My Son Is Constantly on His Phone, I Took Away the Screens for Good

Parenting tech-obsessed teens comes with its own set of hurdles, especially now when social media and the internet are such a big part of their lives. One mom, feeling overwhelmed by her son's constant phone use and his behavior, reached her breaking point and took his phone away. She reached out to us, seeking guidance on how to handle the situation.

We appreciate you reaching out and sharing your story with us. To help you navigate this situation, we’ve put together a few practical tips. These suggestions aim to foster healthy habits and encourage better communication between you and your child. Hopefully, they’ll make things a little easier for you moving forward!

Focus on building trust and respect.

It’s important to rebuild trust after a tense moment like this. Let him know that while you want to set limits, you also trust him to make good decisions and want to work as a team to find solutions. Acknowledge that neither of you handled the situation perfectly and commit to improving together.

When he sees that you’re willing to meet him halfway, he’ll be more likely to reciprocate and approach future conflicts with a better attitude.

Set clear boundaries around screen time.

Instead of completely taking away his devices, establish clear and fair boundaries for when and how he can use them. Create a schedule together so he feels involved in the process, like setting specific times for meals, family activities, and homework.

Emphasize that you’re not banning screens but teaching him how to balance his time in a healthy way. Having clear boundaries can reduce power struggles and help him understand your expectations without feeling like his freedom is being taken away.

Make family time fun and inviting.

If you want him to spend more time with the family, make family activities something he looks forward to. Plan things you know he’ll enjoy, like a movie night with his favorite snacks, cooking a meal together, or going out for an activity he’s excited about.

Let him help choose what you do—it shows him you value his preferences. When family time feels enjoyable and not like a chore, he’ll be more willing to participate, and it can help rebuild your connection.

Model healthy technology use.

Kids often mimic what they see, so take this opportunity to model balanced tech habits yourself. Show him that you put your phone down during meals or when having a conversation. This creates a shared goal rather than making it feel like he’s the only one being monitored.

If you can make it a team effort, he might feel less singled out and more willing to reflect on his own habits. Leading by example can subtly influence him to strike a better balance with his devices.

Finding the right balance between showing kindness to your child and setting firm boundaries is no easy task. One mom decided to take a new approach by adopting the popular trend of praising children, even when their behavior wasn’t exactly angelic.