ABSTRACT
This chapter maps parents’ heightened emotions onto children’s digital media practices in Australia, Colombia, and the UK. Engaging with theories of social imaginaries and affective affinities, the chapter critically examines how adult perceptions of play and creativity are entangled with moral values, revealing deep-rooted power dynamics within family structures and societal expectations. In finding a tension between children’s digital media practices, parental need for control, and social imaginaries of an ‘adequate’ childhood, the chapter reveals that parental recognition of playful creativity is often contingent on whether children’s digital activities align with societal ideals of childhood, innocence, and productivity. In this chapter, data are especially curated to give real-life examples of what it looks like when parental imaginaries meet the realities of children doing digital creativity. This provides a unique window into how parents are navigating inevitable conflicts and pressure to change. This nuanced exploration offers insights into the complex interplay between digital creativity, childhood innocence, and societal norms, contributing significantly to contemporary discussions related to children, digital media, play, and creativity.
