Having their own tablet can be exciting for children: playing games, reading books, getting creative or using educational apps. However, many parents ask themselves: when is it worth giving them their own device – and when is the family tablet enough?
A shared tablet makes sense in the early years. Your child can try out content while you accompany, explain and restrict what they see and do. One family device is often enough to gain initial experience with apps, videos or games and to reflect on media use together.
It makes sense for your child to have their own tablet if they want to use media independently on a regular basis, pursue their own interests or use learning apps that require personal accounts. For children from around 6 to 7 years of age, having their own device can be useful if you clearly regulate and supervise their use.
The decisive factor is not the age, but the maturity of your child: Can they follow the rules? Do they know how to surf the net safely? Can they
A tablet for children should be robust, intuitive to use and not too expensive. Simple devices with a sturdy casing and a child-friendly interface are good entry-level options. Check whether educational apps, audio books or creative tools are useful and whether in-app purchases and advertising can be deactivated.
Whether it’s a family or personal device: define usage times, content and rules together. Parental controls, family accounts and parental control apps help to control media use. Reflect together:
Having your own tablet can promote digital independence if you accompany them: Explain functions, try out educational apps together and talk critically about advertising, algorithms and content. In this way, your child learns to use media consciously and reflectively.
Can’t find an answer to your question? Ask your personal questions about your child’s media use directly and conveniently using the messenger service via WhatsApp or Threema. You can find more information here.
It can happen that children or young people come across content online that depicts violence. When scrolling through social media, on video platforms or when such videos are shared in group chats in Messenger. This may involve fights, abuse, accidents or drastic images from war zones. Such content can frighten and disturb children or young people. It also violates the right to one’s own image of the person concerned and may even be punishable by law.
Under no circumstances should such content be redistributed. This prevents even more people from seeing the content. If the content is illegal, publishing and redistributing it can even have criminal consequences.
We can also encourage young people to do even more by not ignoring such content, but actively reporting it. Look together to see where the report function can be found on the platforms used, such as Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok or YouTube. According to the terms of use, violent and cruel content is not permitted and should be deleted. Messages or people can also be reported on WhatsApp.
The online advice platform for young people Juuuport even offers a separate reporting option for young people, e.g. for violent videos, extremism or hate speech. The internet complaints offices FSM, eco and jugendschutz.net then take care of these complaints.
Violence also plays a role in fictional media content, such as films, series or games. Content that is easy for older children, teenagers and adults to process can frighten young children. This is why there are age restrictions for depictions of violence in the media, which are regulated by the protection of minors in the media. The age labels of films or computer games show you as parents from what age the content shown is suitable.
However, children and young people can also come across real depictions of violence online. An experience report from Juuuport clearly shows how differently young people deal with violent videos online and can make it easier for you to start the conversation.
Talk to your child about possible negative experiences online. Show them the reporting and blocking functions on the relevant platforms and discuss how algorithms select content. Also explain how to ‘maintain’ or reset this content to keep your child’s online experience safer and healthier. Talk about what it means when photos or videos have a ‘sensitive content warning’ and what your child should do if this happens. Also find out about the legal regulations for the protection of minors in the media and about technical protection options via apps and settings for your child on devices or in individual services.
Can’t find an answer to your question? Ask your personal questions about your child’s media use directly and conveniently using the messenger service via WhatsApp or Threema. You can find more information here.
WhatsApp is the most popular messenger, even among children and young people. Almost everyone uses it to send messages, make calls or share status updates. It is important for parents to know the functions, risks and developments, especially since AI functions have been integrated into the app.
WhatsApp is a free messenger that is registered via the cell phone number. Contacts must be shared in the address book on the smartphone so that messages, photos, videos,
Self-deleting messages that disappear after seven days and photos or videos that can only be viewed once are particularly practical. Chats can be locked with a code or fingerprint. Group administrators can delete messages from others, making it easier to moderate content.
The search function helps you to quickly find specific messages, links or media across all chats. This makes Messenger easier to use, but can also tempt you to bring up old conversations or private content that was actually forgotten.
