Kinder und Jugendliche wenden sich mit ihren Problemen nicht immer an ihre Eltern. Probleme in der Schule, mit Gleichaltrigen oder sich selbst, werden lieber im Freundeskreis besprochen. Sie suchen nach Antworten, Gleichgesinnten im Internet oder behalten es für sich. Doch was ist, wenn die Probleme größer werden und die Betroffenen keinen Ausweg mehr finden? Wenn Sie als Eltern mitbekommen, dass es Ihrem Kind nicht gut geht? Nicht immer ist das Internet ein guter Ratgeber bei Problemen, aber es gibt durchaus sichere und hilfreiche digitale Beratungsangebote für Jugendliche und Eltern.
Online-Beratungsangebote bieten Unterstützung bei Problemen und Sorgen wie z. B. Mobbing, Essstörungen oder Depressionen. Einige Angebote richten sich speziell an Kinder und Jugendliche. Betroffene können sich selbstständig Hilfe suchen und sich zu unterschiedlichen Themen anonym und kostenlos über eine Website oder telefonisch beraten lassen.
Viele der Beratungsangebote im Netz bieten neben einer Einzelberatung die Möglichkeit, Probleme in einer Gruppe oder einem Forum zu besprechen. Für eine Einzelfallberatung schreiben Betroffene ihre Probleme direkt an psychologisch ausgebildete Beraterinnen und Berater. In einem solchen Austausch erhalten Jugendliche sofort Hilfe und Unterstützung. Je nach Problem und Bedarf kann dieser Austausch unterschiedlich lang ausfallen. Gruppenangebote finden meist in einem Rhythmus statt, z. B. wöchentlich. Eine regelmäßige Teilnahme ist oft hilfreich, aber nicht zwingend nötig. Manchmal finden sich in solchen Chats auch Gleichgesinnte, die auch außerhalb der Sitzungen füreinander da sind. Innerhalb von Foren tauschen sich Betroffene mit Peers aus. Peers sind Gleichaltrige. Sie wurden geschult, um im Chat bei Problemen unterstützen zu können. Sie haben zudem immer die Möglichkeit, auf die Hilfe erwachsener Fachkräfte zurückzugreifen. Der Austausch in den Foren wird außerdem moderiert, um Beleidigungen, Trigger oder das Preisgeben von Daten zu vermeiden.
Die Beratungs- und Hilfsangebote unterscheiden sich darin, welche Altersgruppe angesprochen wird, welche Themen im Mittelpunkt stehen und auf welchem Weg die Beratung in Anspruch genommen werden kann. Einige Angebote richten sich auch an hilfesuchende Eltern:
Hilfsangebote im Netz können einfach und kostenlos angenommen werden. Sie sind leichter zugänglich für junge Menschen als z. B. Beratungsstellen. Die beratenden Personen sind ausgebildet und die Betroffenen bleiben anonym. Eine Kontaktaufnahme kann ein erster und richtiger Schritt sein. Vor allem bei Problemen in der Schule, zu Hause oder mit sich selbst kann es helfen, sich mit Gleichaltrigen auszutauschen oder den Rat einer objektiven Person zu erhalten. Ein Online-Beratungsangebot ersetzt aber keine Therapie! Bei Suizidgedanken oder psychischen Störungen sollte unbedingt der Rat einer weiteren therapeutischen Fachkraft gesucht werden und sich um eine fortlaufende Therapie bemüht werden. Auch bei rechtlichen oder medizinischen Fragen sollten andere Fachstellen aufgesucht werden.
Erzählen Sie Ihrem Kind, dass es diese Angebote gibt. Erklären Sie, dass diese im Vergleich zu Gruppen in offenen Foren oder auf Social Media sicherer sind, da geschultes Personal dahintersteht. Vorsicht auch vor sogenannten Psycho-Apps. Diese sind nicht immer hilfreich und können sogar gefährlich werden. Zeigen Sie Ihrem Kind, welche Angebote es bei Problemen und Sorgen bedenkenlos in Anspruch nehmen kann.
Machen Sie vor allem deutlich, dass es bei Problemen auf Ihre Hilfe zählen kann. Setzen Sie Ihr Kind nicht unter Druck und fragen Sie unvoreingenommen, wenn Sie das Gefühl haben, es hat Probleme. Ein Problem, das Ihnen klein erscheint, kann sich für Ihr Kind wesentlich schlimmer anfühlen. Sie können sich auch selbst oder gemeinsam online beraten lassen.
