Media consumption by children – what, how often and for how long?
Whether smartphone, computer or television: Digital media are part of our everyday life and even the youngest children are captivated. But not all content is suitable for children and the offspring must first learn how to use it. Therefore, parents must keep an eye on what is suitable for their children and how much media consumption is good for them.
Children grow up as "digital natives"
Keeping children away from digital media is almost impossible these days, after all, they are confronted with it every day. At school at the latest, there is also a certain peer pressure to be up to date with the latest series and games. It therefore does not make sense to completely eliminate digital media from children's lives. After all, they should not become outsiders and must learn how to use digital technologies in order to be able to keep up in professional life one day.
Today's generations therefore inevitably grow up as "digital natives" and that is not a bad thing in itself. Nevertheless, caution is advised whenever children or young people come into contact with digital media so that this contact takes place safely and without risks.
What you should definitely do
In times of "digital natives", it is an additional educational task for parents to teach their children how to use digital media safely and to find a healthy balance when it comes to media consumption in childhood and adolescence.
Therefore, it is important as a parent to question one's own habits and, if necessary, to optimize the use of smartphones, game consoles and computers. In addition, parents should be aware of the potential dangers for the children and take appropriate safety measures. Then many risks can be ruled out from the outset and the children can use the media safely at a young age.
Recommended screen time for (toddler) children
When and for how long should children start using digital media? This question concerns all parents these days, because opinions differ on the topic. While some see a great risk in every screen contact of their children, others like to use screen time to have a few quiet minutes - whether for a phone call or for waiting time with a doctor.
Digital media can therefore be a practical everyday aid, not only as a digital babysitter, but also to promote certain skills. On the one hand, this means the ability to use digital media correctly and securely, which have become indispensable both privately and professionally. On the other hand, the right content can impart valuable knowledge or promote the next generation in an age-appropriate way. Digital media are by no means fundamentally bad or harmful to your child! When used correctly, they can represent a great opportunity for further development.
The answer to the question is therefore that children are allowed to have screen time at a young age. Ultimately, you have to decide for yourself whether and for how long your child can use digital media. But official recommendations are a valuable aid in this regard. There are now many study results on the subject and the following recommendations have been derived from them:
- 0 to 1 years: No screen time, but picture books and radio plays.
- 2 to 3 years: 5 to 10 minutes of screen time per day under parental supervision; Video chats with acquaintances such as grandparents.
- 4 to 6 years: Up to 30 minutes a day, accompanied by parents and with age-appropriate content.
- 7 to 10 years: Up to 60 minutes a day. Parents no longer have to be present, but they do have to check the content and ensure child and youth protection, for example through appropriate tools.
- From 11 years: Up to 90 minutes per day or an individually agreed period of time per day or week, again with mutual agreement on the content and with appropriate security precautions.
Natürlich sind diese Zeiten kein Muss: Du kannst auch kürzere Bildschirmzeiten vereinbaren und längere Ausnahmen darf es ebenfalls geben. Zudem wird kein täglicher Konsum empfohlen, stattdessen kannst du beispielsweise ein Wochenkontingent vorgeben, sodass dein Kind lernt, die Medien selbst angemessen zu dosieren.
Individuelle Anpassung und Grundregeln
Eltern können am besten einschätzen, wie gut ihr Kind mit den digitalen Medien zurechtkommt und wie lange der Konsum sinnvoll ist. Manche Kinder sind beispielsweise schneller überreizt oder können die Inhalte noch nicht gut verarbeiten, andere halten sich nicht an die vereinbarten Regeln und wieder andere kommen beispielsweise bei Hörspielen besonders gut zur Ruhe.
Erlaubt ist also, was dem Nachwuchs guttut und sobald dies nicht (mehr) der Fall ist, liegt es in der Verantwortung der Eltern, ihr Kind zu schützen und den Umgang mit digitalen Medien entsprechend anzupassen. Je älter das Kind, desto mehr Entscheidungsfreiheit kann es diesbezüglich genießen.
Sofern einige Grundregeln beachtet werden, ist es möglich, die Vorteile der Medien zu nutzen und die Risiken zu minimieren:
- Die digitalen Medien und die konsumierten Inhalte müssen altersgerecht sein.
- Es sollten von Beginn an klare Regeln aufgestellt werden, was die Mediennutzung betrifft.
- Screen time should only take place under parental supervision in the first few years. Even in adolescence, it is important to control media use, for example through conversations or through appropriate tools on the computer and smartphone.
- It is important that the child understands the dangers that can come from digital media or the Internet and learns how to protect themselves from them.
- Parents should set a good example themselves, because children also imitate their habits when it comes to digital media such as smartphones.
Finally, digital media must not be the main leisure activity, but only a supplement. For healthy development, children need sufficient fresh air, exercise, support through classic toys and time together with their parents. The basic needs must be in the foreground at all times. Then the additional use of media in childhood is possible without developmental damage, provided that the right content is selected and the basic rules mentioned above are observed.
