Is It Time To Put Your Phone In Jail?

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I was asked by the Sun News UK
newspaper to write 5 quirky and unexpected tips parents can use to wean their kids off their phones:

📲Create a “Phone Jail” for Family Time:

Place all phones in a decorative box or “jail” during meals or family activities. This creates a fun and visible reminder to be present, encouraging real-life interaction and reducing screen time.

📲Introduce a Tech-Free Day with a Theme:

Dedicate one day a week to be completely tech-free, themed around an engaging activity like a “Retro Day” with board games or outdoor adventures. This breaks the routine, making the tech break feel like a special event rather than a restriction.

📲 Implement a Reward System for Screen-Free Hours:

Offer small rewards or privileges for every hour they spend away from their phone, such as extra playtime or a special treat. This positive reinforcement builds a habit of valuing offline activities.

📲Create a Family Digital Detox Day:

If you were going to run a marathon you wouldn’t just put on your trainers and run 26 miles. Same with incrementally coming off smartphones.

📲Go ‘Cold Turkey’ in bite sized intermittent moments:

How about switching off every day at a certain time for an hour or turning off on a Saturday or Sunday for two?

This makes coming off device’s fun not a punishment!

In my new book ‘Unplugged Adventures: A Book of Digital Detox Ideas for the Whole Family’

I suggest calling a detox digital day fun names like:

Mindful Monday

Tech-Free Tuesday

Wi-Fi-Free Wednesday

Turn Off Thursday

Family Fun Fridays

Screen-Free Saturday

Switch Off Sunday

Or your own family catch phrase:

‘It’s Gadget-Free Grub Time!’

‘It’s Unplug and Play Time!’

“It’s Switch Off & Tune In Time!”

“It’s Eyes Up, Devices Down Time!”

– just have fun creating your own catch phase.

📲 Use Apps that Limit Usage:

Install apps that gamify phone usage limits, turning it into a challenge or competition. These apps can send friendly reminders or reward points for sticking to usage goals, making it a game to reduce screen time.

If you like my ideas you’ll love 💕 my new

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with friends Angeline Corvaglia Tara Jones

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