At any given moment, multiple narratives shape our understanding of the world. No single perspective holds absolute influence, nor can one be ranked above another. This principle applies profoundly to how caregivers engage with technology in children’s learning. In a recent masterclass, we explored three distinct caregiver personas, highlighting how their unique mindsets influence their interaction with digital learning solutions like the Jaadui Pitara app.
Technology and Parenting: A Matter of Perspective
The same technological tool can elicit vastly different responses from different caregivers. This divergence is not necessarily a reflection of the app’s design but rather of the caregivers’ investment in their parenting journey. Our research identified three primary caregiver personas: the Struggler Mom, the Solution Seeker, and the Solution Creator. Each of these personas interacts with technology in a way that directly impacts their child’s learning experience.
The Struggler Mom: Overwhelmed and Short on Time
The Struggler Mom is typically from a nuclear family, managing parenting responsibilities with limited support. Strapped for time and energy, she often finds herself giving in to her child’s demands to avoid prolonged negotiations. While she recognises the challenges this approach brings, she is often unable to trace issues back to their root cause. Technology, for her, is both a help and a hindrance—used in moments of exhaustion but not deeply engaged with as a learning tool. Her interaction with the Jaadui Pitara app is sporadic, and she may not leverage its full potential due to her reactive approach to parenting.
The Solution Seeker: Adaptive but Influenced by External Factors
The Solution Seeker is often a young mother in her late 20s, residing in a joint family. With more family support, she has the bandwidth to engage more actively in her child’s learning. However, she navigates a complex space where her parenting choices must align with familial expectations. She is open to trying new approaches and sees technology as an ally in parenting. While she values digital tools, she also seeks external validation before fully embracing them, leading to a tug-of-war between her personal beliefs and the larger family’s perspectives.
The Solution Creator: Confident and Intentional
The Solution Creator is an educated, aware, and confident parent with a strong internal locus of control. Observant and intelligent, she continuously refines her parenting strategies based on new information. She does not rely on external validation but instead trusts her judgment. Technology, for her, is a powerful tool that complements her well-thought-out parenting approach. She uses the Jaadui Pitara app strategically, integrating its features seamlessly into her child’s learning journey.
What This Means for tech solution creators or program designers working with caregivers
These personas underscore a crucial insight: the success of an educational technology solution is not solely dependent on its design but on how caregivers perceive and integrate it into their parenting. Understanding these narratives helps in designing interventions and programs that cater to diverse parenting styles.
The masterclass highlighted that no single narrative dominates—each caregiver’s journey is unique and valid. By recognising these different personas, the same solution can be made more meaningful to the different kinds of caregivers by highlighting the aspects that would resonate with them the most.
For a deeper dive into these insights, explore our research report.
Take a look at the personas of mothers that emerged creatively represented as posters.
