Visible parenting, invisible pressure: Exploring the emotional labour of digital mediation in an early childhood play program

Digital parenting is increasingly shaped by emotional labour, perceived social scrutiny, and uncertainty. This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study examined how parental uncertainty, self-efficacy, and perceived judgement related to digital mediation among parents of 4–6-year-olds attending a university-based digital play programme in Australia. Drawing on Bandura's self-efficacy theory and Festinger's social comparison theory, 25 parents completed surveys (19 were retained after data cleaning), and four participated in follow-up interviews. Higher uncertainty was associated with perceived judgement and lower negotiation of digital rules. Risk anxiety aligned with restrictive mediation, while greater confidence supported co-use and positive engagement. Interview data highlighted emotional strain linked to feeling monitored, while confident parents re-framed technology use as learning opportunities. The study positions digital parenting as an emotionally and socially embedded practice and extends mediation models by foregrounding psychosocial dynamics. Implications include the value of non-judgemental support and confidence-building resources to promote balanced digital engagement in early childhood.