How do I get my teen off their phone?

Concerns & risks

You were trying to have a nice dinner with your teen, but they're glued to their phone and barely look up.

Screens affect sleep and family time.

Causes & evidence

A family media plan sets shared rules. See kids' screen time.

What to do

1. Agree on phone-free times.
2. Charge phones outside bedrooms.
3. Model the rules yourself.

Common mistakes: Common mistakes: grabbing the phone in anger or setting rules that you don't follow yourself. Talk about it together and agree on some phone-free times, like meals and before bed. Explain the why, such as sleep and family time. Consider a family charging station outside bedrooms. Show interest in what they do online. Model the behavior you want. Ask your teen to help write the family rules; they're more likely to follow rules they helped create. Talk about online safety and privacy without lecturing. Encourage activities they enjoy offline, like sports, music or time with friends. Notice signs that phone use is causing problems with sleep, grades or mood, and discuss it. Keep the conversation going; it's not one talk but many. Stay curious rather than judgmental, so they come to you when something goes wrong online.

Speed Man tip: Talk, don't just take.

Wrap-up: Plan. Charging. Model.