Strategies for Overcoming Phone Dependence: Specialist Offers Straightforward Advice for Families
Mel Robbins: Achieving a "Phone-Life Balance" in Families
Mel Robbins, a New York Times best-selling author and podcast host, has shared strategies for achieving a "phone-life balance" in families. She emphasizes that this balance starts with parents changing their own phone habits, as children often imitate adult behavior.
Robbins advises that adults need to set better phone boundaries at home to prevent devices from taking over family time. She suggests creating phone-free moments during everyday activities such as waiting in lines to practice mindfulness, instead of mindlessly reaching for phones.
Another tip Robbins shares is keeping phones in a dedicated charging station rather than carrying them around all the time, to reduce compulsive checking. She strongly warns against sleeping with a phone, as it can disrupt sleep.
Robbins emphasizes the importance of making dinner time a completely phone-free zone for everyone, fostering uninterrupted family interaction. If parents must use their phones during family time, she suggests being transparent with kids about when and how long the phone will be used, then putting it away to show that family time is the priority.
Robbins notes that when parents constantly check their phones, children perceive devices as more important than family time. She stresses that attention and time are valuable resources, especially for children, and better boundaries are necessary to ensure technology serves rather than disrupts family life.
Robbins also suggests making children leave their phones downstairs at bedtime. She teamed up with Verizon for an event in New York City to share her strategies.
Robbins' philosophy is that phones can be wonderful tools for connection and work, but require clear boundaries and mindful use at home to protect family relationships and well-being. By setting these boundaries, parents can show their children that family time matters most.
- Mel Robbins, during her interview about achieving a "phone-life balance" in families, emphasizes the importance of keeping phones in a dedicated charging station at home to reduce compulsive checking and encourage family bonding.
- Robbins, in her discussion about the role of technology in families, strongly warns against sleeping with a phone, as it can disrupt sleep and send a message to children that devices are more important than family time.
- In her strategies for fostering a healthy lifestyle and home-and-garden environment, Robbins suggests making dinner time a completely phone-free zone and recommends that children leave their phones downstairs at bedtime to prioritize family relationships and well-being.
