Livestreaming Games and Parenthood: Exploring the Experience of Portuguese Parent Streamers

Streaming games is increasingly popular amongst people of childbearing age. So, what happens when streamers become parents? There are few accounts, scarce advice and a dearth of research. Streaming seems incompatible with parenting due to its tensions with familial responsibilities. However, it is also conceivable that parent and gamer identities can be reconciled to yield successful outcomes. This exploratory study investigates the identity and experience of parent streamers. Six parent streamers, mothers and fathers from an online Portuguese community, were interviewed. Thematic analysis revealed several foci: (i) the difficulty of managing time effectively; (ii) the tension between work and play; (iii) the parent streamer identity (particularly, differences between mothers and fathers); (iv) the criticality of familial support; (v) the increasingly complex relationship between parents and games; (vi) children’s interference in streaming practices; and (vii) the benefits of streaming including communal connection and improved mental health. These findings highlight how online media increasingly challenges the way in which modern parents navigate parenthood and their own personal lives. They also pave the way for evidence-led guidance that can support parent steamers.