Since the integration of Meta AI, an AI has been supporting users in formulating messages, summarizing long chats and suggesting emojis or answers. It can also answer questions, similar to a chatbot. The use of these functions is optional; users decide for themselves whether they want to use them. Channels on which
WhatsApp is quick, easy and always available. Young people use it to stay in touch, discuss homework or simply to belong. They share impressions of their everyday lives via status messages and profile pictures, similar to Instagram.
The new channels make WhatsApp even more attractive. Young people follow influencers there and receive trends, challenges and tips directly in the app. Having your own channels encourages creativity and organization, but can also increase the desire for reach or recognition.
The AI functions are also fascinating: An automatic writing assistant that suggests texts saves time and seems practical. However, young people should understand that this AI is not a neutral conversation partner, but learns from their input.
The read confirmation (“blue checkmark”) can create pressure to reply immediately. Large groups, such as
Another risk is data processing by Meta. WhatsApp collects a lot of information: Contacts, profile and location data, device and usage information. This can be used for personalized advertising or to train the AI.
The integration of meta AI brings additional challenges. Many users do not know what data the AI processes or stores. Emotional bonds can also develop with chatbots, especially when children talk about personal topics. Such conversations often seem human, but they are not.
Influencer channels can show content that is unsuitable for children. Advertising, idealization and one-sided portrayals are common, often without clear labeling.
WhatsApp belongs to the Meta Group. The provider emphasizes that chats are end-to-end
According to the provider, Meta AI should make it easier to use and deliver personalized results. At the same time, this means that the AI learns from the user’s data. Parents can check whether the AI functions are active in the settings. On some devices, this is only visible to users under 18. Use can be restricted or rejected if the device and app allow it.
Children under the age of 16 may only use WhatsApp with parental consent. Talk together about responsible use: What information can be shared? Who is allowed to see messages?
Discuss risks such as bullying, inappropriate or dangerous content (e.g. pornographic material), “fake news” or emotional attachments to AI chatbots. Encourage your child to get help if they have unpleasant experiences.
Set the data protection settings together. Pay attention to your child’s privacy and give them the freedom they need. The privacy check (Settings ” Privacy ” Privacy check) shows at a glance which settings are active and who is allowed to see what. You can find step-by-step instructions at www.medien-kindersicher.de.
Your child should only allow contacts that they know in real life. Discuss the responsible use of your own channels and influencer content. Be a role model for respectful communication yourself.
Explain that AI answers are not always correct and do not replace real conversations. Keep the conversation going and show interest in your child’s digital world – without mistrust, but with awareness.
If you are looking for messengers with stronger data protection, you can use signal, Threema or NYZZU to avoid them.
Roblox is a very popular game among children and young people. Here you can create virtual worlds in Lego style, a mixture of game world and social network. At the beginning of 2025, Roblox received the new age rating of 16+ – we take a look at what this means for young people and you as parents.
Roblox combines gaming, social media and creative design on one platform. For example, chat functions are also included, players can develop their own games and even earn money with them. In January 2025, the Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body (USK) raised the age rating for Roblox from 12 to 16. The reasons for the increase are violent content, increased purchase incentives and a range of offers for different age groups. The USK also points out online risks, e.g. chats and in-game purchases with random content, so-called loot boxes. With these gambling-like mechanisms, it is particularly difficult for younger people to keep track of their spending. If accounts are not adequately secured, children and young people can come into contact with problematic behavior such as cybergrooming or cyberbullying.
In addition, the security measures intended to protect younger players are not sufficient: there are no age labels in accordance with German youth protection standards and children’s accounts are not secure enough. The new age rating “from 16 years” should also provide parents with better guidance.
What does this mean for you and other families? First of all, if your child (under the age of 16) already has a Roblox account, you are not obliged to delete the account due to the age rating upgrade. However, the reasons for raising the age rating clearly show that the platform harbors risks for children that need to be taken seriously. Based on this, you as parents must ultimately decide whether the platform is still suitable for your child.
You don’t want to ban use completely? Make sure you check the account restrictions together and adjust them if necessary. In any case, create a parent account and link it to your child’s account. Talk to your child about the age upgrade and why the approval has been adjusted. Think about how future use can be made safer – for example, only when accompanied by you or older siblings.
