We use cookies and other technologies to analyze site traffic, understand patterns of use, and improve your browsing experience. See our cookie policy

Accept cookies
Close

Skip to Content

  • For Parents
  • For Educators
  • For Advocates

Or browse by category:

  • Movies
  • TV shows
  • Books
  • Apps
  • Games
  • Parenting
  • Sign in
  • Donate
  • Become a member
  • Movies & TV Shows
    • Movie and TV Reviews and Lists
      • New in Theaters
      • Movie Reviews
      • TV Reviews
      • Best Movie Lists
      • Best TV Lists
      • YouTube Channel Reviews
    • The Common Sense Seal
      • Image of the Common Sense Selection sealSee the latest Common Sense Selections for quality family media!
    • Editors' Top Picks
      • Three books art imagesFind movies and TV shows that build character
  • Books
    • Book Reviews and Lists
      • Best Book Lists
      • Book Reviews
    • Article about books
      • Mom and daughter reading on the couch10 tips for getting kids hooked on books
    • Expert Answers from Our Editors
      • Young boy reading in a chairExpert answers: Is it OK for kids to read books outside their reading levels?
  • Apps & Games
    • App and Game Reviews and Lists
      • Best App Lists
      • App Reviews
      • Best Game Lists
      • Game Reviews
    • Website Reviews and Lists
      • Best Website Lists
      • Website Reviews
      • Best for Learning Lists
      • Special Needs Apps
    • Learning with Technology
      • Family watching boy play on tabletUse tech to foster a love of learning
    • What Is Videos
      • Snapchat logoWhat is ... ?
  • Parents Need to Know
    • By Age
      • Preschoolers (2-4)
      • Little Kids (5-7)
      • Big Kids (8-9)
      • Tweens (10-12)
      • Teens (13+)
    • By Topic
      • Cellphones
      • Screen Time
      • Social Media
      • Privacy and Online Safety
      • Learning with Technology
      • Violence in the Media
      • More ...
    • Parents' Ultimate Guide to ...
      • Fortnite
      • YouTube
      • Snapchat
      • TikTok
      • Roblox
      • YouTube Kids
      • Parental Controls
      • More ...
    • Articles
      • What you need know android parental controlsHow to Use Google's Family Link App
      • All Articles
      • Family Media Agreement
  • Latino
    • Menu for Latino Content
      • Inicio
      • Artículos en español
      • Videos en español
      • Nuestras reseñas
      • Nuestra misión
      • En las noticias
      • Colaboradores
      • Recursos educativos
      • Latino Articles in English
    • Latest Latino Blog Post
      • Guía para padres sobre YouTube
    • Latest Latino Video
      • The Casagrandes: Reseña
  • Research
  • About Us
    • Learn about Common Sense
      • About Us
      • Our Impact
      • Meet Our Team
      • Board of Directors
      • Board of Advisors
    • More About Us Links
      • How We Rate
      • Donate
      • Regional Offices
      • Events
    • Donate to Common Sense
      • Young girl hugging her momWe're a nonprofit. Support our work!
    • Common Sense's Impact
      • Middle school kids on their cell-phonesOur impact report: How Tech Is Changing Childhood

Parenting dilemmas, solved.

Get timely parenting advice delivered straight to your inbox weekly.

Join for $3 per month

Parenting, Media, and Everything In Between

Common Sense Media Census Measures Plugged-In Parents

It's a family thing: How the media environment shapes kids' use -- and what we can do to make it better. By Michael Robb 12/5/2016
Topics: Healthy Media Habits, Screen Time, Social Media
Ver en español
About Us | 3:01
The Common Sense Census: Plugged-In Parents of Teens and Tweens

Everybody knows tweens and teens rack up lots of screen time. But what about parents? Common Sense Media's new report, The Common Sense Census: Plugged-In Parents of Tweens and Teens, finally provides some answers. In collaboration with the Center on Media and Human Development at Northwestern University, we surveyed over 1,700 parents of children age 8 to 18 on their attitudes and concerns about their kids' -- and their own -- media use. We hope that taking an honest look at how parents use media and tech, how they manage and monitor their kids, and how they talk to kids about media will help us all raise media-savvy kids and good digital citizens.