On long car journeys, on train journeys, or simply cozily at home on the sofa – the Tiptoi interactive learning system is popular with children and parents. We explain the many functions offered by the hearing pen.
The Tiptoi is a reading or listening pen. If you tap the stylus on a picture or text in a book provided for this purpose, suitable sounds, speech or music will sound. Stories, games and toys are thus brought to life. To do this, you need to download the corresponding audio files from the Internet in advance. For the old generation of the hearing pen (for 3 years and older), you have to connect the pen to a computer to do this. With the new version of the hearing pen (for ages 2 and up), this all works via the charging station with WLAN connection; it is completely independent of the parental computer.
The levels of experience in the books or puzzles are divided into four categories:
The reading pen can be used not only in combination with books, but also with games, a globe or puzzles. It is recommended for children from 2 years. Products for different age groups are offered.
The earlier devices (since 2018) for children over the age of three have an integrated microphone so that children can record their own sounds and speech. The newer device (from 2022) for children from the age of two has no microphone and therefore no recording function.
The multiple uses of the listening pen offer an interactive and engaging way to learn. This encourages the children to become active and to foster their curiosity. By playing with Tiptoi books and toys, children can improve their cognitive skills and develop their language, math and social skills.
Also, the listening pen allows children to discover the world around them in a new way. You can immerse yourself in a variety of topics and learn more about history, science, or geography. For example, not only is it explained what the hoot of an owl sounds like, but you can also listen to it. Even several times. The operation of the pen is simple and its use is adapted to the motor skills of a child aged from about 2 years.
The products designed specifically for children over 2 years are usually simpler. They have larger and more colorful images, as well as less text and more complex interactive features. They aim to stimulate the senses and curiosity of younger children and develop their fine motor skills.
The products for ages 4 and up are usually more complex and sophisticated in terms of interactive features and learning materials. They are often designed with more text and more challenging content to give children a deeper understanding of topics such as history, science, or math.
According to Ravensburger, Tiptoi inspires and motivates to play and learn! It is an innovative learning and creative system with which children discover the world through play. Its child-friendly design and high-quality content, as well as the wide range of possible uses, are particularly highlighted here.
With the Create recording function, the provider promises to promote your child’s language skills and self-confidence.
The listening pen is only compatible with the corresponding Ravensburger products. The cost of the pen and matching books should therefore not be underestimated. The pen alone already costs about 39 euros. However, you can choose from a variety of products in different price ranges, which are also always a nice gift idea.
With the older version of the pen (for ages 3 and up), audio content can only be loaded onto the device using Tiptoi Manager, a computer program from Ravensburger. Computers and Internet access are therefore a prerequisite. The recording function cannot be used with all Tiptoi products, but only with Create products.
For more on what to consider when using family read aloud pens, check out our general post on this.
Whether Instagram, WhatsApp or YouTube – the vast majority of young people use digital media every day. Even though they teach themselves many things about it, they have questions from time to time. The page Handysektor.de offers information on online media especially for young people.
The smartphone is important for young people to communicate and act out. The range of apps and channels is constantly increasing. This can also be overwhelming and lead to questions: How can you tell if an app really delivers what it promises? How do I handle it when I get nasty comments on my selfie?
Handysektor wants to help young people with such issues and promote safe and competent media use. On the website, they can get tips and information on new apps and learn about the pros and cons as well as possible cost traps. Important and current topics of the digital everyday life of young people such as sexting, cyberbullying or data protection are explained briefly and understandably and tips on how to deal with them are given. On Handysektor ‘s YouTube channel, young people can find explanatory videos on various apps and instructions with creative ideas. In the Stories on Instagram, presenter Kim talks true to life about current trends and gives tips.
Handysektor is aimed specifically at young people. The information is understandable and is disseminated not only via the website, but also via the channels that young people primarily use, such as YouTube and Instagram. In adolescence, your child wants to get information on his or her own. At Handysektor, they will find factual and youth-friendly information – even on topics that your child may not want to discuss with friends or family members.
As a parent, you would prefer to always be the first point of contact for your child. With puberty, however, friends become more and more important and your child no longer comes to you right away with every problem. Nevertheless, be approachable and point your child to good offers like Handysektor or Juuuport. Check with your child regularly. Even with older children, it is important that he knows you have his back. Show interest in your child’s media use and encourage a self-responsible and competent approach to media. Handysektor ‘s offer can support this.
Some of the topics may not be suitable for children under ten. Especially posts on topics like cybergrooming, sexting or pornography can still be confusing for younger children. For them there are alternative offers such as Scroller.de or Kindersache.de.