If you decide that your child should delete an existing Roblox account, talk about it together and explain your reasons. Show understanding for the fact that this decision may make your child sad or angry. Think together about what alternative, age-appropriate games your child might enjoy. You can find recommendations, for example, at the NRW games guide.
If you are already using a parental control program, depending on the age setting, games with a 16+ rating may be automatically blocked. You can read more about games here.
Can’t find an answer to your question? Ask your personal questions about your child’s media use directly and conveniently using the messenger service via WhatsApp or Threema. You can find more information here.
“I’ll stop right now – really!” Do you know this phrase from your child? Then they must be a big fan of games. Whether on a smartphone, tablet, PC or console, digital games are a popular leisure activity for many children and young people. They enjoy using and developing their gaming skills. At the same time, gaming at home can also lead to conflicts, for example when it comes to the choice of games or media time. We have summarized the most important recommendations for a good approach to games in the family for you.
Immerse yourself in game worlds, simply switch off, learn something new or compete with others – what fascinates your child about gaming? Let your child show you how a game works and what they experience in it. You won’t always be able to share their fascination. Nevertheless, take your child’s enthusiasm seriously. Watch your child play and ask about it. This allows you to recognize whether they can distinguish between reality and fiction, whether they understand the content presented and what challenges they are confronted with. Play together sometimes too!
Not every game that your child knows from friends or that is advertised by streamers is suitable for them. Aspects such as content risks, online interactions and incentives to buy pose particular challenges when it comes to gaming. Therefore, pay attention to the USK age ratings and only allow your child access to games that are appropriate for their age. . Make security settings on devices, in accounts and in the games themselves. An overview of the youth protection settings of various platforms can be found in the NRW player guide and the information service medien-kindersicher.de.
Age labels are not educational recommendations: Therefore, always check suitability based on both the release and your child’s individual stage of development. Educational age recommendations help you to select suitable content. In this article, we present suitable online platforms for educational game ratings. Test out the games and form an opinion on which games are age-appropriate and suitable for your child. If siblings of different ages play together, base your choice on the younger child.
Set media rules together that all family members adhere to. Decide together with your child when they are allowed to play games or agree how much time your child can spend playing games each week. The duration of the game should be based on your assessment and your experience with your child. What doesn’t work at all in gambling is to stop at a certain point. It is better if you agree to stop at the end of a level. All rules should be easy for your child to understand. Keep talking about the media rules and adapt them to your child’s stage of development. Does your child sometimes play games with friends? Then talk to the other parents and come to an agreement about which games can be played there and for how long. You can find more information and tips on game rules on the USK website.
Online games are fun, promote team spirit and communication. However, games and platforms such as Steam, Twitch or Discord also harbor risks such as insults, disinformation and ideological influence. Talk to your child about respectful communication, how to use gaming language and how to check information critically. Explain to your child what data they should protect, how they should deal with strangers and what risks they may encounter online – such as cybergrooming. Encourage them to block annoying accounts and use moderated chats where possible. Use parental control and privacy settings to limit communication to known contacts if necessary. Have regular conversations and pay attention to USK notices such as “contact risks” or “increased communication risks”. Be there for your child as a contact person so that they can get in touch with you at any time if they are unsure.
Don’t forbid your child to play because he or she has messed up, and don’t use play as a reward. Because that only gives it a higher status. Keep an eye on your child’s screen time and intervene if it gets too much. Every child needs times when they can move around and experience things independently of the screen. Support your child in pursuing leisure activities such as sports or music, meeting friends offline and doing things with you and the family.
Does this sound familiar to you? You’ve done a lot of reading, had lengthy discussions, installed elaborate parental control programs on your children’s devices – only to find that YouTube is still on all night long. This is because the tricks for circumventing FamilyLink and the like sometimes spread faster than head lice in the school playground and online. And leave us parents rather perplexed.
