Caregivers' Phase-Specific Roles in Integrating Digital Technologies in Chinese Nursing Homes: Qualitative Ethnographic Study.

The pervasive integration of digital technologies into the family sphere has fundamentally reconfigured contemporary parenting globally (; ). In recent China, a suite of tools—from parenting apps and online homework platforms to the constant connectivity of messaging groups—promises to enhance oversight, streamline caregiving, and foster family connection. However, the manifestation and consequences of this digital intensification are profoundly shaped by local socioeconomic structures and cultural norms (). The proliferation of Internet-based platforms has given rise to a distinctive socio-cultural phenomenon in China known as “shai,” a term derived from the English word “share.” This practice encapsulates the innate human desire for communication and socialization, which has been dramatically amplified by digital technologies that significantly lower the cost of sharing (; ). As a cornerstone of this digital ecosystem, WeChat has become deeply embedded in the daily life of Chinese society. Tencent's 2018 report highlighted the platform's immense scale, with over 1.082 billion monthly active users and 45 billion daily messages sent, underscoring its role as a fundamental lifestyle infrastructure (). Within this context, Chinese netizens actively “shai” their personal lives on WeChat Moments and group chats, instantly publicizing a spectrum of experiences and emotions—from joy and happiness to frustration and sorrow. The “sharing” of parenthood, particularly among urban young parents, represents a prominent manifestation of this trend. While communication scholars often categorize sharing into four modes—personal, collaborative, public, and civic ()—the parenting practices observed on WeChat synthetically blend these forms. Centered predominantly on child-rearing, these once-private parenting experiences and emotions are now thrust into the public arena of social media (). In the name of love, the boundary between the private family sphere and the public digital space becomes porous. Through the continuous sharing of parenting knowledge, behaviors, and sentiments, urban parents are collectively forging a novel virtual public space. This space, though intangible, is actively reshaping social norms and family ethics. Here, the phrase “digital leash” is used to describe how digital platforms keep parents connected to parenting demands across settings. School WeChat groups, online check-in tasks, parenting apps, and social media sharing can make childcare responsibilities follow parents into work hours and rest time. This does not mean that digital tools are only harmful; rather, it highlights the conditions under which convenience becomes another source of obligation. A thematic analysis of the content shared by these parents reveals that “parent-child companionship” has emerged as a dominant and recurrent motif (). Expressions such as “companionship is the best education” permeate WeChat Moments, creating a dense, normative discourse around dedicated parenting time. This thematic focus is further reinforced and institutionalized through “check-in” tasks assigned by schools and kindergartens. Parents are frequently required to document activities—from reading books to completing physical exercises—and share visual evidence (photos or videos) in class groups or their personal networks. Consequently, the intimate act of parenting is increasingly transformed into a performative and socially monitored practice, illustrating a profound integration of digital sharing into the fabric of modern family life in China (). In many Western contexts, the dual-earner family model often operates within a framework of comparatively robust public childcare support and a cultural emphasis on individual nuclear family autonomy (). In contrast, the Chinese dual-earner family model, particularly within the vast state-sector system (encompassing civil servants, and employees in state-owned enterprises, education, and healthcare), presents a distinct reality. These couples benefit from high job security but face unique pressures: rigid working hours, a culture of presenteeism, and income levels that often make full-time, dual careers a necessity rather than a choice (). Consequently, these families heavily rely on intensive intergenerational support from grandparents for both childcare and financial co-residence, creating a tightly interdependent, multi-generational household system. It is within this specific, high-pressure context that digital parenting tools are adopted, not as simple conveniences, but as essential infrastructure for managing competing demands across work and complex family networks ().