The screens are everywhere around us, every moment of the day. That is why it is important to help children cultivate a healthy relationship with digital media.

Here’s a difficult question to which one and only answer can be given as a general rule. However, there are some basic principles in which doctors, psychologists, researchers and educators agree: it is preferable to take seriously the scientifically documented concern that electronic devices can have harmful consequences.

“No screens to the third birthday”: This logic is widely followed in Germany. “At these ages, children do not yet need the content of the screen – but they are not even able to understand it,” says pediatrician Ulrike Gaiser.

The World Health Organization (WHO) adopts a less rigorous position: children aged two and over can be employed with one screen, just not for more than one hour a day. And when, the less that time, the better.

In the early years of his life, it is important for the child to explore his environment, as well as to learn to control his own stimuli and attention – and not to be placed in front of an audiovisual medium that distracts him.

Children also need to learn early on the importance of patience and the dimensions of time. In other words, to realize that you cannot configure or eliminate the world or a situation with a “swipe” or click.

The motor skills and interactions in the focus

“Children perceive the world differently from adults,” says child psychologist Julia Asbrand of the University of Jena. This is obviously true of something they will see in a movie or social media. “For very young children, whatever they see can be true in their imagination,” explains the expert – which can have a significant impact on their psyche, and not only.

Experts also point out that children should, especially in the early years of their lives, develop motor skills, interact with other people and gain social experiences. In addition, the more time children spend in front of screens, the worse their linguistic skills will be later and the greater their vocabulary deficit.

When children reach the age of six to nine, then they are developing for the first time of a kind of moral compass, they learn to be disciplined and acquire knowledge. Thus, at these ages, time on the screen must be as limited as possible – without, of course, applied to extreme: for example, digital communication with classmates is legitimate, especially in the context of a group conversation on Whatsapp, for example.

Target confidence between children and parents

Experts are well aware that keeping his children completely away from smartphones is unrealistic. The question is therefore the healthy use.

During adolescence, parents should openly discuss with their children, gradually building a context of mutual understanding and trust. “One of the biggest problems is when children do things secret from their parents,” concluding the dangers of the internet or developing an unhealthy relationship with screens, Asbrand explains.

After all, “there are fantastic things on the internet,” as Gaiser points out, referring to the ability to learn a language or development of a skill. In privacy, social media can help children maintain contact with their loved ones, such as their friends.

In addition to mutual trust and honesty, parents can also warn children of the dangers of the use of the Internet. In addition, until adulthood, it is rather good to set specific limits on the daily use of digital media. Every day for example at 20:00 the devices can be put into “sleep function” – both for children and parents, who can thus give the good example.

Curated by: George Passas