FamilyLink or Apple parental controls, JusProg or Kidgonet – when children start to use media independently, parents often worry a lot about usage times and safety. The solution is often technical restrictions such as parental control apps that set time limits or filter content. However, after a while it often turns out that although the apps and settings allow you as parents to sleep peacefully, they are hardly an obstacle for your child to surf as they please. They reinstall apps or open a browser that cannot be recognized, click on links and detours to YouTube or simply change the time or time zone on the device. Some children even install VPN services, use camouflage apps or create guest accounts on their devices to hide themselves from the unpopular parental control settings.
This raises many questions for parents. How good are child protection programs really? How can rules be enforced? And above all: how can children be well protected when using media if the apps can be bypassed?
For children, bypassing the parental control settings is of course a challenge and almost a sport. Anyone who has been annoyed a few times that screen time has ended at the worst possible moment may be looking for ideas to trick them. And children and young people are quick to find them. The internet, especially YouTube, is full of ideas and instructions on how to circumvent and trick the limits, locks and settings.
Many of these “detours” can be prevented by you as parents by making the settings of the parental control programs more rigorous or by allowing less creative freedom on the child’s device. For example, you can assign admin rights so that your child cannot download or install anything without your consent. You can assign parental PINs to many devices and accounts so that only you can change the settings. There are now also tested and very secure parental control settings for games consoles, which you can use to set the usage rights and times so that there is little scope for ‘detours’. For example, the USK has tested the parental control programs for the Xbox and Switch and found them to be suitable and safe.
Not only games, apps and devices can be secured, you can also set up your router to be childproof – and much more. You can find step-by-step instructions at medien-kindersicher.de.
But of course, youth protection should not be a race for technical possibilities. It is better to take a two-pronged approach to media education. Youth media protection solutions are still a useful tool for protecting children from difficult or dangerous content. However, families should never rely solely on technical filters. And not just because no filter can guarantee one hundred percent protection. Children grow into media worlds and they not only need to be protected from excessive demands at a young age, but above all they need to learn how to use them well and competently.
It is therefore much more important to accompany children in their media use than to install restrictions:
If your child uses media in a reflective, competent manner and with trustworthy parents at their side, the question of whether app restrictions need to be circumvented secretly may even be a thing of the past. You can find more tips for everyday family life with parental control apps in this article.
Many parents ask themselves this question at the beginning of the vacation weeks. The answer is not so easy to give. There is no one-size-fits-all answer. Appropriate screen time depends on your child’s age, stage of development and needs – so it’s an individual decision. Talking to other parents can help, but no two children and families are the same and media rules can vary accordingly.
Set rules for screen and media time depending on what media your child uses and how well they can handle it.
Shared media use and conversations about the experiences will help you to assess this well. The form of use should also play a role: So how does your child spend their time? Are they finding out about a topic that is currently of particular interest to them? Are they playing games, watching series or endlessly scrolling through social media feeds? Are they alone?
Media offer us the opportunity to inform ourselves, to be inspired, to interact with others, to distract ourselves from our hectic everyday lives – but they can also stress us out or even burden us. Especially during the vacations, it can be good to take a break from the often packed and tightly structured daily routine of school, sports clubs or music lessons. Using media can help your child relax and stay in touch with friends. However, a balance is important, such as playing indoors and outdoors, sports, arts and crafts or spending time with friends and family.
Media rules are more likely to be accepted if they are made together with your child. Talk together about what media and content your child uses, when, how and why. Also think about your own media use, as parents act as role models. Establish common media rules for the whole family. Deviations during the vacations or at weekends are okay! Rules must fit your child’s development and needs as well as your everyday family life so that they can be adhered to.
You can find out more about media rules and screen time in these Elternguide.online articles and videos:
https://www.elternguide.online/regeln-fuer-die-mediennutzung-in-der-familie/
https://www.elternguide.online/medienregeln-fuer-schulkinder/
https://www.elternguide.online/der-staendige-streit-um-medienzeiten-ab-wann-ist-es-zu-viel/
https://www.elternguide.online/wann-ist-viel-zu-viel-zwischen-sucht-und-extremer-mediennutzung/
Can’t find an answer to your question? Ask your personal questions about your child’s media use directly and conveniently using the messenger service via WhatsApp or Threema. You can find more information here.
