Guide
Get your mum coasters instead of tat this year
by Michael Restin
What concerns parents: the "wretched" smartphone
11.12.2018
Translation: machine translated
I'm with you right now, my darling. Wait a minute. I'm coming. No, just a moment. Wait. And some minutes of precious time with your own child are gone. I feel sorry for my daughters in situations like this!
I'm addicted to social media, so I often stare at my mobile for minutes on end and completely forget about myself. Just a quick look at the new craft ideas on Pinterest. Oh, that would be a present for the grandparents! Message on Whatsapp. Right, quick switch and reply. Hmm, didn't another email come in that I need to reply to and I also need to check the latest deals from my favourite provider. Oh shit, I forgot about the phone call with the service guy yesterday, I just had to do it quickly. It really bothers me that I'm sometimes completely absorbed by this thing. Why not just start tinkering with the little one, play with the play kitchen or go for a ride on the balance bike?
This summer, my second daughter was born. I resolved to enjoy my time with my little one more consciously, and without the annoying dropouts on my mobile. It's a shame that it has come to the point where I have to make a conscious effort to do this! But at least I realised and changed it. We spent hours in the playground and got to know new people. Great people that we wouldn't have got to know if we'd kept our eyes glued to our smartphones. We did handicrafts, painted, did puzzles, cooked, baked and played a lot. Sensational! And best of all, I feel good. Because I'm not emulating other great Instagram mums who have an abundance of time for creative food presentations, new craft ideas and great interior design ideas for the children's rooms. Appearances are deceptive here. Often, not everyone is nearly as great as they make themselves out to be. But we like to believe in beauty and be inspired. Me too. But if I had posted all my new projects from this summer, believe me, I would be the greatest mum ever. I'm not, I honestly admit.
But it's not just the smartphone that's miserable. The television even more so. Once it's switched on and discovered by the child, there's no stopping it. That's the case with us too. We made a conscious decision not to switch on the TV for the first two years. Not us as parents, but our daughter was not allowed to watch anything until she reached her second birthday. You might think that's not possible, but we would do it the same way again. The TV was only switched on when the little one was asleep. It's just stupid if the environment doesn't go along with it. But we were strict about that too. We didn't do anything, even if Grandma switched on the bedtime story. We would do it again. Unfortunately, it's a bit more difficult with our second daughter. Because when the older one is allowed to watch her bedtime story, the little one makes the biggest contortions to catch just a glimpse of the flickering box. These flickering images are incredibly attractive! For better or worse, she sees more and is allowed to watch more than the older one. It's a bit of a challenge for us, as we want to offer both daughters the same thing.
The Zurich University of Applied Sciences (zhaw) has published the guide "Media literacy" in collaboration with the Federal Youth and Media Programme of the Federal Department of Home Affairs. The guide provides assistance on the topic of youth and digital media. For example, it also discusses the "3-6-9-12" rule of thumb. This means no TV before the age of 3, no games console before the age of 6, internet from the age of 9 and social networks from the age of 12. Television refers to non-interactive media such as TV and DVD. However, interactive media can certainly be used for short sequences before the age of three. However, only when playing together and only when accompanied by an adult at all times.
For me personally, however, smartphones, TVs, tablets and the like do not belong in the hands of children before the age of two. And if they are used, then only very rarely. The little ones go through so many growth spurts and developmental steps in these first two years that their brains are challenged enormously every day, even without these media. The zhaw guide also addresses this issue. It states that direct encounters with objects and fresh air and movement are necessary for brain development and for sensory-motor development. Postural and eye damage as well as attention deficits can be exacerbated by consumption. In addition, according to the guidelines, television images and fast cuts can really overwhelm a child.
In all honesty, enjoy the short time with your child and don't let them binge-watch. If you need time for yourself, it's better to ask the family, colleagues or nice neighbours for help. Free play, books, walks or puzzles are always a good alternative to media consumption. In the first few years of your child's life, you should only use your smartphone as a camera or to take a selfie with your little one. You can consume media at any time, but the unforgettable and heart-wrenching moments with your children will be lost if you don't savour and partially capture them. So don't miss them with your head down!
How do you deal with digital media? Are they part of it for you or are you even stricter than us? Tell us about it! You can do so in the comments section below. To make sure you don't miss any exciting tips, tricks and topics about babies and toddlers, you can follow me as an author with just one click at the bottom of the page. <p
Header image: The phone is great for capturing great moments, but otherwise it should disappear in the drawer.
I’m the cook, cleaner, police officer, nurse, entertainer, motivator, author, storyteller, coach, organiser, chauffeur, lawyer and judge. To put it simply, I’m a mum to a daughter and not just a (Content) Manager at the office but also at home.
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