Field notes · Busy dad life
Screen time and your own habits: the phone rule that starts with you
Most dads I talk to are worried about their kids' screen time. Then I ask how many hours their own phone says, and the room goes quiet. Mine was worse than I wanted to admit.
Dai Manuel · Coach Moose · Vancouver
Why it matters for you
Late-night scrolling pushes back bedtime and the light and stimulation make it harder to fall asleep. The hours add up too: time on the phone is time not spent moving, reading or talking to the people in the room.
Your kids notice. They learn more about phones from watching you than from any rule you set.
Three rules that work
Phone out of the bedroom, with a cheap alarm clock instead. No phones at the table, for anyone, including you. And a fixed time the phone goes on the charger at night.
Swap the ten minutes of evening scrolling for ten minutes of reading. That is the reading third of the thirty minutes a day, and most men find they sleep better within a week.
Common questions
- How much screen time is too much for adults?
- There is no single number. Watch what it pushes out: sleep, movement, time with family. If those suffer, it is too much.
- Does phone use before bed really hurt sleep?
- For many people, yes, mainly by delaying bedtime and keeping the mind switched on. A screen-free last half hour is a simple test.
Sources
- Sleep Foundation, How electronics affect sleep
- The Whole Life Fitness Manifesto, Dai Manuel