Picture: 4evermyself, Momio Netherlands

I have this friend. One night she tries to reach me on Messenger. I don’t answer because I disabled the notifications on my Messenger App. Then she texts me. “Buzz”, she writes. “Please look at your Messenger – I know you disabled your notifications, that’s why I’m writing you an SMS”. I check it right away because I think it’s urgent. But it isn’t. Just some questions that she thought would be nice to get answered straight away.

On Momio, we sometimes see kids making posts where they say they need a break from social media because they feel stressed. And we totally understand that. You need to do other things than just constantly be available and online. One kid wrote that it feels like someone is waiting just behind your back if you don’t answer right away, so she felt that she must be online all the time. It should be okay, and is in fact a right, that your friends can’t reach you immediately, and it should be fine to be with friends or family outside SoMe.

This is one of the reasons we close Momio at night. We can’t control the children’s notification settings during the day, but at least we can assure a calm night without any buzzes and bings from Momio.

We don’t think a “Digital Detox” is necessary, but it might be a good idea to help your child decide how much time is spent online and on what. You can’t really think in hours spent with the tablet or phone but rather what the time is spent on and when during the day. Showing support about not being available 24/7 would be a huge help to your kid. Maybe it’s time to talk about this topic at school amongst parents. And to be honest, it starts with you – the adult role model. 

TIME FOR TIPS!

Tips for making sure things don’t go overboard in your family:

• Be interested in your child’s online life, ask questions and seek knowledge about the apps your child is using. And remember: they change all the time.
• Recognize that digital and social media for children are an entry ticket to communities and friendships.
• Consider introducing media-free zones and media-free time slots.
• Be a good role model for following time limits and being present when agreed.
• Avoid thinking in screen time but rather what is done during the time spent in front of a screen.
• Good luck!

Picture: alberte b., Momio Denmark

Tuesday was Safer Internet Day in all of EU. True to tradition, we celebrate it on Momio – for a full week!

We call this theme week Better Internet Week, and it is my favourite time on Momio. It’s fun to prepare, and reading the children’s thoughts is fascinating. Even when we think that a topic like fake news might be a bit challenging for the kids, we get amazed by their answers. They know things, they have their own opinions, they discuss, they ask. What more could we want?

Here are some highlights of the week!

ONLINE ROLE MODELS

Our society has started to understand that the time kids spend online is not wasted. In many cases, quite the contrary! We know that kids follow artists and influencers, and were curious to find out who their online role models are.

YouTube stars were mentioned a lot. The stars vary from country to country, but the comments are similar in all countries:

• She is so funny and friendly!
• He always brightens my day!
• I learn so much from his videos – and they’re funny!
• She has shown me that it’s OK to say what you think, even if most people don’t think that way.
• I get inspired!

Maybe some of the videos seem odd or even annoying to us grown-ups, but they sure make a difference in kids’ lives!

NOBODY LIKES FAKE NEWS

The generation growing up now has to be able to spot fake news in a scale we’ve never seen before. We asked what the kids think of fake news. They don’t like them (phew!), and shared stories and tips on the topic.

Fake news are disgusting. When I was younger, I heard that a war is coming. I got really scared and started to cry. It took ages for my mom to convince me that it’s not true. It’s a shame that people tell lies that will scare others. It’s not fair towards those who don’t know how to spot the lies among the truth.

How to spot fake news? Cross-check! See if any other paper writes the same thing.

KNOWING WHO TO TALK TO

The internet is full of great things, but like always when a bunch of people are gathered, things can go wrong. It’s important that children share bad experiences with someone, so they can get the help and understanding they need and deserve. Momio’s police officer Jack asked what kids do in these situations, and the answers delighted us. They share with parents, siblings, friends and pets, and they report to the service in question.

MORE On MOMIO!

The theme of better internet continues on Momio all week. During the rest of the week, we will cover topics like positivity, empathy and faceless communication. Ask your child to give you a #BetterInternetWeek tour on Momio! And see our Twitter for more highlights!