Exploring the Dynamics of Father and Mother's Parental Mediation on Internet Usage among Elementary School-Aged Children

This study aims to explore the dynamics of parental mediation between fathers and mothers and the factors that influence parental mediation in internet usage among primary school-aged children in Indonesia. Using a qualitative method, semi-structured interviews were conducted with three pairs of participating fathers and mothers who have children between the ages of six and twelve and are allowed to access the internet. The researcher created a measuring tool in the form of a structured interview guide that went through the expert judgment process. The results were then analyzed using content analysis techniques. Triangulation was also carried out with the children from each pair of participants to enhance data validity. Results of the study show that the dynamics of parental mediation are influenced by open communication in determining agreements and consistent implementation of rules between fathers and mothers. The results also showed that the dynamic was also influenced by two main factors of parental mediation practices which were: the parents' attitude towards their children's Internet usage and the parent's ability to use the internet. It was found that fathers and mothers who consistently practice parental mediation can maximize the positive benefits of the internet as a learning media and minimize the negative risks of the internet, such as content and internet addiction risks for their school-aged children.