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Forum Counselor: Michal Herbsman

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Total messages: 4
Smartphones and the New Authority - Article
Idan Amiel
15:35 04.18.2017
"Smartphones and the New Authority" was written in collaboration by a team. We see this topic, which relates to a social context, as evolving in a collaborative sphere.
As you can read the article on the website in the link here (or at the PDF version at the box to the left of this forum) we invite you to share your thoughts and comments.
This article presents some possible psychological risks concerning smartphone's use with children and we provide a rationale for the recommendation that parents give their kids a smartphone at a young age, such as ages 10-12. We contend, that as opposed to conventional thinking which may recommend the delay of smartphone usage as much as possible, there is an advantage when taking into account parents’ ability to be more present and involved which can better occur at an earlier age.

We would like to know if other NVR professionals from different countries think the same or have some reservations concerning our recommendations and rationale. We intend to take your ideas and incorporate them into further recommendations concerning this important issue. We welcome all ideas and feedback!
Professionals may post comments in the forum or those who wish to respond more privately about the issue are also welcome to send us an email to smartphone@newauthority.org.il
P.S. You can write here in German or Dutch as well, after all we got Google translate...
Thank you... and further ideas
Martin Fellacher
 
17:15 04.26.2017
Thank you for the articel, I especially liked the idea of the announcement when handed out the first smartphone...
I am ambivalent regarding the idea, to achieve agreement among parents about when to hand out mobile phones to the children of one class/group. As you pointed out in the beginning, there might be differences in how to cope with the challenges (and at what age) among the kids, therefore such an agreement might be counter-productive.

For a couple of months I am collecting ideas on that issue. Basically, so far this is what I found most helpful:

Adults often try to limit the time of their children's usage of social media (often including any other "screens" such as TV, video games, etc.) At the end they start argueing whether time is up or not.
If we take it the other way around, we can define "times without medias", which is much easier to stick to.

This leads me to a second, very important point: The example parents/adults are setting. If you have developed times without medias, parents have to stick to it themselves. It may be one important lesson we have to learn our kids, that we don't have to be on call 24 hrs a day.The most efficient way to do this, is to be a proper role model.

At the end, as you have implied in your articel as well, the amount of time children spend with social media might not even be the most important indicator. It should be the diversity. If children
* have social contacts apart from the virtual world, meet friends, etc.
* are in sport clubs or the like
* are exercising, spending time outside, etc.
* don't neglect their duties (school, house keepking, etc.)
the amount of time they spend with their smartphones is not crucial. On the one hand, all those activities reduce time spending on social media, on the other hand they show diversity which should reduce our worries about their well-being.

Does that sound comprehensible?
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Michal
11:35 04.27.2017
Hi Martin,
Thank you for your feedback! You ideas and thoughts are really important to us. I think your suggestion regarding "times without media" to be a great contribution/ its these changes on how we, as authority figures, approach this issue that will make the difference in the parent-child relationship.
As for being a role model, obviously I couldn't agree more. We as adults have to be more mindful of our own dependency on screentimes. I will add however, that in my experience being a role model in this new culture is a necessary but completely insufficient prerequisite. I feel that kids today are functioning in a different reality than their parents and don't feel that the same values necessarily apply to them. In other words, while setting a bad example will almost certainly lead to negative results; you can set the best example without it having any postive impact.
This new technology is definitely challenging us as professionals working with caregivers and Im finding this exchange of ideas really helpful in "bettering" our work.
Agree
Martin Fellacher
13:37 05.08.2017
Hi Michael,

being a positive role model is not a guarantee for a positive Impact - I totally agree on that.

Nevertheless, there is no other option for us...

Let's share further ideas...!

Martin
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