Online? Offline? That's not a question!
Today's young people do not differentiate between online and offline. Their lives take place in both the real and the virtual world. They don't care where, if and with which device they communicate with their friends and colleagues. We parents, however, still recognise the purely offline world and still make a distinction. Because we have experienced this change from «Only nerds use the internet» to «Everyone just stares at their screens» - in just 20 years! And we appreciate the now rare moments of reflection more and more.
The smartphone makes you mobile
Interaction between young people today is a mixture of online and offline. This is also due to the fact that smartphones are widespread and young people almost always have them with them. And if our children are bored, they simply say «Hi» via WhatsApp because they feel safe when they have their peers around them and know that they won't miss anything. That's important for teenagers - remember?
However, we adults often make judgements and come to the conclusion that since the smartphone is always with them, our children are never quite where they are. We ourselves appreciate the advantages of these devices - Google makes us forget that we are sometimes lazy, Facebook, short messages and emails hide our shyness, the photo collection compensates for our forgetfulness. This is exactly what our teenagers appreciate. They are also less bored thanks to portable arcades, music clubs and video libraries. What's more, their lives flow together on their smartphones - family, school, scouts, sports clubs and friends. No wonder people, young and old, hardly ever put their devices down.
The transition is smooth
Sarah Genner, media psychologist at the ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, has just completed her dissertation on online/offline behaviour. She explains: «Simply differentiating between online and offline behaviour is not enough. It is particularly important for parents and their children to clarify where and when offline zones make sense at home: for example, at mealtimes or at night. For example, the smartphone can spend the night on the sofa instead of in the bedroom. A clock can help teenagers to avoid having to look at their mobile phones so often. Or parents can work with their children to set up technical blocks on their devices, such as Freedom or Offtime. After all, just because the device is always on doesn't mean you have to be online all the time.»
Recognising the experiential spaces of parents and children
In short: share your experiences with your children: Why do you and your children communicate with friends and colleagues? How and where? How does the experience differ on the various channels from online to offline? Who prefers what, when and for what purpose? Who is distracted by what? You will learn interesting things about yourself and your children. And strengthen your and your children's media skills in the process.
Picture: zVg
On Medienstark you will find tips and interactive learning modules for the competent use of digital media in everyday family life.