Back on Take Your Child to Work Day, one of our colleagues brought in his son and daughter. While the day is meant for them to better learn about what grown-ups do, we used the opportunity to learn about what they do. This focus group of two gave us a great snapshot of tween life in the Connecticut suburbs: their habits, limits, interests and opinions, which we’ve decided to share with our readers.
We learned that, for them, IM comes in fourth grade (maybe) and cell phones in fifth. While his daughter loves her Pink RAZR, his younger son wants to spend some extra money to upgrade to an iPhone. They agree they are both too young for MySpace, but frequent avatar sites like Club Penguin and Stardoll. While they listen to their friends, the parental influence is obvious in his son’s choice of favorite actors and songs (Roger Moore?). But it’s mutual; they get to weigh in on family purchases like the color of the family car and TV. Here is more of what the two had to tell us….
9-year-old Son
Time Spent online:1 ½ hours per day.
Computer limits: No I don’t. Unless my sister wants to go on, then 15 minutes each.
Favorite Fun Sites: www.wwe.com , www.agame.com , www.miniclip.com, www.addictinggames.com.
Best online games: The Impossible Quiz, Presidential Paintball.
Social Networks: I haven’t used a social network.
Virtual World: Yes. I kinda use Club Penguin. I used to use it more but it got boring.
Bad stuff for websites: Pop-ups, inappropriate stuff, the messages on the side.
Favorite shows: Wrestling, ESPN.
Favorite shows online: Mrs. Swan (from MadTV) and Old Wrestling Matches.
Favorite Actors/Actresses: Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Eddie Murphy, Will Farrell.
Favorite Bands/Artists: Chris Daughtry, Nickelback, Bon Jovi, FreeBird, Stairway to Heaven.
Participated in online contests: only sweepstakes.
Favorite way to talk to friends: in person.
Use email, IM, Facebook/MySpace, texting to talk to your friends: No. Maybe IM in 4th grade when my friends are getting it. I’m too young for MySpace or Facebook (makes a distasteful face) .
Want a cellphone: Yes. I want a Sidekick, Voyager, and an iPhone. My parents will get me a cell phone for 5th grade graduation. They will buy me the same as my sisters (she has a RAZR) unless I want to use some of my money. I think if I spent $20 of my money I could get a Voyager.
11-year-old Daughter
Time Spent online: A lot! Hours sometimes.
Computer limits: No limits, but my parents get annoyed sometimes.
Favorite Fun Sites: www.aim.com where I get to chat with my friends and www.stardoll.com because I can dress up dolls and go shopping.
Best online games: No games really, unless you consider stardoll a game.
Social Networks: I can’t use them yet.
Virtual World: I like to go to www.VMK.com but they are closing the site down.
Bad stuff for websites: Pop-ups and contests on the sides.
Favorite shows: Hannah Montana, MTV, America’s Prom Queen.
Favorite shows online: YouTube is the only place I really go.
Favorite Actors/Actresses: Miley Cyrus, Ashley Tisdale, Hayden Panettiere.
Favorite Bands/Artists: Miley Cyrus, Danity Kane [song: Damaged], Corrine Bailey Rae [song: Put Your Record On].
Create content, upload videos and pictures, write stuff, make slideshows: Not really. Too personal for me.
Participated in online contests: I only participate in contests online to meet celebrities J.
Email: I use email for my friends, camp friends, and penpal.
Favorite way to talk to friends: IM and texting
Use email, IM, Facebook/MySpace, texting to talk to your friends: Email—not a lot; IM—all the time; Texting—most of the time
Cellphone: I have a pink RAZR. I really wanted a pink phone. I text like once a day to my friends. We do it just for fun. Although, calling my parents is the easiest way to talk to them. They’re not very good at texting J. I play one game on my phone and IM once in a blue moon.
