Digital Parenting in the Era of Artificial Intelligence: The Role of Parents in Guiding Early Childhood Interaction with Smart Technology
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14421/joyced.2025.52-08Keywords:
artificial intelligence, digital parenting, early childhoodAbstract
This study aims to explore the role of parents in guiding early childhood interactions with artificial intelligence (AI)-based technology within the framework of digital parenting. Using a descriptive qualitative approach, data were collected through in-depth interviews, participant observation, and documentation involving ten parents of children aged 4–6. The findings indicate that active mediation was the most commonly applied strategy (8 out of 10 parents), though restrictive mediation remains dominant in limiting access and screen time. Co-using was the least practiced due to time constraints and low digital literacy. A key finding highlights parents' limited understanding of AI principles, which hinders reflective and educational engagement during children’s AI use. This study introduces a novel contribution by integrating parental AI literacy into the parental mediation model and proposes a theoretical modification of digital parenting. Practical implications include the need for parental AI literacy modules and child technology design that fosters active family involvement. These findings underscore the shift in digital parenting from mere technical control toward reflective guidance grounded in AI literacy.
Keywords: artificial intelligence, digital parenting, early childhood
Downloads
References
An, P., Zhou, Z., Liu, Q., Yin, Y., Du, L., Huang, D. Y., & Zhao, J. (2022). VibEmoji: Exploring User-authoring Multi-modal Emoticons in Social Communication. In Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings (Vol. 1, Issue 1). Association for Computing Machinery. https://doi.org/10.1145/3491102.3501940
Annisa Nur, Nur Hikmah, & Marlina Marlina. (2024). Peran Orang Tua dalam Mendukung Literasi Dini Anak pada Era Digital. Inovasi Pendidikan Dan Anak Usia Dini, 2(1), 113–123. https://doi.org/10.61132/inpaud.v2i1.88
Ayun, P. Q., Santoso, H. P., Naryoso, A., Nugroho, A., & Yuliyanto, M. (2022). Digital Literacy at Pornographic Content and Parent’s Assistance of Early Childhood. KOMUNIKA: Jurnal Dakwah Dan Komunikasi, 16(2), 165–172. https://doi.org/10.24090/komunika.v16i1.7049
Carrisi, M. C., Marras, M., & Vergallo, S. (2025). A Structured Unplugged Approach for Foundational AI Literacy in Primary Education. 1–15. http://arxiv.org/abs/2505.21398
Grace, A. (2025). Parents’ obsessive technology use may have serious long-term effects on babies and toddlers: study. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2025/05/06/lifestyle/parents-obsessive-technology-use-may-have-serious-long-term-effects-on-babies-and-toddlers-study/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Hikmah Husnul Khotimah, Dian Miranda, L. (2024). Volume 13 Nomor 1 Tahun 2024 Halaman 109-118 Peningkatan Kemampuan Menulis Karya Ilmiah Dengan Model. Pendidikan Dan Pembelajaran Khatulistiwa, 13, 2715–2723. https://doi.org/10.26418/jppk.v13i1.71868
Ilise, R. N., Setyawati, N. S., & Nurdian, N. (2024). Digital Parenting: Pola Asuh Orang Tua Mendidik Anak Usia Dini di Era Digital. PrimEarly : Jurnal Kajian Pendidikan Dasar Dan Anak Usia Dini, 7(2), 228–240. https://doi.org/10.37567/primearly.v7i2.3120
Khairunnisa, W., Pembangunan, U., & Budi, P. (2025). The Urgency of Digital Literacy for Early Childhood. 1.
Maisari, S., & Purnama, S. (2019). Peran Digital Parenting Terhadap Perkembangan Berpikir Logis Anak Usia 5-6 Tahun Di Ra Bunayya Giwangan. AWLADY : Jurnal Pendidikan Anak, 5(1), 41. https://doi.org/10.24235/awlady.v5i1.4012
Morrone, M. (2025). Chatbots’ new job: minding tots. Axios. https://www.axios.com/2025/07/21/ai-chatbots-toddlers-brains?
Mukhtar, Z., Selvi, I. D., & AH, N. M. (2023). Children's Character Education in The Principles of Self-Identity Malay Perspective Tenas Effendy. JOYCED: Journal of Early Childhood Education, 3(2), 116-130.
Najmudin, M. F., Sardin, S., & Sulistiono, E. (2023). Case Study: Parenting Use of Digital Technology in Preschool Children by Middle-Class Digital Immigrant Parents. Journal of Family Sciences, 8(2), 220–235. https://doi.org/10.29244/jfs.v8i2.49805
Neugnot-Cerioli, Mathilde, Laurenty, M., & Olga. (2024). The Future of Child Development in the AI Era: Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives Between AI and Child Development Experts. 1–45. https://everyone.ai/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/EveryoneAI.ResearchPaper.pdf
Purnama, S., Ulfah, M., Ramadani, L., Rahmatullah, B., & Ahmad, I. F. (2022). Digital Storytelling Trends in Early Childhood Education in Indonesia: A Systematic Literature Review. JPUD - Jurnal Pendidikan Usia Dini, 16(1), 17–31. https://doi.org/10.21009/jpud.161.02
Rahayu, T., Muliawati, A., Krisnanik, E., Nugrahaeni, C., Dewi, P., Universitas, D., Nasional, P., Jakarta, V., Pondok, J. R. F., & Jakarta, L. (2022). Analisis tingkat literasi digital orang tua pada pendidikan anak usia dini (PAUD). Jurnal Ilmiah MATRIK, 24(3), 241–247.
Reswita, Novitasari, Y., Aisyah, S., & Isdayanti. (2025). Parenting: Optimalisasi Peran Keluarga Dalam Membangun Literasi Digital Anak Usia Dini. Jurnal Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat, 6(1).
Sari, M. M., & Syawaludin, D. F. (2025). The Influence of Digital Parenting on the Social Behavior of Early Childhood in the 5.0 Technology Era. Jurnal Multidisiplin Indonesia, 3(3). https://doi.org/10.58344/jmi.v3i3.2257
Shen, J. J., King Chen, J., Findlater, L., & Dietz Smith, G. (2025). eaSEL: Promoting Social-Emotional Learning and Parent-Child Interaction through AI-Mediated Content Consumption. In Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings (Vol. 1, Issue 1). Association for Computing Machinery. https://doi.org/10.1145/3706598.3713405
Sitanggang, S. E., Purboningsih, E. R., & Noer, A. H. (2022). Adaptasi Instrumen Pengukuran Parental Mediation di Indonesia. Humanitas (Jurnal Psikologi), 6(2), 189–204. https://doi.org/10.28932/humanitas.v6i2.5204
Solichah, N., & Shofiah, N. (2024). Artificial Intelligence (AI) Literacy in Early Childhood Education: A Scoping Review. Psikologika: Jurnal Pemikiran Dan Penelitian Psikologi, 29(2), 173–190. https://doi.org/10.20885/jstl.vol29.iss2.art1
Suyadi, S., & Selvi, I. D. (2019). Implementasi Mainan Susun Balok Seimbang Berbasis Kearifan Lokal Yogyakarta untuk Anak Usia Dini. Jurnal Obsesi: Jurnal Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini, 4(1), 385.
Zhang, Z., Xu, Y., Wang, Y., Yao, B., Ritchie, D., Wu, T., Yu, M., Wang, D., & Li, T. J. J. (2022). StoryBuddy: A Human-AI Collaborative Chatbot for Parent-Child Interactive Storytelling with Flexible Parental Involvement. Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings. https://doi.org/10.1145/3491102.3517479
.png)
