Kids sitting on the floor viewing a tablet.

At this point, most parents have a love-hate relationship with screens.

They help us get through the day. They keep our kids occupied when we’re finishing a meeting, cooking dinner, or just trying to breathe for five minutes. But they also have a way of taking over. Little by little, screen time becomes all-the-time—and before you know it, everyone’s on edge and no one’s really talking to each other.

Every fall, I start to hear the same thing from patients. Some version of: “We really need to cut back on screens. We were going to reset after summer, but… we haven’t.”

I get it. The start of the school year is a blur. Schedules shift, responsibilities multiply, and habits don’t reset themselves overnight. But that’s exactly why now is the right time to have this conversation.

Not because you need to aim for perfection. But because your brain—and your kids’ brains—need a break.

Why It Feels So Hard to Cut Back

Here’s what’s real: screens are designed to keep us coming back. They are built to light up the same reward pathways in the brain that respond to sugar, gambling, and even some drugs. That hit of dopamine we get from a new like, a new message, a new video—it’s fast, and it’s addicting.

And our kids? Their brains are still developing. Their impulse control isn’t fully formed. They’re not wired to self-regulate something that’s been programmed to keep them scrolling. Honestly, neither are most adults.

So if you’ve been feeling like it’s harder than it should be to shut the phone off, you’re not wrong. And if your teen loses it when you take away the tablet, that’s not a parenting failure. That’s biology doing what it’s been trained to do.

What Too Much Screen Time Does

It’s not just about wasted time. When screen time piles up, sleep gets worse. Focus gets harder. Anxiety increases. You see more irritability, more withdrawal, less engagement.

Some families start to notice everyone is in the same room—but no one’s really there.

I’m not here to tell you to ban screens. That’s not realistic. But I do want to make a case for recalibrating, especially as fall routines settle in.

Because even a small shift in screen habits can lead to big changes in mood, sleep, and connection.

Start Where You Are

A digital detox doesn’t need to mean going off-grid. What matters most is choosing something doable—and sticking with it long enough to notice the difference.

Here’s what I often suggest to families in my practice:

Pick one screen-free window each day.
Dinner is a great place to start, but it could be 30 minutes before bed or the first hour after school. Keep it consistent. Make it a family norm, not a punishment.

Move the chargers.
If phones sleep in bedrooms, they’ll get used there too. Consider keeping them in a shared space overnight. If you’re ready for a bigger change, get an old-fashioned alarm clock and leave the phone out of the room completely.

Watch your own habits.
This one stings, but it’s real. Kids mirror what they see. If we’re always checking our phones at red lights, during conversations, or in the middle of dinner, they will too. You don’t have to be perfect. But they notice what we model.

Give them an alternative.
Taking screens away without offering another option leads to frustration. Keep a book basket. Pull out a puzzle. Suggest a walk. Play music. It doesn’t need to be elaborate—it just needs to exist.

Let them be bored.
We’ve convinced ourselves that boredom is a problem to solve. It’s not. Boredom is a starting point. Let kids figure it out. They might whine. That’s okay. Eventually, they’ll find something to do that isn’t fed to them by an algorithm.

For the Adults in the Room

This reset isn’t just for kids. If you’re honest with yourself, you probably need it too.

If you reach for your phone every time you feel overwhelmed, you’re not alone. But that kind of escape can quietly become avoidance. And over time, it takes a toll on your focus, your sleep, and your ability to be present.

Try a few minutes a day without the background noise. Step outside without your phone. Drink your coffee and actually taste it. If it feels uncomfortable at first, you’re probably doing it right.

You Don’t Have to Be Perfect

This isn’t about rules. It’s about rhythms. It’s about noticing what doesn’t feel good anymore—and trying something different.

Every family will have their own version of this. Some will keep it casual. Others will make a plan. What matters is that it works for you and that it makes your home feel calmer, your brain feel clearer, and your time feel a little more your own.

If your teen is struggling with anxiety, irritability, or disrupted sleep—and screens seem to be part of the equation—we can help. Our approach to care is personal and holistic. We don’t just treat symptoms. We look at the whole picture.

You can schedule a visit by calling 720-805-0720 or visiting www.lindseycassidymd.com. We’re based in Cherry Creek and care for families across the Denver area.

A Reset That Sticks

There’s no magic fix for digital overload. But there is value in pressing pause—on the scrolling, the multitasking, the noise. Especially now, as we head into the season of more. A reset doesn’t need to be dramatic. It just needs to be honest. Start with ten minutes. See what changes.