Millennial Moms : Social Media as The Preferred Source of Information about Parenting in Indonesia

Abstract

This study aims to know about how social media is the preferred source of information about parenting on millennial moms or young mothers in Indonesia. This research was conducted using a quantitative approach through survey. The survey was conducted by using a questionnaire distributed online to the respondents via Facebook. The measuring is clarified by six dimensions: rejection, punishment, support, responsiveness, autonomy, and warmth. The sampling technique is done by accidental sampling techniques with strict criteria. The sample size were 443 social media users that meet the research criteria. Research criteria are a mother that born in 1980-2000s and actively using social media. Data analysis technique is done by crosstab descriptive analysis using SPSS 22 application. Based on the result, it is revealed that 55,4 % of millennial moms prefer the internet especially social media as a source for information on parenting. The most order of choice of social media is WhatsApp (94,8%), Instagram (82,8%), Facebook (79,2%). Most of them often applied the rejection, punishment, support, responsiveness, autonomy and warmth component of parenting in their childcare at home. Millennial moms prefer social media to other sources of information, such as family and neighborhood. This condition indicates that traditional value and family no longer play as the strongest influence in millennial moms parenting. This can be an opportunity for government and parenting activists to expand the parenting campaign through social media.