.46, ss.75-96, 2024 (ESCI)
The digital age has transformed parenting practices and expanded the roles of parents. In today's world, parents are expected not only to protect their children from the risks associated with digital devices but also to guide them in assessing the opportunities offered by the digital landscape. This study explores how contemporary parents fulfill their digital parenting roles, the challenges they face in this process, and the opportunities they leverage. In alignment with the study's purpose, interviews were conducted with a total of 30 parents. Of the parents in the study sample, 15 have children of primary school age, while the remaining 15 have children of high school age. The parents consented to participate in the study through semi-structured online interviews. The participants were asked to answer the questions in the interview form with a "demographic information form". The study's findings were analyzed and evaluated across five themes within the framework of digital parenting roles. The descriptive analysis of the findings revealed that digital parents play a crucial role in helping children become conscientious media consumers. It was also found that the digital awareness levels differed between the two parent groups, leading to variations in their digital parenting roles.