Child-friendly entertainment
Nowadays, digital media are automatically part of the everyday life of the so-called "digital natives". The sooner they learn to deal with it properly, the better. On the one hand, they acquire valuable skills for their later (professional) life. On the other hand, they develop a healthy use of the media, for example when it comes to the management of screen time, the content consumed or protection against potential dangers. But what does a child-friendly introduction to digital media look like?
As we have already mentioned, it is important to be a good role model in the first years of life. There is no direct contact between the baby or toddler and the screens, such as the smartphone or television.
Therefore, it makes sense to switch them off as much as possible in the presence of the children and to use them little. Because even the background noise or the observation of parents on the smartphone arouse the interest of the children and, for example, disturb the concentration on the actual activity.
Step by step to media literacy
As soon as the child gets older and understands more, parents can start explaining what the respective medium is and how it is used. Slowly introduce your child to the media and explain the first functions. It is also important to establish clear rules directly as to when the media may be used, under what conditions (such as parental supervision) and for how long. The earlier such rules are introduced, the less they are questioned by children.
For the time being, media consumption will only take place in the company of parents and with age-appropriate content. Initially, these are books or radio plays, but later they may be able to view photos and videos on their smartphones or the children may have a video chat with relatives.
With increasing age, the first games on the tablet, smartphone or computer often become interesting. Alternatively, short videos with a learning effect can be watched, for example to get to know the colors or the animals. It is therefore important, especially at the beginning, that the content is not only for entertainment, but also provides educational value. The aim is to gradually expand media use and to offer a protected framework for this.
Over time, the child then develops their own interests such as gaming or certain series - often these are shaped by their peers in kindergarten or school. Then the media can also be used for entertainment purposes, provided that the content is age-appropriate and the children adhere to the agreed rules. On the other hand, the following are unsuitable in childhood and adolescence:
- Violence
- sexual depictions
- scary content
- overwhelming, age-inappropriate content
- social networks
The latter should only be consumed, if at all, in adolescence and under supervision. Because additional risks lurk in social media and chat rooms. These range from cyberbullying to data protection risks or the development of unrealistic role models to contact by strangers with dangerous intentions.
The Internet must therefore be a protected space for children and young people until they have learned to recognize such dangers themselves and to protect themselves from them. This task is also incumbent on the parents in order to teach their child the necessary media skills.
Making media consumption child-safe
By accompanying your child and training him or her in the safe use of media and the Internet, you have already laid the foundation. But as children get older, they increasingly want to use the media without parental supervision. This is also a relief from the parents' point of view, because it allows them to pursue other activities during this time. Nevertheless, safety in media consumption must be guaranteed. How does this balancing act succeed?
- Clear rules are essential for the safe use of media. These should be discussed with the offspring so that they can understand and adhere to them. It is also important to emphasise that and to what extent the rules serve to protect oneself.
- There are tools that, for example, block advertising or content that is inappropriate for children. These should be installed and regularly checked for function. For example, filters for the Internet browser are useful so that your child only has access to fixed content. Also, install a child-friendly homepage and search engine and use useful parental control apps.
- Other tools to control media consumption, for example to track the websites visited, are useful as soon as young people are allowed to use the media on their own. In this way, parents can check whether the rules discussed are being adhered to – and whether their children may have undermined the protective measures such as the filters. It often doesn't take long for the children or young people to learn the "tricks" of digital media and to be one step ahead of their parents in this respect. Therefore, the motto is: stay vigilant.
- At the same time, communication is the be-all and end-all, i.e. parents and children should communicate openly which media and content may be used, which may not and why. Joint conversations can also serve as a reflection, so that your child can better process what they have seen, for example.
- As soon as your child is old enough to understand potential dangers, you can educate them about what dangers lurk on the Internet (e.g. phishing emails, subscription traps, dubious contacts via social media)? How can your child recognize these risks and protect themselves? The earlier young people learn such skills, the sooner they will be able to use the Internet safely on their own.
While the use of media without a connection to a public network can still be controlled very well, special caution is required whenever the child can choose the content he or she consumes himself.
Legal regulations
Be it the television program, the smartphone or the Internet – as soon as the child enters the "public space" digitally, it can come into contact with content that is not age-appropriate or poses concrete risks. In this case, special protection is required. This is guaranteed by special laws.
This includes regulations for advertising offers that are not suitable for children. In the future, advertising for gambling in Germany may only be broadcast to a limited extent and under strict control. To this end, a self-regulatory concept has been developed, which also serves to significantly reduce the contact of children and young people with gambling advertising.
The Youth Protection Act (JuSchG) makes further provisions: Section 3 JuSchG deals specifically with the protection of minors in the media sector. This is about the protection of children and adolescents from media that impair their development and/or are harmful to young people. On this basis, the Voluntary Self-Regulation of the Film Industry (FSK) examines films and other carrier media and assigns them to one of the five age classifications. The FSK recommendations also affect the broadcasting times of films on television.
