A new survey has found that parents in Edinburgh are struggling to keep up with their children’s growing digital know-how, with 38% admitting they’d benefit from heading back to school themselves to brush up on their skills.
The research, commissioned by laptops specialist AO.com, revealed almost half (44%) of parents living in Edinburgh think their children or grandchildren already know more about technology than they do.
And 24% said they’d even consider going to TikTok classes to learn how to use the social media platform and keep up with their kids.
The findings highlighted a clear digital divide across generations, with parents increasingly leaning on their kids to navigate laptops, apps and online platforms.
The data also showed that across the UK, 1 in 2 (53%) of adults believe their tech skills are less than competent, average, below average or ‘in need of serious help’.
And one in ten UK adults went as far as saying they feel ’embarrassed’ by their lack of tech skills.
Nick Bunce, Computing expert at AO.com, said: “Parents shouldn’t feel embarrassed or defeated when it comes to technology – it’s moving so quickly and it’s impossible to know everything.
“At this time of the year, when children have been going back to school and other young people have college and university to think about, we see a huge increase in demand for new tech such as laptops, iPads and other items. But inevitably, that brings some challenges as people get to grips with new devices and integrate them into their daily lives.
“It can be reassuring to remember that lots of families are in the same boat, so parents should instead see this as a chance to learn alongside their children. Picking up new skills together can be a brilliant way to make that transition easier, whether it’s mastering laptops, navigating apps, or simply finding quicker ways of doing everyday tasks.”
