How your child can become media-resilient

Young people are heavy users of social media. However, their enthusiasm for apps such as Tiktok or Snapchat also has its downsides. Numerous studies show that girls in particular are negatively influenced by social media when it comes to their own body image.

I can well understand that there is now a lot of talk about bans and restrictions. At first glance, this seems like a simple and practical solution. However, one important point is being somewhat overlooked in the current debate: the promotion of media resilience, i.e. mental resilience and the ability to freely choose screen-free times and the degree of digital networking.

Children and young people also need guidance from adults in the digital space.

Media resilience is just as important for children and young people as, for example, knowing the rules of the road and being able to move around confidently. Very few people would think of forbidding a teenager to cycle to school.

Parents practise behaviour in public spaces with their children from a very early age, while children learn how to confidently enter a roundabout during traffic lessons. Even if these two areas admittedly cannot be compared on a one-to-one basis, children and young people also need adult guidance in the digital space.

The task of parents

Media literacy is rightly given high priority in schools. However, parents also have an important role to play in promoting healthy resilience. The topic is complex, but a few important key points should be mentioned here:

• Trust and security: The children know that their parents are there for them. Even if something goes wrong or they get up to mischief.
• Encouraging independent activity and responsibility: children should also be allowed to be out and about unsupervised and dare to do something. Social interaction with peers is important. Adults do not have to intervene at the slightest quarrel.
• Rules and structures define the framework, but also leave the freedom for self-realisation and experimentation.
• Positive and caring role models: This point is particularly important for strong media resilience.

Media resilience does not develop in isolation from «real» life. All of the points mentioned above affect many areas of life and are not directly related to mobile phone use. Children and young people with healthy self-confidence, optimism and a high level of social competence develop the necessary resilience against the dark side of social media.