Main Article Content
Abstract
This study aims a conceptual framework of Smart Parenting to support emotional development in early childhood within the context of the digital era. Using a qualitative literature review, 20 selected studies published between 2010 and 2023 were analyzed to identify key themes. The findings reveal that Smart Parenting combines emotional responsiveness, digital literacy, and cultural sensitivity. Emotionally attuned parenting, enhanced by appropriate digital tools to fosters emotional intelligence, empathy, and regulation skills in children. However, unsupervised or excessive screen use can hinder emotional bonding. Cultural context also shapes how Smart Parenting is practiced, highlighting the need for adaptable strategies that respect local values and resources. This framework offers a holistic approach to parenting that bridges traditional interaction with modern technology. The study contributes to parenting science by integrating digital tools, emotional neuroscience, and cultural dimensions into a unified model. It offers insights for parents, educators, and policymakers to promote healthy emotional growth in early childhood.
Keywords
Article Details

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work’s authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal’s published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work
References
- Baharun, H., & Finori, F. D. (2019). Smart Techno Parenting: Alternatif Pendidikan Anak Pada Era Teknologi Digital. Jurnal Tatsqif, 17(1), 52–69. https://doi.org/10.20414/jtq.v17i1.625
- Blandon, A. Y. (2015). Mothers’ and Fathers’ Responses to Children’s Negative Emotions: Family and Physiological Correlates. Family Relations, 64(3), 431–445. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12125
- Bornstein, M. H. (2024). Parenting Science and Emotion Regulation: Principles, Effects, Determinants, and Supports. In I. Roskam, J. J. Gross, & M. Mikolajczak (Eds.), Emotion Regulation and Parenting (pp. 3–34). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009304368.003
- Bowlby, J. (1980). Attachment and Loss: Vol. III. Basic Books. http://scioteca.caf.com/bitstream/handle/123456789/1091/RED2017-Eng-8ene.pdf?sequence=12&isAllowed=y%0Ahttp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.regsciurbeco.2008.06.005%0Ahttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/305320484_SISTEM_PEMBETUNGAN_TERPUSAT_STRATEGI_MELESTARI
- Crouse, J. J., LaMonica, H. M., Song, Y. J. C., Boulton, K. A., Rohleder, C., DeMayo, M. M., Wilson, C. E., Loblay, V., Hindmarsh, G., Stratigos, T., Krausz, M., Foo, N., Teo, M., Hunter, A., Guastella, A. J., Banati, R. B., Troy, J., & Hickie, I. B. (2023). Designing an App for Parents and Caregivers to Promote Cognitive and Socioemotional Development and Well-being Among Children Aged 0 to 5 Years in Diverse Cultural Settings: Scientific Framework. JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.2196/38921
- Denham, S. A., Bassett, H. H., Mincic, M., Kalb, S., Way, E., & Wyatt, T. (2012). Social-Emotional Learning Profiles of Preschoolers’ Early School Success: A Person-Centered Approach. Learn Individ Differ., 22(2), 178–189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2011.05.001.Social-Emotional
- Dix, T. (1991). The affective organization of parenting: Adaptive and maladaptative processes. Psychological Bulletin, 10(1), 3–25.
- Dozier, M., & Bernard, K. (2023). Intervening Early: Socioemotional Interventions Targeting the Parent–Infant Relationship. Annual Review of Developmental Psychology, 5(1), 115–135. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-devpsych-120621-043254
- Edwards, N. M. (2012). Understanding Emotional Development: Helping Early Childhood Providers Better Support Families. NHSA Dialog, 15(4), 355–370. https://doi.org/10.1080/15240754.2012.725490
- Giráldez, V. A., Sanmiguel-Rodríguez, A., Alvarez, O., & Padín, R. (2025). Emotional and Social Development in Early Childhood Education. In Globalizing Approaches in Early Childhood Education. IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-0634-5.ch010
- Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence. Bloomsbury Publishing.
