Smartphones, games, social media, AI — our children are growing up in a world for which there are no child-rearing rules tested across generations. In my book “Die Kunst, im Chaos zu erziehen” I therefore tried to write down what has proven effective in my own family and in training with children: ten clear guiding principles for everyday digital life.
The golden rule above all of them is found in every culture: treat others the way you want to be treated. That applies online just as much as offline — perhaps even more so, because in the digital world the consequences of our own actions often stay invisible.
1. Thou shalt use technology — but not serve it.
2. Thou shalt tell truth from deception.
3. Thou shalt preserve times of quiet.
4. Honor thy parents — and parents, be role models.
5. Thou shalt rob no one of their joy in life.
6. Thou shalt guard real relationships.
7. Thou shalt steal no one's time.
8. Thou shalt be honest.
9. Thou shalt not constantly compare thyself to others.
10. Thou shalt never forget to be human.
None of these are prohibitions. They are guardrails — for children just as much as for parents who are glued to their own phones while demanding more discipline from their kids. Anyone who lives these ten points in everyday family life, rather than just stating them, equips their children to thrive in a world that changes faster than any rule from yesterday could ever keep up with.
More on this — and how to put it into practice day to day — in the book “Die Kunst, im Chaos zu erziehen”.