Media rules apply to all

When the boys and girls start kindergarten, an exciting new phase of life begins for them and their parents. The children meet newfriends, are confronted with new views and rules and are now slowly growing into the age when mobile phones, tablets and television play an increasingly important role.

In the course of the first year of kindergarten at the latest, it is time to establish clear rules in connection with the use of these media. However, many parents are sometimes somewhat overwhelmed when it comes to formulating these rules. Accordingly, the Internet is teeming with well-meant advice and lists of rules.

I think rules are a really good tool for living together in a family. Not only in connection with mobile phones and the like, by the way, but also in many other areas. For example, how we treat each other (we don ' t useviolence orswear words ) or the fair division of housework (we all help out so that we have a nice home).

But the interpretation of the rules is ultimately just as individual as the families themselves. You shouldn't impose a set of rules on a family, but adapt them to the characters and patterns within the family. In other words, parents should discuss and define rules together with the children.

If parents don't stick to the rules, children feel unfairly treated

Young children learn a lot by watching. They observe their environment very carefully and derive their own behaviour from this. This automatically means that rules are useless if they don't apply to parents as well. This is particularly blatant and, in my opinion, disturbing when dealing with mobile phones.

I know families who severely restrict children's access to mobile phones. But the father has to check Facebook every 15 minutes to see what's going on, and the mother is constantly keeping an eye on her business emails. That doesn't work. Full stop. Rules have to apply tothe whole family, otherwise the children feel unfairly treated.

Of course, this does not mean that the parents are subject to the same restrictions as the children. The age difference should be discussed, as should the duties that mum has at the office. It is important to keep reminding yourself of these things as a parent. And to maintain a certain discipline when using mobile phones and the like.