- Hossain, Z., & Eisberg, G. (2020). Parenting and Academic Socialization of Young Children: Sociocultural Context for Early Childhood Development in South Asian Families. In Parents and Caregivers Across Cultures (pp. 89–103). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35590-6_7
- Indrajaya, M. A., Chao, W.-H., Semwaiko, G. S., Pusparani, Y., & Yang, C.-Y. (2024). Enhancing parent-child interaction through the gamification of parenting: An exploration of digital interventions. E-Learning and Digital Media. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/20427530241310505
- Ingrassia, L. B., & Massimo. (2020). Digital Parenting: Raising and Protecting Children in Media World. In Parenting - Studies by an Ecocultural and Transactional Perspective weekends. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92579
- Jeon, J., & Park, D. (2024). Your feelings are reasonable: Emotional validation promotes persistence among preschoolers. Developmental Science, 27(5), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.13523
- Livingstone, S., & Blum-Ross, A. (2020). The Contradictions of Digital Parenting. Parenting for a Digital Future, 8. https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/parenting4digitalfuture/2020/12/09/digital-parenting-contradictions/
- Mafaza, M., & Mayang Sarry, S. (2022). Emotional Regulation Ability in Early Childhood: Role of Coparenting and Mindful Parenting. Journal An-Nafs: Kajian Penelitian Psikologi, 7(1), 35–49. https://doi.org/10.33367/psi.v7i1.2000
- Mamauag, B. L., Alampay, L. P., Lachman, J. M., Madrid, B. J., Hutchings, J., Ward, C. L., & Gardner, F. (2021). A South-to-South Cultural Adaptation of an Evidence-Based Parenting Program for Families in the Philippines. Family Process, 60(4), 1202–1216. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12625
- Nichols, S., & Selim, N. (2022). Digitally Mediated Parenting: A Review of the Literature. Societies, 12(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/soc12020060
- Rout, B., & Bhoi, T. (2024). SEL and Technology?: The Role of Digital Tools in Promoting Emotional and Social Skills. International Journal for Research in Applied Science & Engineering Technology (IJRASET), 12(XII).
- Sabey, A. K., Lafrance, A., Furrow, J., Diamond, G., & Hughes, D. (2024). A family reunion of “clinical cousins”: Attachment and emotion in four family-oriented therapy models. Family Process. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.13001
- Salsabila, Hasanati, N., & Pahmiah. (2024). Exploring Digital Parenting: A Systematic Review of Approaches, Challenges, and Outcomes. JSRET (Journal of Scientific, Research, Education, and Technology), 3(4), 1856–1867.
- Slavkovi?, A. (2020). Early attachment and emotional regulation. Research in Pedagogy, 10(2), 462–475. https://doi.org/10.5937/istrped2002462s
- Suargani, G., Surya, J., & Maullasari, S. (2023). Smart Techno Parenting for Early Childhood Socio-Emotional Development in the Digital Age. GENIUS Indonesian Journal of Early Childhood Education, 4(2), 133–150. https://doi.org/10.35719/gns.v4i2.116
- Thompson, D. A., Jimenez-Zambrano, A. M., Ringwood, H., Tschann, J. M., & Clark, L. (2023). Parenting a Toddler in the Era of Pervasive Screens: Interviews with Low-Income Mexican American Parents. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(8). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20085461
- Veraksa, A. N., Bukhalenkova, D. A., Chichinina, E. A., & Almazova, O. V. (2021). Relationship Between the Use of Digital Devices and Executive Functions Development in Preschool Children. Psychological Science and Education, 26(1), 51–59. https://doi.org/10.31857/S020595920018769-1
- Veraksa, N. E., & Belolutskaya, A. K. (2021). Emotional and Cognitive Development of Preschool Children: Overview of International and Russian Studies on Role of Dialectical Thinking in the Regulation of Affect and Recognition of Complex Feelings. RUDN Journal of Psychology and Pedagogics, 18(1), 104–121. https://doi.org/10.22363/2313-1683-2021-18-1-104-121
- Wenling, L., Muhamad, M. M., Fakhruddin, F. M., Qiuyang, H., & Weili, Z. (2023). Exploring the Impact of Emotional Education in Parent-Child Interactions on Early Childhood Emotional Intelligence Development. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 12(3), 691–699. https://doi.org/10.6007/ijarped/v12-i3/18462