The Net Gen: Too plugged-in for parenting?

The following was originally posted on Wikinomics.com on June 18, 2010.

Actually, the title of this post should really be, “The Net Gen: Too connected to wireless devices, social media, and ‘always-on’ technologies for parenting,” but “plugged-in” just sounded better. In fact, fewer of us are actually physically plugged-in these days, with smart phones replacing computers as the device of choice for digital accessibility as well as ‘interrupt-ability.’ We’ve researched the effect this has on the Net Generation as both customers and employees, but as this generation gets older (the oldest Net Geners are now 32), it’s also worth discussing how it will affects them as parents. We know that many Net Geners are waiting longer to have kids, but for those that have taken the plunge, how does the experience of ‘growing up digital’ translate into parenting behaviours and attitudes towards technology in the home?

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My Facebook baby

The following was originally posted on Wikinomics.com on February 11, 2009.

Nothing will test the mettle of a social network more than the arrival of a new baby. My wife and I just found this out when our first child was brought into the world and, shortly thereafter, onto Facebook. More than weddings or other life-altering events, people seem enamoured by babies and aren’t shy to let you know. The thing that amazes me is the speed and simplicity with which it happened. All it took was a one-line status update on the day after the birth – I went home from the hospital for a mere two hours to shower, eat, and nap and managed to have enough energy to post “Naumi is a dad!”

What followed was a flurry of activity, both on- and off-line.

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