Media usage under control: Parents demand clear rules for children!

Media usage under control: Parents demand clear rules for children!

digital media have long been part of the everyday life of children and adolescents. In a recent focus in Vienna, organized by the Austrian Family Association and the platform Parents for Child Health (PEKG), the challenges and opportunities of media education in families were discussed intensively. The focus of the conversations was in particular the conflict between the promotion of digital skills and the concerns about excessive use, reports the Austrian Family Association .

Mag.a Johanna Jach, President of the family association, emphasized that media education should begin in infancy. In particular, the "Handy -Free Zones" initiative, which was launched in kindergartens and childcare facilities in 2023, is intended to help children handle digital media. Support for concerned parents offers Mag.A Daniela Patz from Rat on Wraht, which carries out the widespread concerns about excessive media consumption.

The outlook on media education

In the discussion, it became clear that many parents feel overwhelmed and are looking for sensible rules for dealing with digital media. Excessive cell phone consumption is not automatically equivalent to addiction, but can lead to depression and learning difficulties. The dangers that lurked on the Internet were discussed by chief inspector Jürgen Unberböck from the Federal Criminal Police Office, who warned of serious cases of abuse and child pornographic material. Preventive educational work is therefore essential to effectively protect children.

A central point of the talks was also the importance of communication in the family. Marietheres van Veen from Saferternet.at emphasized how important common media rules are. These should be formulated clearly and understandably in order to avoid conflicts and to steer the media behavior of the children. In search of support, parents will find numerous information offers in Austria, including programs such as "Digital everywhere" by the Federal Government.

advice for parents

In addition, the online platform Zebra, which is provided by the State Institute for Media NRW, offers free and confidential advice on media questions and cyber grooming reports. Questions can be asked by email, WhatsApp or live chat on the website. The initiative "toddler - media - everyday family life" supports parents of small children aged 0 to 3 years in digital media use.

The German Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine (DGKJ) has published a media guideline that is intended to provide families. The media guide also offers a look! Valuable tips for accompanying the media consumption of children. The EU Initiative Klicksafe also promotes critical use of the Internet and provides materials to strengthen media literacy.

In addition to these offers, it is important that parents actively talk about media use together with their children and are also critical of the content that they encounter. A media usage contract can help formulate clear rules and avoid disputes. The Federal Association for Child Protection provides a list of media pedagogically recommended links and tips on his website to help parents, educators and teachers.

Overall, the discussions and the multitude of information offers show that it is important to take media education seriously as part of education. The responsible use of digital media can only be promoted through open communication and education.