What Do Mothers Think About Toddlers’ Digital Media Use?

Digital media are widely used in families’ routines, providing a full-time connection. Despite this, pediatric associations from several countries recommend that toddlers under 2 years should not be exposed to digital media. With this in mind, we investigated the maternal motivations to avoid digital media use by infants and toddlers and also the maternal perspective of digital media use in families in which children are exposed to digital media. We identified that infants’ and toddlers’ digital media use is often related to the adults’ needs, not children’s. Even without professional guidance on children’s digital media use, the search for scientific knowledge on the subject influenced the choice of some mothers on if and how to introduce digital media into their children’s routine. We suggest that young children can benefit from the technological environment when it is adapted to their needs, thus contributing to their healthy emotional development.