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Studies

by Mike Masnick

Wed, May 16th 2007 6:33pm





Forget Washing Dishes Or Sweeping Up; Parents Handing Off Online Chores To Kids

from the now-go-book-us-a-vacation dept

For years we've seen stories about how kids tend to do tech support for their parents and other adults when it comes to computer related problems. However, a new article frames that story in a different light, suggesting that parents now give their kids "online chores" to do -- which can sometimes replace traditional household chores like washing the dishes or doing the laundry. The chores can include just about any online action that parents aren't entirely comfortable with -- from booking flights to setting up parties to getting movie listings. In fact, 14% of kids in the study claimed that they actually helped their parents file their tax returns online. This probably isn't particularly surprising, but it is representative of how central to family life computing and the internet has become, that using it is considered a chore like sweeping the hallway.

21 Comments | Leave a Comment..


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  1.  

    Heh

    identicon
    Mark, May 16th, 2007 @ 7:11pm

    Kids are no longer swiping 10 spots from Dad's wallet, they are signing swiping CC info and ordering shiat from online vendors.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  2.  
    identicon
    Two first's in a row!, May 16th, 2007 @ 7:12pm

    Hey, I'll take an online chore over physical labor any day.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  3.  

    Re:

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, May 16th, 2007 @ 7:12pm

    Nevermind, I was late.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  4.  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, May 16th, 2007 @ 7:18pm

    Nice setup for those kids...

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  5.  
    identicon
    RandomThoughts, May 16th, 2007 @ 7:22pm

    And people wonder why tourism to the Grand Canyon has dropped by %67 while trips to Disney World are booming.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  6.  

    tax returns

    identicon
    Andy, May 16th, 2007 @ 7:52pm

    Do the kids need to be licensed accountants to help with that? Can the kids help their parents draw up a will using a computer?

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  7.  

    re: random thoughts

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    Anonymous Coward, May 16th, 2007 @ 8:05pm

    ^^ LOL ^^

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  8.  
    identicon
    Anonymouse, May 16th, 2007 @ 8:07pm

    There are numerous free online tax websites that are extremely simple to use. So no, no license required.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  9.  
    identicon
    STJ, May 16th, 2007 @ 8:45pm

    In my day, I had to push a broom up hill both ways!!!!

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  10.  

    Re: well said

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, May 16th, 2007 @ 8:46pm

    Nice....great post.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  11.  

    Re: tax returns

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, May 16th, 2007 @ 9:28pm

    Do the kids need to be licensed accountants to help with that? Can the kids help their parents draw up a will using a computer?
    No, because you're never too young to start building a criminal record.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  12.  

    Re:

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, May 16th, 2007 @ 9:31pm

    There are numerous free online tax websites that are extremely simple to use.
    What does that have to do with it?

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  13.  
    identicon
    Noobie parent, May 16th, 2007 @ 9:58pm

    Hey, I'm a soon-to-be-parent who works in IT. This has got me thinking. In a few years time I can get my kid to rustle up a few pages of code for me while I make sandwiches for their lunchbox - Cool!

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  14.  
    identicon
    SanDiegoClubs, May 16th, 2007 @ 11:25pm

    Parents are naturally too lazy to learn tech stuff, and kids are naturally too lazy to do the dishes. Sounds like a fair enough deal to me.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  15.  
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    Ron Larson, May 16th, 2007 @ 11:42pm

    I would like to see the Boy & Girl Scouts have a merit badge for tech support. Especially in 2008 when the $40 coupons for digital TV receivers roll out.

    It would be great if a clueless senior citizen could schedule a Boy Scout to drop by to get the new digital receiver hooked and working on the old TV. Or a troop could hit their neighborhood over a few weekends in 2008 knocking on doors seeing if people need help switching over.

    It could keep the clueless from being scammed into buying TV's or antennas they don't need. And the Scouts could get credit for helping out the public.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  16.  

    Re:

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    Paul`, May 16th, 2007 @ 11:58pm

    Maybe because a big hole in the ground really isnt that interesting?

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  17.  

    Helping out

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    Chronno S. Trigger, May 17th, 2007 @ 5:43am

    "from booking flights to setting up parties to getting movie listings..."

    to cleaning out the internet history...

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  18.  

    Re: Re:

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    Wizard Prang, May 17th, 2007 @ 5:59am

    And a people trap operated by a mouse is? :)

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  19.  

    Re:

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    Celes, May 17th, 2007 @ 6:24am

    At first it sounded silly, but now I think you may be on to something. The Scouts would be learning a useful skill (camping is super-fun, but I hardly think I'll ever need to build a fire from scratch out of neccessity), and they're providing a service to the community.

    Anyway, it sounds a lot more fun than my Girl Scout troop - we spent more time pushing cookies than actually doing anything. Then again, I guess sales experience could be considered a life skill...

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  20.  

    Re:

    identicon
    Celes, May 17th, 2007 @ 6:28am

    Hey, my dad used to get my mom and me to debug his code while he made dinner and did the dishes. To a kid, especially one who likes computers (and doesn't like dishes), that's a great exchange.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  21.  
    identicon
    Coaster26, May 17th, 2007 @ 1:26pm

    I would So rather do anything online than do dishes - and I am an adult.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


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