Pediatricians and adolescents demand: No cell phone before eleven years
The reason for the nationwide coverage is an interview given to the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung by the president of the German Association of Pediatricians and Adolescents, Dr. Thomas Fischbach, MD. In it, he cautions that children should not come into contact with digital media too early. Among other things, the interview says: "Parents no longer teach their children to play or to occupy themselves sensibly, but instead park their offspring in front of the devices. In some cases at the dinner table! A terrible trend with disastrous consequences for child development." School performance and the general ability to concentrate suffer immensely from the use of digital media at too early an age, which is why it should be postponed as far as possible.
Many parents are unsure when the right time is to provide their children with a cell phone. Not all children develop at the same speed. Therefore, blanket age recommendations should always be taken with a grain of salt and should only be understood as a general guideline. With the klicksafe checklist "Is my child fit for his or her own smartphone" (available in German, Turkish, Arabic and Russian), parents can check individually for each child whether their own smartphone can be purchased with a clear conscience. It is then also important to accompany and support the offspring attentively during cell phone use.
Once they have their own smartphone, the next questions arise. Which apps are suitable for children? Where do cost traps lurk? Is my child "addicted" to the cell phone? These and many more questions are answered in the klicksafe brochure "Smart mobile? - A guide to cell phones, apps and mobile networks for parents and other interested parties". The brochure is available free of charge as a download or to order.
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