A Digital Detox With Your Child

Sometimes it feels like your child is always on a phone, tablet, or computer. Asking them to put a device away can be hard. The conversation quickly turns into an argument, and everyone ends up tired and irritated.

This is not a reason to panic. Often, a child simply needs a break from noise, bright screens, and constant stimulation. This kind of break is called a digital detox.

We have collected simple ideas on how to try it together — calmly, gently, and without strict bans.

Why Spending Too Much Time on Screens Can Be a Problem

Today, both children and adults spend more time on screens than they realize. Research shows that teens ages 13–18 can spend up to 9 hours a day on digital devices.

This much screen time affects several areas at once. A child may move less, sleep worse, and have trouble concentrating. Some children experience anxiety, mood swings, or signs of mental fatigue.

Screens can also replace face-to-face communication, free play, walks, and simple time together. But these moments are what help build trust, empathy, and the ability to connect with others.

If screens have become constant background noise for your child, it may be time for a short pause. A digital detox helps the brain rest, switch gears, and remember that life has many other interesting things to offer.

How to Prepare for a Digital Detox

A digital detox is not a punishment. It is a way to take care of yourself and your child and find balance between online and real life.

For a screen break to go smoothly, it helps to talk it through in advance instead of just taking devices away. Here is what can help.

1. Talk about it ahead of time

Explain in simple words why taking a break from screens can be helpful. For example, it gives the eyes a rest, improves sleep, and leaves more time for play and connection. When the reason is clear, it is easier for a child to accept the idea.

2. Agree together instead of banning

Children cope better when they feel their opinion matters. Try choosing the day or time for a digital pause together. Start small, for example with a couple of hours, and then talk about how it went.

3. Make the time predictable

When a child knows how long the break will last, it is easier to switch activities. Sand timers, kitchen timers, or a simple daily schedule posted somewhere visible can help.

4. Plan what to do instead of screens

“No phone” should not mean “nothing to do.” Offer alternatives in advance:

• Board games or reading aloud
• A walk or a small outdoor adventure
• Creative activities you can do together
• Conversations about topics everyone enjoys

When a child feels invited to try something new rather than being deprived of something familiar, a digital detox feels much easier.

What Comes Next

If the digital pause went smoothly, that is great. If it was hard, that is also normal. You already took an important step by trying a new approach.

Over time, these breaks can become a regular part of family life. For example, one screen-free evening a week with games, a walk, or a quiet dinner together.

Eventually, your child may start noticing on their own when they want to put the phone away and switch activities. Not because of rules, but because they can listen to themselves.

The most important things here are support, involvement, and trust. When an adult is nearby and engaged, a child really can manage this.

References

• Associations Between Screen Time Use and Health Outcomes Among US Teenagers, Preventing Chronic Disease, 2025
• “From the moment I wake up I will use it…every day, very hour”: a qualitative study on the patterns of adolescents’ mobile touch screen device use from adolescent and parent perspectives, BMC Pediatrics, 2019
• Logged In and Zoned Out: How Laptop Internet Use Relates to Classroom Learning, Psychological Science, 2016