Your child’s first smartphone is an important milestone in their life. Parents ask themselves many questions beforehand: When is the right time for the first smartphone? Which device is suitable and what else needs to be considered?
There is no universal rule that recommends a certain age as appropriate for the first smartphone. The move to secondary school is often taken as an opportunity to equip children with their first smartphone. As parents, you know best whether your child is ready for a smartphone. Your child’s maturity, skills and media experience are more important than whether they have reached a certain age. This checklist from klicksafe can help you decide.
It is a good idea to buy a smartphone with a sturdy case and/or protective cover to get started. A device with intuitive, simple operation makes sense. This way, your child will quickly understand the smartphone’s functions and find it easier to use. It doesn’t have to be the latest and most expensive model; a solid, used model is suitable for beginners. It is advisable to keep an eye on price and performance.
Not all smartphone functions and apps are suitable for young users. A device with options for parental controls and family sharing, such as screen time and app restrictions, is therefore recommended. Select age-appropriate apps and adjust the app settings. Regular updates and secure, up-to-date software are also important. You should also be familiar with the device. This way, you can be a reliable contact person for your child and provide reassurance. Test the smartphone together with your child to make sure it is suitable. Accompany your child as they take their first steps and explain the potential risks to them.
You can find out more about your first smartphone here.
Ask your personal questions about your child’s media use directly and conveniently using the messenger service via WhatsApp or Threema. You can find more information here.
Chatting via Messenger, playing games together or taking part in social media trends – media enable us to be in contact with others. Children and young people face many challenges when communicating online. On Elternguide.online, we explain how you and your family can deal safely and competently with communication risks online.
When we write messages via Messenger, we don’t just use letters, we also like to use emojis. However, care should be taken to avoid misunderstandings. Chatting, posting and gaming is fun. However, being constantly available can overwhelm children and young people, lead to digital stress and the fear of missing out(FOMO). Be aware of your role model function and, if necessary, make technical adjustments together to regulate media use.
Whether through online gaming, video chats or social media – it’s easy to meet new people on the internet. Contact with strangers can be risky because we don’t know the person’s intentions and don’t know who is actually communicating with us. Is it really the same age gamer friend? When paedophile criminals write to children or young people to initiate sexual contact, this is known as cybergrooming. If supposedly private images such as nude photos are used to blackmail someone, this is called sextortion.
Sometimes communication with friends and acquaintances can also become problematic. Among young people, there is a risk of cyberbullying, for example, via chat groups. Sexting, the sending of revealing messages and images, can be problematic in relationships. It is helpful if rules are agreed on how to deal with messenger chats. Discuss this with other parents and your child’s teachers. Talk to your child about being careful with their own data, such as nude images. Explain to them how they should deal with insults and nasty comments and make them aware of reporting points.
AI applications have long since arrived in the everyday lives of children and young people and automatically accompany them when they use search engines, messengers and social media. They chat with chatbots such as MyAI on Snapchat, enter into intimate relationships with AI contacts or use programs such as ChatGPT or MetaAI to collect ideas or find solutions. In doing so, they encounter challenges such as misinformation, problematic content and data misuse as well as the difficulty of distinguishing between human and machine communication. Talk to your child about the opportunities and risks of AI tools and make safety settings in the apps together. Promote your child’s critical thinking and encourage them to question answers from chatbots, check information and understand AI as a tool – not as a substitute for their own services or real friendships.
The internet is not always a friendly place. Trolls and haters launch attacks under the guise of anonymity and deliberately provoke people in comment columns. Online hate speech can spoil the fun of posting videos and photos online. Thinking carefully about what you post or share is the first step to a safe browsing experience.
Forming their own opinion is one of the developmental tasks of children and young people. During the orientation phase, they can be susceptible to simple answers and radical positions from extremists. Whether on social media, in forums, chats or in online games – children and young people can come across extreme opinions and conspiracy myths everywhere online. Make it clear to your child why they should not trust all content online. Show your child how they can check information and familiarize them with the various reporting points on the internet.
