The smartphone as a constant companion

By the time he or she enters secondary school, at the latest, your child will probably have one, too. The smartphone plays a major role among children and young people. Whether through Messenger, the YouTube app, the music player, the navigation app or Instagram: The smartphone is an important part of their everyday lives. At the same time, it is felt almost like a part of one’s own person. Without a smartphone, many young people do not fill completely.

Apps, functions and accessories can personalize and individualize the smartphone and turn it into a status symbol. Different aspects, such as cell phone cover, wallpaper or make of the cell phone are supposed to show that one is up-to-date or particularly cool. This is not a new phenomenon. In the past, clothing or music served as a means of self-expression and demarcation. A special feature of the smartphone is that very personal experiences are documented and stored. The young people have their smartphone all to themselves. And it makes it possible to store intimate things, whether love messages in WhatsApp or photos for self-expression on Insta.

The smartphone has also given rise to a new form of communication among young people that adults can’t always comprehend. Chatting with friends while checking messages is not uncommon and is not necessarily considered rude. At the same time, the smartphone promotes risks such as cyberbullying and sexting, as offline and offline worlds merge.

More and more children of primary school age, at the latest from around 10 years of age, also have their own smartphone. When they enter secondary school, they are thus available to their parents at all times. At the same time, the desire for independence is on the rise. With your own cell phone, you are no longer dependent on mom or dad’s device, but can usually decide for yourself when to communicate with whom or play the mobile game. However, this harbors potential for conflict and the negotiation of rules becomes necessary.