Welcomes guidelines for parents – but criticizes the focus: “Many advantages of digital media”
In September, the Public Health Authority presented new recommendations on children and young people’s screen use, and today there was guidance on how the advice should be followed.
– This is what we have longed for for years. Many people experience screen conflicts at home. That you as a parent do not know how to support children in a healthy digital everyday life, says Siri Helle, psychologist and author.
There has been a lot of research into our digital everyday life and the researchers have found both risks and opportunities with the screen. A negative consequence of a lot of screen time is that sleep can suffer, but a positive aspect is about the social.
– Humans are herd animals and we feel good when we feel that we are in a context. When you use social media socially, it’s great. Instead of sitting alone and being bored, you can talk or text with a friend, says Siri Helle.
How to avoid the parent trap
Siri Helle had wished that the government and the Public Health Agency had a greater focus also on the positive aspects of digital media.
– I am reacting to the risk focus in this guidance. There are many advantages to digital media, but now the focus is on how to manage the risks. I think it might land wrong. The advice given to parents is to be engaged and curious. If you have to sit and play, while doing so out of concern or a risk focus. You feel that as a child.
And she believes that too much of a risk focus can get in the way when, as a parent, you try to approach your children’s digital world.
– One risk is that as a child you don’t want to give parents insight because they are not looking to understand or have fun. They want to monitor. I think the advice is good, but if you have that input as a parent, it can go wrong.
“Screen time is like food”
Siri Helle is also critical of the word screen time, which she thinks needs nuance.
– It is lumping together all screen activities as if they were the same thing, even though it affects us differently if we are chatting with our friends, programming or sitting at an online casino.
– Some say that screen time is like candy, the less the better. But it’s like food. It makes a big difference if you eat salad or junk food. That is what is missed in the guidance. You have this risk focus. It’s about promoting what’s fun and good about the internet. Playing games with your children doesn’t just have to be done to check that nothing dangerous is happening, but also because it’s fun.
Siri Helle advises parents to get involved in their children’s digital lives, but not with the goal of simply monitoring.
– It is important to remember that there are health-promoting and positive things about digital activities. Children who are on social media have stronger social networks. It’s a way to keep in touch with friends. You need to have two thoughts in your head at the same time.