The Interstate Treaty on the Protection of Minors in the Media (JMStV) regulates the content of the Internet and broadcasting. It is about which content may be harmful to children and young people and which may only be disseminated with restrictions or not at all.
However, such legal regulations are not sufficient, which is why it is the task of parents to keep an eye on media consumption and to make it age-appropriate and safe. However, such laws are at least a valuable help, and the numerous tools and functions that serve to protect children and young people can also be used to make this task easier.
Begleitete Mediennutzung
Digitale Medien und das Internet sind zwar eine willkommene Unterhaltung und eine Hilfestellung im Alltag, aber sie bergen auch große Risiken. Das gilt nicht nur im Kindesalter, sondern auch für Jugendliche und Eltern.
Immer wieder fallen selbst Erwachsene auf Betrugsmaschen wie einen virenbefallenen Download oder eine Abo-Falle herein. 100-prozentige Sicherheit lässt sich daher niemals gewährleisten, dennoch ist es wichtig, die Kinder und Jugendlichen bestmöglich vor den Risiken durch digitale Medien zu schützen.
So werden einerseits negative Einflüsse auf ihre Entwicklung verhindert und andererseits lernen sie, diese eines Tages selbst sicher zu nutzen, wenn ihre Eltern nicht mehr als Kontrollinstanz dabei sind. Der Umgang mit digitalen Medien gehört daher heutzutage zu den wichtigsten Kompetenzen, die Kinder erlernen müssen.
Wenn die Eltern ihre Kinder strikt von digitalen Medien und dem Internet fernhalten, werden sie also ihrem modernen Erziehungsauftrag nicht gerecht. Stattdessen ist es wichtig, sie altersgerecht an die Thematik heranzuführen und ihnen alle Kompetenzen mit auf den Weg zu geben, die sie für den sicheren Umgang mit der Bildschirmzeit und der Internetnutzung benötigen.
Sich nach und nach zurückziehen
Genau deshalb ist es so wichtig, als Eltern den Medienkonsum der Kinder zu begleiten und sie explizit darin zu schulen. Zu Beginn bedeutet das, jeden Schritt in der digitalen Welt mit dem Kind gemeinsam zu gehen und Inhalte auszuwählen, die einen pädagogischen Wert bieten. Auch die Vorbildrolle ist in diesem Stadium essenziell. Somit ist die Medienerziehung der Kinder ein hervorragender Anlass, um auch die eigene Mediennutzung zu hinterfragen und zu optimieren.
Bleibt nur die Frage offen, ab wann die Begleitung der Eltern nicht mehr notwendig ist und wie sie bei älteren Kindern sowie Jugendlichen aussehen kann. Sobald die Kinder das Medium selbst bedienen können und die Regeln verstanden haben, können Eltern in die Beobachtungsrolle schlüpfen. Anstatt also jeden Klick vorzugeben, können sie ihren Kindern die Führung überlassen und ihnen zusehen. Dadurch stehen sie einerseits noch bei Fragen zur Verfügung und können andererseits kontrollieren, was ihr Kind am jeweiligen Medium macht.
Mit steigendem Lebensalter entfernen sich die Eltern dann immer weiter, während ihr Kind die digitalen Medien nutzt. Erst halten sie sich noch im gleichen Raum auf und machen beispielsweise den Haushalt oder lesen nebenbei. Irgendwann können sie auch zeitweise das Zimmer verlassen, aber zwischendurch kontrollieren, ob das Kind sich an die erlaubten Inhalten hält.
Sobald die Jugendlichen die Medien allein nutzen dürfen, sind die genannten Tools hilfreich, um im Nachhinein zu überprüfen, ob die besprochenen Regeln zu Umfang und Art des Medienkonsums eingehalten wurden. Auch ist es wichtig, mit den Kindern im Gespräch zu bleiben, was sie beispielsweise gespielt oder angesehen haben.
Eine offene Gesprächsatmosphäre und ein Vertrauensverhältnis sind dabei essenziell, um Ehrlichkeit zu wahren und den Kindern zu helfen, die konsumierten Inhalte zu reflektieren. Wenn du in diesem Zuge merkst, dass Regeln nicht beachtet werden oder das Kind mit den jeweiligen Inhalten nicht gut umgehen kann, kannst du einen Schritt zurückgehen und den Medienkonsum wieder mehr überwachen oder strikter regulieren.
Ziel ist, deinem Kind in seinem eigenen Tempo einen sicheren und vernünftigen Umgang mit den Medien beizubringen. Wie und in welcher Geschwindigkeit das gelingt, ist von Kind zu Kind verschieden und deshalb ist trotz der offiziellen Empfehlungen stets auch eine individuelle Herangehensweise wichtig.