Caleigh, 6
Media Consumption: 3-4 hours everyday
Favorite Media: Glee and YouTube
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
When I was a baby (12 months) I used to watch Peppa Pig everyday. Now I have my own iPad and iPhone that I use everyday. When I’m traveling in the car I watch Disney movies and when I am traveling on the plane I watch them with my dad and when I go to Grandma and Grandpa’s house, I watch Glee and sing and dance to the songs they sing.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
I call my friends everyday (Facebook Messenger Kids) and then I show them my toys. We also play Roblox and Toca Boca together.
What do you use media for?
I like to see all my friends since some of us go to different schools or live far away. I also like to watch YouTube. I like to play Toca Boca with them ‘cus it’s a lot of fun. I never play Toca Boca by myself but sometimes I play Roblox or find new games to play but my Daddy sometimes says no. He says no when it asks for his credit card.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about technology/media?
I like to watch people on YouTube play the games I like to play and also I like that I get to learn how to braid my hair and put on makeup but then I wipe it off because it looks sometimes crazy. I don’t like the adult games. Sometimes they show up when I am playing a game or watching Adley (on YouTube). And sometimes my friends aren’t home so they can’t pick up. I also like my iPad more than my phone because it has more internet.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
I’ve watched Stranger Things before this one time at my mom’s house but it was just this one time that I can’t remember when and I didn’t like it. Also I know where Adley (YouTuber) lives. She lives in Utah and my dad told me that he lived there before.
What media are you using more now because of the COVID-19 pandemic?
"Oh, corona? Jesus died to save us from the corona." Later I learned from her dad that since she goes to a private catholic school they never closed during the pandemic and she wasn’t affected. However, her dad also mentioned that is when she started using FaceTime on her phone with the friends that went to a different school than her.
Where do you get most of your information to learn more about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
I ask Siri on my phone and then she gets it from the internet and tells me. Sometimes my teachers at my school or my dad talks to me about it too.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
I like to use the Nickelodeon where I push the button and I say what I want to say and then it sends it to my friends and they do the same thing back. I have Nickelodeon on my phone (her father clarified this is the voice memo feature she uses when texting since she doesn’t know how to text yet).
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic?
I learned that people can die from the corona and that’s why we wear masks.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic?
I wear my mask more but I’ve used my phone and iPad my whole life but I am happy I get to talk to my friends and play games with them everyday using my iPad.
Interviewed by: Patricia Bryan, UCLA student