As many as 9 out of 10 young people spend time on social networks. The life of children on social networks begins at the second stage of elementary school (71%), which is double the figure for the first stage of school. According to an exclusive survey by Slovenská sporiteľňa, online gaming, chatting or learning is also popular among children. The digital era, which is dramatically changing the lives particularly of the younger generation, was a topic of the Ladies’ Business Club meeting in May. How can parents see to it that technologies act as a good servant and not a bad master?

“The parent sets boundaries. The problem is not to make a change, but rather to stick to it.  It is not a problem to give up your computer, but rather to wean yourself off it. Technologies help us overcome distance. But they can’t bring us closer. They help us; let’s not misjudge them. They shouldn’t, though, use us,” said the psychologist Robert Krause at the Ladies’ Business Club.

Adam Hodoši, a final-year pupil, earns money by playing video games. “Each night, from seven to eleven, I play the European league. From two to six in the morning, the American league. I started playing when I had health problems and I had to stay at home, and I got an individual study plan from school.  I don’t think that I have been swallowed up in it. But I do believe that on average my peers spend as much as 12 hours a day on the Internet,” commented Adam. Every second elementary school pupil cannot resist online gaming.

Internet games are, in his words, made so that a person won’t stop. “People are meant to play them as much as possible. But people should set themselves a daily limit of a certain number of hours and not more. It earns me money; it’s like a part-time job,” said Adam.

Slávka Kubíková, author of the book The Club of Unbreakable Children [Klub nerozbitných detí], claims that the rise of technologies is increasingly suppressing the importance of natural things for children and young people, such as building real relationships and active outdoor pursuits.

“The average time a Slovak teenager spends in front of a smart phone screen is five hours a day. It is not good if they then don’t later do other activities, such as sports. Neither children or teenagers can tear themselves off it. Technologies are made very attractively. You need to have proper control over your own time,” added Kubíková.

Marek Fašiang, a successful actor and entrepreneur, has dominated social networks in recent months. On Instagram he has over 86 000 followers. “The term ‘influencer’ today is, in my opinion, one of abuse. There is less personal contact, we perceive reality through an unreal virtuality,” says Fašiang.

Guests at the Ladies’ Business Club agreed that it is necessary to talk with the younger generation more about the Internet. According to Slovenská sporiteľňa’s survey, the most common partner in talks about the risks of the Internet are parents, followed by friends and classmates, who talk about this topic particularly with secondary and junior school pupils. Besides parents, primary schoolchildren most often talk about this topic with their teachers.

Following the end of an interesting panel discussion, hosted as is traditional by Andrea Belányiová, the ladies were presented with Slovak brands, such as the unique botanical concept Botanical Lab; the brand of Lemur glowing T-shirts; personalised jewels from Motivo; or the designer studio of Mach & Krovina and a traditional Slovak folk majolica. During the evening clients were also presented with a book on the search for lost childhood happiness in the modern age of tablets, from the writer Slávka Kubíková – The Club of Unbreakable Children. The evening also included a tasting of rosé wines from the wine supplier ProVino.

What is Erste Private Banking Ladies’ Business Club?

A forum where our successful and opinion-forming Slovak women meet.  Its aim is to bring interesting topics and generate discussion on trends in business or positive and negative experiences in their business or personal life.  Although Erste Private Banking has been organising various events for women for six years now, the Ladies’ Business Club has become a regular platform, where participants can get to know and inspire one another.  Meetings are regularly enriched also by extraordinary experiences in the form of tastings or viewings of local brands.

What is Erste Private Banking?

According to the prestigious magazine, The Banker, Erste Group ranks among the financial houses with the best private banking in Central and Eastern Europe. Erste Private Banking in Slovakia manages more than €800 million in assets and manages more than 1 500 clients.