My teenager says they need their phone for school. What do I do?

We'll distinguish between educational and recreational use, set up proper boundaries that don't interfere with schoolwork, and create monitoring systems that respect their growing independence while keeping them safe.

Screen Time Coach UK | Gaming & Phone Addiction Help

Here's the Thing Nobody Tells You About Parental Controls

They treat symptoms, not causes. Your child bypasses them within weeks. And you're left thinking you've failed — when actually, you were given the wrong tool for the job.

Apps can block websites. They can set timers. But they can't explain to your child why they're being tricked. They can't get your family on the same page. They can't build habits that last.

That's where I come in. Whether you're setting up a first device or undoing years of bad habits — I help with the 95% that parental controls can't do.

After 12 years in schools — and having been through problematic gaming myself — I've seen every bypass method, every excuse, every failed approach. I help families find what works when everything else hasn't.

You're Not Alone

Which One Sounds Like Your Family?

I help families at every stage. Most aren't in crisis — they're just tired of fighting about screens.

Getting It Right First Time

Setting up a first phone, tablet, or console. You want to avoid the battles other parents warn you about.

Learn more

What I'll help you with:

Understanding what your child actually needs from their first device
Setting up smart defaults (controls, settings, and boundaries)
Creating a family agreement everyone actually follows
Having the conversation that sets expectations from day one

Prevention is always easier than intervention.

Book Your Session — £75

Most Common

Ending the Daily Battles

Every evening, the same fight. The negotiations, the meltdowns, the exhaustion. You're done.

Learn more

"Imagine you're in the middle of something important at work and someone shuts your laptop and says 'that's enough.' You'd be furious. Your child feels that same loss of control — except they don't have the words for it yet."

That's what time limits feel like to your child. The problem isn't enforcement — it's that limits alone don't change how screens make them feel.

What I'll help you with:

Understanding WHY your child reacts the way they do
Creating boundaries that get buy-in (not just resistance)
Transition techniques that prevent meltdowns
Getting both parents on the same page

Many families report improvement within the first few weeks.

Book Your Session — £75

Reconnecting With Your Child

They're physically there but mentally somewhere else. You miss who they used to be.

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What I'll help you with:

Assessing whether this is addiction or something else
Creating a gradual plan (cold turkey rarely works)
Rebuilding connection without constant conflict
Finding what they're escaping from — and addressing it

If your child has ADHD, autism, or is neurodivergent: I have 12 years' experience working in SEN settings. Standard advice often doesn't account for how differently neurodivergent brains respond to screen design. I do.

I've been where your child is. I understand the pull.

No 6-month NHS waiting list. Available this week.

Book Your Session — £75

Preparing Them to Thrive

You don't want to ban technology — you want them to master it. Creator, not consumer.

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"Teach your children how to protect themselves instead of you trying to protect them all the time."

You can't filter the whole internet. But you can raise a child who spots manipulation, understands algorithms, and chooses how they spend their attention.

What I'll help you with:

Teaching them to use technology purposefully, not passively
Helping them understand how apps hook their attention
Building skills that give them an advantage (not just safety)
Creating a family culture where screens are tools, not escapes

The kids who understand technology properly will thrive.

Book Your Session — £75

Why They Can't Just Put It Down

Games are built by thousands of engineers to be impossible to stop. Variable rewards, progression systems, social pressure — your child isn't weak. They're fighting technology built specifically to keep them playing.

The infinite scroll works the same way. Every swipe triggers dopamine while the algorithm learns exactly what keeps your teenager watching. This isn't a willpower problem. It's a design problem.

I know because I've been there. I'd play for 8 hours straight just to get one win so I could "start my day" — and I didn't think I had a problem until I checked the UK criteria. Then I got hooked on TikTok — while trying to make videos to help parents. The irony wasn't lost on me.

That's why I understand the pull. And that's why I can help your child understand it too.

Learn more about gaming addiction →

"I was 5 meters from my partner, but I was in a completely different world. The 20-minute match length is perfectly designed: short enough to justify one more, long enough to steal your entire evening."

— From my own experience with gaming

From Families I've Helped

What Results Look Like

★★★★★

"We'd tried everything — apps, timers, taking the Xbox away. Nothing worked until Daniel helped us understand what was actually going on. Within two weeks, the meltdowns stopped."

✓ Meltdowns stopped within 2 weeks

Sarah

Mum of two boys, ages 9 & 11

★★★★★

"When I came to Daniel, my family were seriously considering hospitalising my 12-year-old. By the end of one session, he had identified what was wrong and how to solve it."

✓ Clear assessment and plan in one session

Anonymous

Parent, daughter age 12

★★★★★

"We were setting up our daughter's first phone and didn't want to make the mistakes we'd seen other families make. Daniel gave us a complete plan that works really well for our family."

✓ First phone setup done right

Emma & David

Parents, daughter age 11

These are genuine client experiences. Individual results may vary.

Common Questions

How quickly will I see results?

Many families report noticeable improvements within the first few weeks. The key is implementing the strategies consistently.

What if my child is severely addicted?

I'll assess the severity, create a gradual reduction plan, and help you understand the psychology behind it. Cold turkey rarely works — I know because I tried both approaches myself.

What if my partner disagrees about screen time?

This is extremely common. Getting aligned as parents is part of what we work on. My methods don't require both parents to be on board — though it helps.

My teenager says they need their phone for school.

This is the most common argument I hear. I'll help you separate legitimate school use from the excuse, and create boundaries that work without enabling addiction.

What happens during a session?

We'll discuss your specific challenges, I'll help you understand what's driving the behaviour, and you'll leave with actionable strategies you can implement straight away.

When Screens Take Over, I Help Families Find Their Way Back

Here's the Thing Nobody Tells You About Parental Controls

Which One Sounds Like Your Family?

Getting It Right First Time

What I'll help you with:

Ending the Daily Battles

What I'll help you with:

Reconnecting With Your Child

What I'll help you with:

Preparing Them to Thrive

What I'll help you with:

Why They Can't Just Put It Down

Take a Quick Quiz

Gaming Quiz

Social Media Quiz

General Screen Time

What Results Look Like

Common Questions

How quickly will I see results?

What if my child is severely addicted?

What if my partner disagrees about screen time?

My teenager says they need their phone for school.

What happens during a session?

Ready to Find Your Family's Balance?