My daughter is 14, and like most teens, her phone felt glued to her hand—TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, nonstop. It was affecting her sleep, her mood, and even how she spoke to me. So during our one-week family vacation, I tried something bold: no phone for seven days.
The reaction was instant—eye rolls, yelling, slammed doors. Day 1 was pure meltdown; she sulked like I’d stolen her air supply. Day 2 wasn’t much better, full of “What am I supposed to DO?” complaints. But by Day 3, something shifted—she started sitting with us, watching TV. On Day 4, she actually laughed at dinner. By Day 5, she helped with groceries without protest. On Day 6, she finally talked to me—nothing deep, just… talking. And on Day 7, I found her on the deck, quietly reading a book she’d ignored for months.
When the week ended, I handed her phone back. She didn’t snatch it. She just shrugged and said, “That wasn’t as bad as I thought.” It didn’t magically solve everything, but for one week, I had my kid back. And maybe, just maybe, she found a little piece of herself again too.
