Digital Era Counseling on the Use of Gawais in Early Childhood
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65818/konektivitas.v1i1.11Keywords:
Digital counseling, Early childhood, Gawai use, Parenting, Technology supervisionAbstract
Background: The rapid growth of digital technology has significantly transformed family life and early childhood development, particularly through the widespread use of gawai (digital devices). Although these devices provide educational opportunities, excessive and unsupervised exposure in early childhood can contribute to behavioral problems, limited social interaction, and difficulties in emotional regulation. Many parents feel uncertain and anxious about managing their children’s digital use due to limited digital literacy and lack of structured parenting guidance. This situation highlights the importance of community-based counseling programs that promote responsible and balanced digital parenting practices.
Aims: This community service program aimed to enhance parents’ understanding of appropriate gawai use in early childhood and to encourage balanced digital parenting that supports children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development.
Methods: The program was conducted through interactive counseling sessions at SD Negeri 1 Linggasari for parents of early childhood students. The activities included presentations, guided discussions, and practical recommendations on supervision strategies, setting time limits, selecting appropriate content, and strengthening positive parent–child communication. A pretest–posttest design assessed changes in parents’ understanding before and after the intervention.
Results: The findings showed significant improvement in parental understanding. The average pretest score increased from 55.0 to 85.0 in the posttest. Parents also reported reduced anxiety and greater confidence in managing their children’s digital use, along with stronger commitment to applying balanced digital parenting strategies at home.
Conclusion: Digital parenting counseling effectively improves parental awareness and competence. The program demonstrates strong potential for broader implementation and sustained collaboration between families and schools.
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