“Get off the phone!”

Your teen gets in the car after school with their eyes glued to their phone. 

You say, “Hi honey! How was your day?”

Your distracted teen mumbles, “Fine.”

It’s like you don’t exist.

It’s dinner time and they are checking their phone under the table.

You say, “Please put your phone away.”

And your teen yells, “I have to check something!”

You think, what could possibly be so important?

You open their door to see how homework is going and they are scrolling TikTok.

You say, “You really need to put that away.”

And they yell, “Mom! I know what I’m doing!”

Annoyance kicks in.
Sometimes anger.
Worry follows.

So how can you get your kid off their phone?

First, answer this question: WHY do you want your teen off their phone?

You want to talk to them!
You want to be a part of their life.
You want to know that they are going to be okay.

When you connect with your teen, you feel less worried and more confident that they are all right.

Here is a method that works:

First, find a good time to talk. Approach them calmly and compassionately.

Next, tell them you completely understand how difficult it is to put the phone away. Share that you have the same struggle because apps are addicting!

Then, express how you feel when they shut you out. (But don’t blame them!)

Tell them what you want. (See above.)

Ask them for their ideas on how to solve the problem.

Finally, look for a compromise.

When you invite them into a conversation and they feel like you understand their struggles, you can influence their choices.

And you leave the conversation feeling proud of how you handled a challenging situation.

♥️ Jeanine

P.S. How would it feel to worry less and be more confident in the direction your teen is headed? This is what happens when you coach with me. There is no better time to get started.

Click here and let’s talk.   

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