Impact of the Facebook on Parent-Child Relationship in the African Context: the Zimbabwean Experience

Abstract

This study sought to determine the impact of the Facebook on child-parent bonding and parental authority over their children’s activities in Zimbabwe. A descriptive survey design was used to assess the impact of the Facebook on the parent-child relationship. Data were collected using questionnaires, interviews and observation checklists. Snowball sampling was employed to study 50 families in 2 urban centres of Harare and Chinhoyi. The study established that parents have become strangers to their children, bonding has been lost, household chores are ignored and most basic norms and values have been neutralised by the Facebook culture that has developed among children and adolescents. Parental control of what children should learn and do has been overtaken by the Facebook. This study recommends that access to face book should have parental supervision. In order to bond with their adolescents, parents need to check their parenting styles which can be appropriate for this sensitive group (adolescents)

Key words: Facebook, adolescents, social network, parental authority