Many gamers play games together, even if they are sitting in different places. When gaming, communication takes place via a headset or the chat function within a game. It is not always clear who is talking to you on the other end. If possible, players should block other people’s contacts. Gamers sometimes use harsh language, known as trash talk. If insults and conflicts escalate, this can lead to hatred among gamers. Keep in touch with your child about their favorite games and use technical youth media protection solutions.
You can learn even more about communication risks and how to deal with them in these posts:
Many apps cost nothing at first glance. Only when you take a closer look do you often realize that you have to pay in order to use them properly and have fun. Children and young people in particular can easily fall into cost traps, especially with games apps. We explain what parents should look out for, what risks there are and how in-app purchases can be controlled with a view to protecting and involving children.
Costs can arise not only when downloading an app. Many apps initially appear to be free, but certain functions, levels, virtual items or special benefits can only be unlocked against payment, such as accessories for avatars. Often a virtual currency is also offered, which must first be purchased via credit card, PayPal or prepaid cards in order to progress in the game or unlock extras. If you are not careful, you will only see how expensive the game has really become on your next mobile phone contract or credit card bill.
Providers often advertise a so-called premium version within the free app. This offers additional functions or game content and can be understood as a paid full version. For children, the free app looks like a test – and the inhibition threshold for spending money is low.
Children and young people react sensitively to rewards and progress in games. Apps such as Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite or Brawl Stars make targeted use of this: With just a few clicks, game characters can be embellished, levels can be unlocked faster or virtual coins can be collected. Virtual currencies seem abstract and are difficult to link to real money, so children often don’t even realize that they are spending real money – on things that have no real equivalent value.
Loot boxes are particularly critical: they contain random rewards that children perceive as small surprise gifts. The random effect can lead to them repeatedly investing money in order to receive the “right” reward. In games such as EA Sports FC (formerly FIFA), children can draw soccer stars in so-called packs; whether a favorite player is included is decided solely by chance. In Brawl Stars, children also open boxes that contain random power-ups or new characters. Such mechanisms are similar to gambling and are particularly problematic and tempting for young players.
There is also social pressure: those who progress faster or fail less often have an advantage in the game and can assert themselves better in front of friends. These psychological mechanisms make in-app purchases particularly appealing.
Parents can do a lot to protect their child from cost traps. It is important that you discuss the topic with your child and make clear agreements. In addition to technical settings, you should sensitize your child to cost traps and gradually give them responsibility in dealing with money in the digital space.
Since 2023, USK age ratings have included additional information on online risks such as in-app purchases, loot boxes and chats. This information can be found on game packaging, in app stores and in the USK title database. This makes it easier for parents to recognize which games are age-appropriate and where particular caution is required.
If your child has already made in-app purchases, you should first check whether refunds are possible in the app store. It is also worth carefully documenting any unclear debits and taking screenshots. It is then advisable to contact the provider directly – especially if subscriptions or purchases were not clearly marked. If the problems persist or occur repeatedly, consumer advice centers offer additional support and legal advice to protect families from further cost traps.
Should I open a savings account or a share portfolio? What is the best way to use and grow money? And what is crypto or trading actually all about? When it comes to money, many people are at a loss – and are grateful for tips that are quick and easy to understand on social media. This is exactly where so-called finfluencers come in.
They are called “Finanztipp”, “Professor Finanzen” or “Immo Tommy”. On their profiles, they pose with expensive watches, fancy cars or luxurious trips – and explain how they claim to have achieved all of this through clever investments. The mix of glamor and advice makes them attractive to many.
Finfluencers – also known as financial fluencers – explain how to invest, save or trade and provide insights into cryptocurrencies or stock markets. The narrative is often personal – from “rags to riches”. The stories inspire confidence and appear approachable.
Financial advice online is booming – and not all offers are the same. A look at some reputable German finfluencers shows the diversity of approaches:
Older children and young people usually have little experience with their own money. As they get older, however, the importance of pocket money, part-time jobs or their first major purchases grows.
Young people looking for tips and strategies often come across finfluencers online. They can be reached with one click, often present themselves in a very approachable and appealing way and seem to speak directly from their own lives. This often makes them more tangible and appealing to young people than bank advisors, for example, who are more difficult to reach and often more formal.
