ALMOST A THIRD OF PARENTS DON’T BELIEVE CONTENT CREATION IS A ‘REAL’ JOB

It is widely accepted that we live in a digital world, but a new report from NERF uncovers the attitudes of parents towards their children making a living via social media platforms.

Research among 2,000 mums and dads found that almost a third (30%) of British parents don’t think being a YouTuber, TikToker or Instagram influencer is a real job, whilst 36% of parents stating they don’t know what a content creator even is.

This may come as a surprise to some, since popular creators – the likes of Joe Sugg, Tilly Ramsay, and Saffron Barker to name a few – have graced TV screens across the nation more and moreover the past five years, starring on Strictly Come Dancing, Bake Off (and more), and breaking into the traditional mainstream.

It may be less of a surprise, then, that over half (56%) of parents surveyed admitted their children have expressed an interest in pursuing the ever-popular career choice.

Delving into attitudes among British parents towards their children wanting to grow up to be YouTubers, NERF has found that over half are concerned their child would spend too much time on a screen (55%) and may receive negative criticism (51%) or ‘trolling’ from people online.

There also seems to be a worry that content creation may lead to children becoming isolated from friends and family (43%), with almost a quarter (24%) concerned they’d simply sit alone in a dark room all day.

However, the NERF research did find that despite concerns, parents do agree that the benefits seem clear.

Around half acknowledge that a career in content creation could improve their child’s confidence (51%) and communication skills (50%), as well as more creative endeavors such as video production and editing (49%); design and creativity (49%); and photography (32%).

More traditional life skills also seem to be a perceived benefit of pursuing a career in content creation, with the likes of planning (35%), problem-solving (31%), project management (29%), critical thinking (28%) and even leadership (20%) being cited as potential skills acquired.

Whilst there is a tendency to discuss the generational gap between parents and children, the research by NERF also highlights that there may be a generational gap in attitudes among parents themselves.

Whilst 59% of parents in the 18-24 range, who have grown up with social media themselves, assert they are aware of what a job in content creation entails, just 7% of those aged 55+ understand the premise.

Similarly, approval of the career choice seems to go up among the younger age ranges, with 83% of parents aged 18-24 agreeing content creation is a ‘real’ job vs 56% among the 55+.

With over 64 million pieces of content featuring its iconic blasters and super soakers on YouTube alone, NERF is on a mission to set the record straight and highlight that a career in content creation is not limited to dark rooms and perpetual screen time.

This October half-term, the kids action brand is launching NERF Upload, a series of physical and virtual events aimed at giving kids a taste of the creative, active, and practical skills to make it as a content creator.

NERF is seeking to show parents that being a content creator can be a skilled, creative, and active pursuit, whether to make a living or simply have a bit of fun!

NERF Upload will open its doors at Studio Spaces in London on Tuesday 26th October and digitally on Saturday 30th for those across the UK. Entry is completely free, however, a ticket will be required for the physical experience as numbers are limited, so act quickly to bag your spot!

To find out more about what NERF Upload will entail, and to book your space, head to the following links:

In-person event: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/189507270347

Online event: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/189517631337