READ THE FULL REPORT: The Common Sense Census: Plugged-In Parents of Tweens and Teens

The great news is that the report shows that parents are trying to be good digital role models and are overwhelmingly supportive of the positive benefits of media in their kids' lives. No, we're not perfect -- and the report reveals the tension between what we do and what we want our kids to do. But we're concerned about our kids, and most of us think we have a role in protecting them from online risks. Finally, the report suggests that when parents are aware of their kids' online activities, they're less likely to worry -- which is a great reason to be engaged with your kids' media. Here are some of the report's key findings:

Parents are avid media users, too! On any given day, parents of American tweens and teens average more than nine hours with screen media each day. Eighty-two percent of that time (almost eight hours) is devoted to personal screen media activities such as watching TV, social networking, and video gaming, with the rest used for work.

Parents believe they "walk the walk." In fact, 78 percent of all parents believe they are good media and technology role models for their children. Mothers are more likely than fathers to report this.

Many parents have concerns about their children's social media use and other online activities. For example, 43 percent of parents are worried about their children spending too much time online. A third of parents are concerned that technology use is hurting their children's sleep.

Parents keep tabs on kids' media use. Most parents said that monitoring their tweens' and teens' media use is important for their safety. Two-thirds of parents say that monitoring media use is more important than respecting kids' privacy. More than two in five parents check their children's devices and social media accounts "always" or "most of the time."

Hispanic parents are more aware and more concerned. Hispanic parents are more aware of their kids' media use and manage it more than black or white parents. They also indicated more concern about their children's online activities. For example, 60 percent of Hispanic parents were concerned about their children spending too much time online, as compared to 37 percent of white parents and 33 percent of black parents.

As the report reveals, parents face a number of challenges in the digital age. The sheer amount of media and tech in our lives makes it tough to monitor and manage our own use -- let alone our kids'. And though screen-time guidelines are helpful, there are no hard-and-fast rules about how much is OK and how much is "too much." 

But amid these obstacles, parents' positive attitudes about the role of technology is a hopeful sign. We should build on this optimism by supporting uses of technology that foster academic and personal development. Role-modeling is a great start to promoting a healthy digital lifestyle, and parents can help establish good habits through family rituals like device-free dinners and media activities that strengthen relationships. Taking a hard look at the family media environment is an important step toward helping kids develop the digital citizenship skills they need to navigate the digital world safely and responsibly.

Related Advice & Top Picks

technology addiction
What Parents Need to Know About Technology Addiction
5 Ways to Save Yourself from Device Addiction
5 Ways to Save Yourself from Device Addiction
Tweens, Teens, and Screens: What Our New Research Uncovers
Tweens, Teens, and Screens: What Our New Research Uncovers
15 Great Apps to Play with Your...
15 Great Apps to Play with Your Tweens and Teens
Tween TV That's Actually Good
Tween TV That's Actually Good
Parent and kids looking at a laptop together
How to Raise a Good Human in a Digital World

About Michael Robb

Image of blog author
Michael Robb is director of research at Common Sense, overseeing our research program, evaluation of organization impact, and program development research. Michael has been involved in issues involving media and... Read more

Add comment

Sign in or sign up to share your thoughts

Comments (7)

Adult written by Melli.901
September 16, 2019

How do you say if you have kids? I know I should know this.but how do you make it say your a parent
  • Sign in or sign up to share your thoughts
  • Flag as inappropriate 

Adult written by dsk52
December 20, 2016

I'd really like to see a piece on what to do when nationally visible adults - as in our President elect - are not acting as role models on social media or on issues such as plagiarism. It's hard out here saying "don't do that" when the models are not so great.
  • Sign in or sign up to share your thoughts
  • Flag as inappropriate 

Adult written by Harlene G.
December 18, 2016

Since digital media has become an important platform for human communications, parents need to become good role models for media use. Digital media is part of our kids’ lives and we need to learn how to manage our own media consumption. Technology is an integral part of our lives today. If used in moderation, it’s a powerful tool for communication and learning. However, spending more face-to-face time with family and friends is still a more powerful tool in developing our mental and emotional intelligence. https://momsecure.com/blog/parents-manage-media-use-kids/
  • Sign in or sign up to share your thoughts
  • Flag as inappropriate 

