1. Restructure the home screen
Encourage your son to move his most addictive, high-usage apps to a new part of his phone—ideally inside a new folder labelled "distractions" or "time wasters."
This isn't about banning apps, but about interrupting the habit of opening apps and scrolling endlessly. A simple change in app location can spark a major shift in behaviour.
2. Turn off unimportant notifications
'Either we are in control of our phones, or our phones are in control of us.'
We advise students to turn off notifications for all non-essential apps—particularly the most addictive ones. This helps them check their phone on their own terms, rather than every time someone else demands their attention.
3. Set physical boundaries
One of the worst places for screen use is the bedroom—especially before sleep.
Families can agree to keep devices charging overnight in a shared space (like the kitchen or living room).
If your son uses his phone as an alarm clock, consider switching to a basic digital alarm.
This small change can dramatically improve sleep quality and attention span.
4. Set time restrictions
Most smartphones allow you to limit usage through built-in settings (like iPhone's Settings > Screen Time > App Limits).
Beyond that, consider a family-wide rule—such as "no phones after 7pm."
Reduced screen exposure in the evening improves mood and overall wellbeing.
5. Set an alarm before scrolling
If your son struggles with endless scrolling on apps like TikTok or Instagram Reels, encourage him to set a timer first.
A 15–20 minute alarm makes the session intentional—not infinite—and creates a natural pause point once the alarm goes off.
6. Clean up the algorithm
Sit down with your son and ask who he follows online. Talk through what kind of content is visible in his feed.
Encourage him to unfollow any accounts that make him feel worse and follow those that promote creativity, learning or positivity.
This helps train the algorithm to serve content that is positive (rather than negative).
7. Try a one-week app break
As a family, challenge yourselves to delete just one addictive app each for one week.
This is a great way to reset habits and reflect on how the app actually impacts mood, sleep and productivity.
You can debrief together at the end of the week to discuss what you noticed.
