– Children and young people are good at digital platforms, but they have a lot of “holes”. They lack support from various actors around them at home, school and leisure time. This is according to Professor Halla Bjørk Holmarsdottir at Oslo Met. Together with an international research community, she has investigated children and young people’s own experiences of the digital everyday. It is no longer the case that when children are at school, they are only at school. Or when they are at home, they are just at home. The family at Brøttum has experienced that. – I want to become a Supersonic Legend!, says Ludvig Teigen Ødegård. While Ludvig presses eagerly on the games console, he talks to Olve Suhr Vian (10) who lives in Alta. Olve’s answer in sounding northern Norwegian leaked out through the main telephones. Ludvig and Olve have never met each other. Nevertheless, they are best friends. MEET AFTER SCHOOL: In the game, Ludvig meets his friend Olve. They mostly talk about the game, but also about other things. Now they know each other quite well, says Ludvig. Photo: LARS ERIK SKREFSRUD / news A digital best friend At home with the family at Brøttum, digital is an important part of everyday life for both young and old. – The fact that he has made such a good friend, I think is incredibly valuable, says mum Ingvild Teigen. Together with dad Roy Tore Ødegård, she is concerned that the children should be aware of how they behave and how they talk to each other online. TRAVEL WEDNESDAY: When the eldest was the only child in the family, the adults played with him. With three children at home, there is less time for that. Photo: LARS ERIK SKREFSRUD / news When Ludvig plays, he makes arrangements with others. And it can be devastating for the others if he leaves the game. It has taught the parents to prepare him for when things will happen. This is how they avoid frustration – at the same time as they get Ludvig down for dinner. – What is important for us is to be at the forefront, so that he has time to finish and does not start something new, explains Teigen. She thinks it is important that playing does not go beyond being with others, activities or schoolwork. At the same time, the game has value, as he has made good friends online. – It is only where he can be together with them. TALK TO THE CHILDREN A LOT: Teigen believes that as parents they can contribute to positive communication about what happens online. – I think that if we are interested and show that we care about what they are doing, it might be easier to come to us then, says Teigen. Photo: LARS ERIK SKREFSRUD / news Even if the parents are positive that the children explore the digital world, there is a need to set limits in a family with many screens. – If everyone has their own sound, then I can go crazy in the head, laughs Teigen. HEAR THE DIFFERENCE: Mamma Ingvild says that when Ludvig plays with Olve, he is calm and they are social together. When he plays with others, preferably several together, it is often louder and with stronger language. Ludvig recognizes himself in his mother’s description: – Yes, you have mentioned it quite a few times, he chuckles. Photo: LARS ERIK SKREFSRUD / news Positive presence The Digigen project has studied the digital everyday life of children and young people in kindergarten, school, in their free time and in the family. Now researchers believe that adults should work harder to create a positive dialogue with children. Children need and want adults who are engaged and present. In the same way as in football or piano lessons. – They lack a dialogue with parents and they lack a dialogue with teachers. They lack that the dialogue starts before things go “wrong”, says Professor Holmarsdottir at Oslo Met. Today, there is often a negative dialogue about the digital life of the child, she explains. The conversations are usually about online rules and limiting screen time. At the same time, she believes that adults are often insecure. How much space should social media get? Who is responsible for teaching children digital skills? What affects the child? FØREBUING: Holmarsdottir reminds that it is easier to handle difficult things if you have a good dialogue in the first place. She believes it is important for children that adults recognize the digital reality. Photo: PRESSEFOTO / Oslo Met There are children who are very influenced by what happens on the screen. But most manage well. Rather than being overprotective, Holmarsdottir believes that children must learn to cope with risk. In the same way that they learn to climb a tree or nail with a knife. – We are too busy with all possible risks. Yes, of course we have to be careful, but perhaps parents can use more resources and effort to start a positive dialogue, says Holmarsdottir. Facts about DigiGen DigiGen is a three-year, international research project. The project will be completed in November 2022. “The digital generation” is the generation of young people who have never experienced a world without the internet, smartphones and social media. It is this project’s name that DigiGen alludes to. The researchers have investigated how digitization and technology development affect the everyday lives of children and young people. The project has focused on family, educational institutions, leisure and children and young people’s participation in society. The researchers have developed effective guidelines and practices for social media, education, health and cyber security in collaboration with national and international stakeholders. During the project period, the researchers used various research methods. Throughout the period, they have included children and young people as co-researchers and co-creators. They have had contact with children and young people in games, digital diaries and discussion forums. In addition, interviews were conducted with children, parents, grandparents and teachers. Young people aged 10 – 15 have also contributed to the project through an app that the researchers have developed. Professor Halla B. Holmarsdottir at the Faculty of Teacher Education and International Studies, Oslo Metropolitan University, has been project manager for the research project. Read more about the project here. TWO WORLDS THAT CANNOT BE SEPARATED: The research shows that children’s digital and physical values flow together. At home in the living room at Brøttum, the 12-year-olds Tuva Teigen Ødegård, Andrea Sønsteli Skrukkerud, Synne Skaug Hallonen are on social media. They are often active on digital platforms while they are physically together. Photo: LARS ERIK SKREFSRUD / news – Just talk Together with Kripos, the police districts in the interior, south-east, west and east are working to be more present on the internet. In their own way, they must try out new ways of working. Police Superintendent Hege Fossum and First Police Officer Aleksander Vatn in the internet patrol in Inlandet believe that adults must try to understand how children perceive what happens online. Among other things, it may seem foreign to young people that adults do not consider what happens online as part of “the real world”. – It is important not to differentiate too much between what many would call the real world, i.e. the physical world, and the digital world. Actually, it is one and the same, explains Vatn. FACEBOOK GROUP: Aleksander Vatn and Hege Fossum have created a group on Facebook for parents with children at primary school level. The group now has 4,600 members. Photo: Astrid Gerdts / news The Nettpatruljen points out that there are big differences in how much knowledge parents have about games and social media. Vatn encourages parents to talk to the young, even if you feel unsure. The child can explain to you what it is all about, he believes. Once a month, Hege Fossum and the police teddy bear “Trygg” are online in the Facebook group. They answer questions from children and adults, create competitions and accept “challenges”. Aleksander encourages adults to make room for fun things and mastery experiences. – Dream scenario For Ludvig, playing is also being together with Olve. He is happy to get home from school and log on. The boys have talked about meeting. Most of all, Ludvig would like to visit Olve in Alta, approx. 660 kilometers further north. Or that Olve is coming to Brøttum. – Getting to meet Olve physically, that would have been absolutely fantastic. It would have been the biggest thing for Ludvig. They really have a strong bond, says mother Ingvild Teigen. Tips and practical tools for adults The DigiGen project has learned that adults are often unsure of how to talk to children and young people about digital everyday life. They have therefore developed conversation cards that adults can use when talking to the young people. The cards are free and available to everyone here. The police encourage everyone to learn how to protect themselves and their loved ones against unpleasant experiences and online abuse. Read more about the police’s tips for safe internet use here. If you need to get in touch with the police online patrol in your district, see here.
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Children need and want more support from adults in the digital world – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