The influencers’ tips sound simple and the results seem easy to achieve. The promised results – your own millions, vacations, luxury – seem particularly tempting. At the same time, finfluencers often serve as role models: Young people are guided by their financial decisions, strategies and successes and thus learn how to handle money – consciously or unconsciously.
But even here – in the truest sense of the word – not all that glitters is gold.
Young people easily come across finfluencers online. So that they can better classify offers, it helps to take a look together:
He should have blue eyes, a sporty figure and please be funny and sensitive. The perfect boyfriend can now be conjured up very quickly with just a few clicks, at least virtually. AI can be used to create platonic or romantic relationships with a seemingly flawless counterpart – so happiness in love without any heartache?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly becoming part of our everyday lives. As a search engine, practical support for everyday problems – and now also as a substitute for personal relationships. When chatting via Snapchat and WhatsApp, there are AI contacts in the address book with whom you can chat just like with a human counterpart. Apps such as Anima, Replika or Romantic AI go one step further. Here, artificial friends can be generated according to your own wishes. Users can design their own appearance and character via a selection menu and put together friends or romantic partners as they wish. The chatbots can be contacted at any time and users can write, speak and sometimes even make video calls with them.
A friend, exactly as you want it – for many adults, but also for children and young people, this sounds tempting. And at first glance, a self-generated chatbot has many supposed advantages: The chatbot is quick and easy to create and immediately ‘ready for action’ – much faster than a friendship or romantic relationship can be established in real life. An AI bot is always available, always has time, a sympathetic ear and seems to understand (almost) everything. Unlike real friends or partners, the bot never gets annoyed, bored, jealous or angry, but is exactly the counterpart we dream of.
Especially when children and young people are going through phases of loneliness, conflicts, problems or even psychological lows, chatbots may even be able to offer helpful answers and support – which is why some people are already working on using AI as an adjunct in psychotherapy. The visual design and verbal contact options can make the exchange feel very real and human and convey a good feeling similar to that of a friendship.
Nevertheless, it is not a good idea to replace interpersonal relationships with AI friendships and relationships in the future. After all, the seemingly perfect counterparts have limits – as well as pitfalls. For example, it initially seems tempting to have someone to listen to who never disagrees or expresses their own needs. However, the genuine, empathetic exchange and personality that characterize other people is quickly missing. There are also other critical points:
Talk to your child about these problematic topics and consider together which situations and topics an AI bot might be a good contact for – but also where there is a limit beyond which the ‘relationship’ becomes problematic. Make it clear to your child that security and data protection are important and that they have a right to them. Together, make sure that you do not disclose any personal data. Help your child to discover, build and maintain real friendships. Encourage your child to contact you at any time if they have any uncertainties or problems.
Who is allowed to do what with media and for how long? These issues come up in every family sooner or later and not infrequently cause stress and arguments. Rules on media use can help create a structure and avoid conflicts. These can be discussed by parents and children together and recorded in a contract. The online tool for a media usage contract presented here — an offer by klicksafe and the Internet-ABC — is suitable for this purpose.
The tool guides you step by step to the finished paper. You can choose from two age groups (6-12 years and 12+) and choose a title design, a mascot and a background. All the rules you select are automatically inserted like building blocks, so it’s easy to keep track of them all. Each module can be edited individually. Of course, you can also insert your own rules. At the end save the document, then it can be completed at another time. You can also create multiple contracts for different children.
Use the building blocks as a suggestion to start a conversation in your family about media use. Some possible rules you may not have thought about, others are already self-evident. Set priorities, because the tool offers very many ideas that do not all have to be implemented. There are several types of rules:
A contract is nothing more than written down rules that have been agreed upon. The advantage is that you can always look at it and remember it.
A special feature is that rules can also be set for parents. For example, parents can commit to not using the cell phone even at dinner, or to using adult media content only when children are not present. Because rules are easier for children to understand if everyone has to follow them and you set a good example.
Every day we experience unforgettable moments with our children: their first steps, the costume party with their best friends or their first trip to the zoo. Of course, we want to capture them and share them with others.
