Pediatricians should inform new parents right after childbirth that mobile phones and tablets are not suitable for young children, according to Germany’s Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Karin Prien. “I would start already in the pediatrician’s office, immediately after birth,” said the CDU politician in the Table.Today podcast (as cited by dw.com).
“In my view, it should be emphasized much more clearly that, for example, up to the age of three, mobile phones or iPads should not be present in a child’s environment at all,”
the minister stressed.
Prien argues that in the future, the responsibility for raising awareness about these risks must rest with kindergartens, schools, and child and youth welfare services. “However, this will be a project involving society as a whole and requiring a strategy that operates at the societal level,” the CDU politician added.
As reported by dw.com, a debate is currently underway in Germany about the risks associated with social media for children and young people. Minister Karin Prien supports introducing restrictions on the use of these media, but is awaiting recommendations from an expert commission she has established. At the same time, she emphasizes that a ban alone will not prevent the risks arising from improper use.
The minister notes that children learn through watching and listening. “Therefore, this will require discipline on the part of parents. I believe we need a kind of code that parents themselves will also have to adopt.”
Prien cites Germany’s western neighbor as an example. “In France, for instance, the presence of digital devices at the dining table during meals, and even more so their use, is strongly frowned upon,” she says, adding: “I believe that society in Germany can also adopt a different approach to this issue than it has so far.”