CANBERRA: An Australian study has found kids love spending time with their mother and father more than their best friend on Facebook or Instagram.
An analysis of the habits of up to 200 teenagers, aged between 12 and 18, found when typical after-school activities were ranked, playing computer games only just scraped in at 10th place — while Facebook ranked ninth, The Age reported.
Spending time with family, homework, watching TV, doing odd jobs, hobbies, sport, friendship
and reading were activities undertaken with greater frequency than accessing digital technologies.
The research was commissioned by the Australian Computer Society Community Engagement Board and undertaken by the University of Canberra’s education institute.
Report author Dr Karen Macpherson said while it was commissioned to consider student engagement in information and communications technology with a view to better understanding Australia’s skills shortage in the high-tech jobs, she said the findings debunked a common assumption that the average teenager was glued to their laptop and cut-off from personal communication with family and friends.
‘’We really need to rethink our stereotypes of modern teenagers,’’ Macpherson said, adding she had helped raise five teenagers.
‘’No one would argue against the fact that teenagers have welcomed digital technologies into their lives with open arms. But it may be that the popular stereotype of teenagers as being consumed by Facebook and computer games needs some rethinking.’’