There comes a time in every parent’s life when they have to wave goodbye to their children and watch them disappear into the sunset in order to make their own lives. While some parents count the years, others can’t stand the thought of losing their kids and become helicopter parents. Thankfully for them, a wealth of new communication technology is assisting them in their quest.

There was a time when you’d turn 16 or 18, or younger than that even in the (bad) old days and scoot out of your parents lives forever. Whether to go to university, get a job, or go traveling, youngsters valued their freedom above all else as they turned from moody teenagers into probably even moodier adults.

But things have now changed slightly. Parents are increasingly having more to do with their offspring’s lives for a lot longer. Whether they’re helping them onto the property ladder with a hefty deposit, providing them with a spare room due to the hefty property prices, or just sticking their noses into their business, parents are the new stalkers.

According to The Guardian newspaper, a new poll for the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills shows the way technology is being used to help parents in their endeavor. 1,000 British parents were questioned as to the methods they use to keep in touch with their adult children, and the results show the impact new technology has had.

Seventy-five percent of the parents polled believe communication methods help them keep in touch with their offspring. Fifty-two percent mostly rely on mobile phones to communicate, while 44 percent still use the land line telephone.

Thirty-five percent use email as their main form of communication, while 23 percent use social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace. Even VoIP networks such as Skype is used by up to 16 percent of the parent population. Ten percent have even set up a personal blog to keep in touch with their kids while they’re at university.

David Lammy, Minister of State for Higher Education, said:

With record numbers of young people going to university, more and more families are using new ways of communicating to stay connected with their children whilst away from home.

New technologies have made a big impact on all our lives and as students return from the Christmas break, it’s never been easier for mums and dads to stay in touch and updated on their child’s progress.

Yes, that’s all well and good but it’s also turning parents into virtual stalkers, and their offspring into helpless children still hanging onto their mum’s apron strings. And that’s when they’re approaching 30 years of age. Technology may be a great boon for people wanting to communicate but it’s doing nothing for helping people become independent.

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Entry was posted on Monday, January 5th, 2009 at 4:11 pm under Internet, Opinion, Social Media, Technology.  Print This Post

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