We should be aware of the way in which photos of our children are circulating on the internet – whether on WhatsApp, Instagram or elsewhere online. After all, children also have a right to privacy and should be able to participate in decisions about what and how much of them can be seen on the internet, in line with their age.
Those who like to post photos of their loved ones should make sure that the face, surroundings and names are not clearly recognizable. We have collected a few creative ideas to still get beautiful and impressive photos:
Photothek/Thomas Trutsche
Be creative about the camera’s angle of view. A child’s photo from behind, above or below can also be adorable!
If you change the perspective, it can emphasize the image effect. Often it is enough to stand on a stair step or a kitchen chair. However, make sure that your child’s face is not recognizable.
If you go down to the child’s eye level, the background looks much more exciting and viewers get the feeling of seeing the world from the child’s point of view.
Photothek/Ute Grabowsky
Sometimes we get so busy trying to get everything in one picture at once that we overlook the little things altogether. Details can also tell a story and have an emotional impact.
Photothek/Ute Grabowsky
Interesting and creative photos can also be taken by photographing through other objects (e.g. leaves or fabrics) or working with water reflections. This can result in great puddle photos, for example, and the little ones have fun too!
Photothek/Ute Grabowsky
When you work with light and shadow, some photos look mysterious and exciting and others very artistic. Their advantage is that only silhouettes and no faces are visible.
Photo library
You may have seen photos of children in which their faces have been covered with emojis afterwards. If you already remember when taking the photo that you don’t want children’s faces to be seen, you can cover them up in another way. Sometimes such photos are not intended at all and look natural, for example, when the child just holds his hands or an object in front of his face – as in our example.
Photothek/Thomas Trutschel
Things can also tell stories, especially when you realize they have a connection to a person – like the shoes in our example photo.
Some of the effects mentioned can also be achieved by post-processing photos. For example, you can work with high contrasts and strong backlighting or play with depth of field. When creating a photo collage, images are sometimes displayed so small that the faces are no longer recognizable.
Involve your child as early as possible. Many children are used to being photographed. And looking at photos together on the smartphone is part of everyday family life for many. It is therefore a good idea to talk about the publication of photos on the internet at an early stage in a way that is appropriate for children. You can talk to children from primary school age about what the internet is and what it means when photos are published online.
Whether and how much you or your child reveal about yourself on the Internet is up to you. Above all, it is important to deal with the topic. Both parents and children should be aware of the possible consequences of publishing pictures of themselves and others on the Internet. Our article on children’s photos on the internet can serve as a stimulus for a joint discussion.
You are reading a story to your child and suddenly the phone beeps to announce a new WhatsApp message. What do you do? Do you automatically reach for your smartphone or do you read the message later when the child is asleep?
Such situations probably exist in every family. When the little son then reaches for the smartphone, it is said: “That’s not for you yet!”.
Be aware that parents and also other adults have an important role model function for children. Children experience how you, as their closest caregivers, deal with digital media and orient themselves to this. This is how children learn how the world works and how to behave in certain situations. Your behavior therefore has a major impact on how your child uses media themselves. By actively setting an example of what good media use can look like, you help your child learn to use smartphones and the like independently, sensibly and consciously.
Especially for younger children, parents are number one. It is particularly important for babies and toddlers to recognize your attention through direct eye contact and to establish a good bond. When dad is constantly looking at his smartphone, it’s not possible. Children, even at a young age, notice this. The older children get, the more they emulate you. In toddlerhood, they reach for daddy’s smartphone or speak into a brick that has a similar shape. They realize early on how important this device is for adults or older siblings.
Create a good basis for a reflective approach to media right from the start. Keep the smartphone on silent in your pocket when you play with your child, so that they don’t get the impression that the smartphone is always more important. Later, your child may behave the same way. If it does get pulled out, explain to your child why.
There are certainly moments when the smartphone is needed to take a nice photo of your offspring. Capture beautiful moments with the camera! But think about how often that has to be. After all, your child would rather look you in the eye than constantly at the smartphone in front of your face.
Spending time together with media is also part of family life. Introduce your child to media slowly and choose age-appropriate content. However, such media experiences should always alternate with media-free times.
In all of this, be aware of your role as a role model!