Adult written by Jane S.
December 9, 2016

I've seen several headlines in the past week stating "Surprise! Parents are plugged in!" Why is this a surprise? We invented it!
  • Sign in or sign up to share your thoughts
  • Flag as inappropriate 

Adult written by MamitadeTian
December 7, 2016

It's lovely to learn what other parents are thinking, outside of my social circle. Thank you for this work!
  • Sign in or sign up to share your thoughts
  • Flag as inappropriate 

Adult written by EMCNC
December 7, 2016

Media consumption is changing everything, and not for the better. We are forgetting how to relate to people and how to do things for ourselves, and entertain ourselves. I blame this on the parents. I really think parents are unaware of the power of the devices and media on their kids. Parents who stress the importance of media, particularly social media, are doing their children a disservice. Our kids don't need to be immersed in this world. There is a cost to too much screen time. Parents need to learn how to really set limits and manage screen use in their homes. One tip is that parents do digital work after 8 or 9pm, once the kids have gone to bed. We owe this to our families!
  • Sign in or sign up to share your thoughts
  • Flag as inappropriate 

Adult written by LetsPinwi
December 6, 2016

Michael, thank you for sharing this insightful article.
  • Sign in or sign up to share your thoughts
  • Flag as inappropriate 
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print

Browse More

Browse Advice

  • Most Discussed
  • Most Shared
54comments
What's the Best Game Console for Kids?
5comments
Answers to Parents' Top Questions About Smart Speakers
1comment
What Parents Need to Know Before Buying a Smart Speaker
0comments
How to Use Google's Family Link App
0comments
Parents' Ultimate Guide to Smart Devices
Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube
Snapchat, Kik, and 6 More Iffy Messaging Apps Teens Love
Explaining the News to Our Kids

Search by Age and Topic

By age

Preschoolers (2-4)
Little Kids (5-7)
Big Kids (8-9)
Tweens (10-12)
Teens (13+)

By topic

Early Childhood
Advocacy
Alcohol, Drugs, Smoking
Back to School
Celebrity Influence on Kids
Cellphone Parenting
Character Strengths and Life Skills
Common Sense News
Cyberbullying
Digital Citizenship
Digital Media and School
Gaming
Healthy Media Habits
How-To
Internet Basics
Latino
Learning with Technology
Marketing to Kids
Media and Body Image
Mental Health
News and Media Literacy
Privacy and Internet Safety
Reading
Screen Time
Sex in the Media
Social Media
Spanish Resources
Special Needs
Technology Addiction
Violence in the Media
We Recommend
YouTube

See Our YouTube Reviews!

Our bloggers

Sierra Filucci
Sierra Filucci
Editorial Director | Mom of two
Christine Elgersma
Christine Elgersma
Senior Editor, Parent Education | Mom of one
Caroline Knorr
Caroline Knorr
Senior Parenting Editor | Mom of one
Grace Jordan
Grace Jordan
Director of Marketing
Frannie Ucciferri
Frannie Ucciferri
Associate Managing Editor | Kid at heart
Polly Conway
Polly Conway
Senior TV Editor | Aunt of two
Michael Robb
Michael Robb
Senior Director of Research | Dad of two
See the full list

Follow Common Sense

Tweets by @CommonSense
Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century.
Headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in London, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C.
  • Learn More

    • About Us
    • Our Impact
    • Meet Our Team
    • Careers
    • Board of Directors
    • Board of Advisors
    • Partners
    • Press Room
    • Annual Report
    • Help Center
  • Our Programs

    • Common Sense Media
    • Common Sense Education
    • Common Sense Kids Action
    • Digital Citizenship Program
    • Latino Program
    • Privacy Program
    • Research Program
  • Get Involved

    • Donate
    • Join as a Parent
    • Join as an Educator
    • Join as an Advocate
  • Help Center

    • Help Center

Follow Common Sense Media

Search Common Sense Media
Subscribe to our newsletters
Privacy Terms of use Community guidelines
© Common Sense Media. All rights reserved.
Common Sense and other associated names and logos are trademarks of Common Sense Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (FEIN: 41-2024986).

Personalize your media recommendations.

How old is your kid?
You'll have a chance to add more kids later.
Have an account? Sign in