As of: March 26, 2024, 6:00 p.m
By: Christine Wölfle
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They brought the “Really there” project with media educator Barbara Unterholzner (2nd from left) to the Schongau elementary school: (from left) Juliane Aschenbrenner (member of the school management), deputy principal Petra Schelle and school social worker Karin Ostler.
Gregor Schuppe (organizer of the parents' evenings and teacher training) and Carolin Kronmüller (school social worker) are missing from the picture.
© Wölfle
The fact that the Internet poses dangers, especially for children, is nothing new.
Media educator Barbara Unterholzner showed very clearly how blatant it actually is now and how perfidious so-called “groomers” act during a parents’ evening at the Staufer primary school.
Schongau
– “Really there” is the name of the nationwide project that is specifically intended to help parents of primary school and kindergarten children to strengthen their digital media skills and that of their children.
“You'll be exhausted at some point, I'm sorry,” said Barbara Unterholzner, introducing the parents' evening, which was offered once in person and twice online by the primary school.
Because the demand was extremely high.
By the way: Everything from the region is also available in our regular Schongau newsletter.
And in our Weilheim-Penzberg newsletter.
And the media educator was right: after a good two hours, the participants were exhausted.
And impressed.
And shocked.
Because, hand on heart: “Generation X or Y” already believes that they are well versed in the digital world.
And at the same time know about the dangers.
Also for your own offspring.
So bring on your smartphone?
No matter what age?
Unterholzner warns against this.
But never with a raised finger, but with lots of data, facts and examples from the internet.
Computer game addiction is a big danger
The 44-year-old has three children of her own who are in their “prime daddy age”.
So she knows what she's talking about.
“I give you the knowledge and you decide how you want to act correctly,” is the media educator’s approach.
But of course that doesn't work without, often unpleasant, information.
Computer gaming addiction is now the fourth most common cause of mental illness among children and young people.
The recommended screen time often has nothing to do with reality.
“There is a brutal gap between the target and actual conditions,” Unterholzner demonstrated with data collected on this topic.
Gambling elements already included in educational games
And users are getting younger and younger.
The question inevitably arises: What makes the digital world so attractive for children?
“On the one hand, this has to do with the status that you also want to be there, i.e. a certain kind of group pressure.
But the developers of games and apps are of course also interested in luring children in order to earn a lot of money from them,” explained the media educator.
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Even so-called “learning games” have elements of gambling involved.
Or you have to stay online because otherwise what you have achieved so far, i.e. what you have earned, could be lost.
And of course you can buy game advantages: with real money in in-app purchases.
All news and stories can also be found on the Schongauer Nachrichten Facebook page.
“Influencers” also arouse desires – especially for quick money.
“You graduate from high school and will one day become my employee,” says the song “First Million” by 19-year-old “Finnel,” which has 5.4 million views on YouTube.
And the followers are probably not mainly adults.
“Challenges” and “Cyber Grooming”
But the abysses go even deeper: In addition to tasteless “challenges,” Unterholzner sees a huge danger in the sexual sector.
“There won't be a child who will never encounter something like that,” she is sure.
Keyword “Cyber Grooming”: Adults gain the trust of children and young people in order to sexually harass them.
And this happens on almost every platform that has a chat function.
So in seemingly harmless video games as well as in social media.
But what can you do about it?
Parents should also be role models
“Talk to your children, even about supposedly taboo topics.
Don't scold them, but rather take a few deep breaths, otherwise your children will no longer open up to you," advises the media educator.
And the role model function should not be underestimated: “Protect the dignity of your children, for example, do not post any pictures of yourself on the Internet.
In this way, your children will also learn to become media literate.”
The topic will be pursued further in school
Of course, this process takes time and patience.
And interest.
And perhaps as a child it doesn't even have to be a smartphone that has access to the network at all times.
The offspring can also be reached with a push-button cell phone.
This also reduces the risk of spreading criminal content.
Because: “Children are actually capable of committing crimes from the age of seven and are of criminal responsibility from the age of 14.” That is why the media educator would also like to see more police presence at primary schools in order to clarify exactly this.
Although there is the police project “Your smartphone, your decision”, law enforcement officers only use it at secondary schools.
The local newspapers in the Weilheim-Schongau district are represented on Instagram under “merkur_wm_sog”.
The topic will definitely be pursued further in the Schongauer Staufer primary school.
In addition to in-school teacher training, a theater and the “Really there” project, which the BKK Würth fully financed for the primary school, they also want to continue the collaboration with Barbara Unterholzner.
This offers further training, parents' evenings and workshops for students or parents - not only with a focus on primary school and kindergarten children, but also beyond.
If you are interested in the media educator's really entertaining and very well-made offerings, you can contact Barbara Unterholzner at any time on 08861/9088860 or by email at medienberatung-bu@mail.de.