Learning how to use a mobile phone
Your child is now a kindergarten child. A new phase of life begins for you and your child with new tasks and challenges - including how to deal with mobile phones, games, the internet and television.
The 3-6-9-12 recommendation by French psychoanalyst Serge Tisseron has proved its worth in recent years: children between the ages of three and six should only use media together with their parents. Screen use during mealtimes and before bedtime is not advisable.
In my opinion, a complete ban is also not appropriate at this age. After all, mobile phones, tablets and computers are omnipresent. Children are naturally curious and want to know what adults are doing so intensively. It is better if kindergarten children carefully learn how to use these media responsibly.
There are a few simple rules and tips on how you can do this together with your children. Probably the most important component is time: I recommend a maximum of 30 minutes of screen time per day for kindergarteners - always together with a parent, never alone and, if possible, not all at once. Measure this time together with a stopwatch, for example, so that the child can playfully get a feel for how long half an hour feels like. Screen time does not necessarily mean gaming or watching films, it can also be a video call with the grandparents.
Don't make a big fuss about the agreed screen time and never use it as a reward. This creates completely false expectations in your child and turns screen time into something valuable that needs to be defended and, if possible, expanded. The use of media is part of everyday life today - your child should internalise a relaxed relationship with it early on and with self-confidence. Then it will be easier later on to put the mobile phone aside in favour of something else.
Oh, and one more thing: show your child how media literacy works and make sure that the smartphone screen doesn't regularly come between you and your child.
On Medienstark you will find tips and interactive learning modules for the competent use of digital media in everyday family life.
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