Parents and gadgets in the big city

Abstract

The article presents an investigation into the interrelationship between parents and their mobile practices in the urban environment. Our focus was on young mothers who use mobile devices when communicating with their children in different city locations: playgrounds, museums, public transportion etc. The study involved three methodological approaches: a questionnaire, interviews, and observation of playgrounds. The main question posed in our research was to determine the factors, norms and practices that shape usage of mobile devices in different urban environments. We determined that attitude to the devices changes depending on the various urban spaces where they are used. Playgrounds and public transportion are viewed as a zone for peer pressure where the norms depend on the situational frame. Such localities as museums and theaters provide a rich content that successfully competes with the digital one. Parents also regard technology as redundant in intimate and spiritual contexts. It is also true that different mobile practices depend on the type of embodiment, e.g. calling has special disadvantages because of bothering other people, but it allows one to see what is going on with the children, while using social network sites or messengers is more eye-catching. Finally, the most important positive aspect of using mobile devices is maintaining close ties between family members and/or within an extended family.