Make up your own mind about what was discussed and talk about it with your child. Even though Handysektor is aimed at young people, you can also get information there. This can enhance your communication with each other and help you gain insight into your child’s digital daily life.
Mobile media are exciting even for the youngest children because they see the devices with mom, dad or siblings. But how can you deal with this if your child is actually still too young to use smartphones and the like?
Children are curious by nature. The bright glow of the screen, the many sounds – all this is exciting. They closely observe the role that small devices play in the everyday lives of adults: When everyone is looking at their smartphone on the bus or train, when mom always has the tablet at hand at home and big brother and his friends are gambling on the game console, the small devices seem to be very important and are all the more tempting.
In the first months of life, babies are not yet developed enough to use mobile media purposefully and understand the content. It is much more important for your child’s development to get to know the world with all their senses and without a screen. It is not until the second year of life that children develop an understanding of pictoriality. They begin to distinguish digital content from real-world objects. The best way for young children to gain their first experience with mobile media is with picture books on their smartphone or tablet.
IMPORTANT: Avoid overstimulation by media. This can be caused by flashy colors, fast movements or too many sounds, but also by complex stories that your child is not yet able to process. The most suitable topics are those that your child knows from his or her everyday life: pictures of familiar animals, vehicles, or other children. Keep media use time very low with young children and allow plenty of other sensory experiences. This includes touching things, movement and contact with other people.
From around the age of three, children can understand media and their content better and better if the stories are kept simple and they tie in with their own experiences. Watching videos together on a smartphone or tablet can help your child learn more about the world around them and how to handle different situations. It is important that you accompany your child in his or her media use so that he or she can discuss and process what he or she has seen with you.
At this age, your child increasingly wants to and can make media content himself. There is a huge selection of apps out there for your child to get creative with. Recommended are simple applications in which, for example, stamping or coloring is required. But make sure that your child has enough opportunities to be creative away from digital media.
In our article Good apps for kids you will learn what you should look for when choosing suitable programs.
When kids ask for a tablet or smartphone, consider the need behind it: entertainment on a long car ride, socializing while video chatting with grandpa, and just unwinding…. Different reasons for media use have their justification. It is unfavorable when media are used permanently and needs cannot be satisfied in any other way. As parents, teach alternative strategies for dealing with boredom or tension. First, your child orients himself to you. If you yourself use media only in certain situations, you are a good role model for your child. Even at a young age, it can help to set rules for media use in the family. In addition to fixed media rituals, there should also be media-free times.
If the devices get into children’s hands, you should pay attention to child-friendly covers for tablets and protective covers for smartphones. Smartphones in particular are often expensive and prone to damage. Protective covers make the use of the devices easier and safer.
Children are inquisitive and want to understand things. Perhaps your child has also asked you how the Internet actually works, what structures and processes are behind it. Adults and children come into contact with the Internet every day and are on the move online. For an enlightened approach to it, computer science lessons are increasingly on the agenda in schools as well. For example, children learn how to construct their own programs, known as software, and use them to build robots or transmit messages using small mini-computers called CALLIOPE.
Calliope-mini|Source: https://pixabay.com/de/calliope-mini-calliope-computer-2755554/
But what is software anyway? In order to work on the computer or tablet, it is necessary to install various programs or software. On mobile devices, these are called apps. For example, there are writing programs like Microsoft Word or Internet browsers like Google Chrome. Many of us use so-called “free software” such as Firefox, Chrome, OpenOffice or the VLC media player. Such programs are also installed on many school computers, since free software is mostly available free of charge and has a high level of quality. “Free” means that the program is mostly free to use and you can give away as many copies as you want. So anyone can use this software. The software of the mini-computer CALLIOPE is also included, so that all students can have access to it.
In this context, one often speaks of “open source”. This means the same as Free Software, but focuses on a different aspect. Translated, open source means “free source”. This means that it is disclosed how the software is programmed or how the hardware (i.e. the components of a computer) is assembled. Anyone can access the source and develop it further, modify it or draw attention to errors in the software or hardware. Among other things, students can use computers like CALLIOPE to learn how well-known open source programs like Firefox work. Very many people work on the same program, which allows it to constantly evolve and improve. Despite the mostly free use, there are various license conditions that must be observed (often related to the editing of the source code). A counter-model to open source is “proprietary software”, such as Microsoft Office. With these pay programs, you don’t know what programming is behind them. Also, you can often only install them on one computer – depending on which license you bought.
