Words for a difficult moment
A complete script for “all my friends are allowed.”
PDF page 6 of 31A practical 7-day plan to help you set clearer boundaries and make more room for family time. Get the words to say, activities to offer, and agreements to build on—without banning devices.
Get the complete PDF reset — $17 · One-time payment
You set a limit. They ask for five more minutes. By bedtime, you’re negotiating again—and wondering how to make tomorrow different.
The 7-day reset brings three tools together, so you have something to turn to when a boundary meets resistance.
Have the words ready. Use the conversation scripts for familiar sticking points, from bedtime requests to “all my friends have it.”
Give them somewhere to go next. Choose an activity for their age, so switching off comes with an idea for what to do instead.
Make the plan easy to return to. Use the printable agreements and weekly planners to put expectations somewhere the family can see them.
The daily plan gives these tools a structure. You bring the knowledge of your child and adapt the approach to your home.
Get the complete resetSeven days gives you a place to start. The aim is a routine you can keep practising, with clearer expectations for everyone.
Put your screen time rules in writing, so everyone knows what you’ve agreed. The book includes a printable agreement for parents and children, plus a guide to the family meeting where you create it.
Use the agreement alongside the conversation scripts and activity ideas. You get both the written plan and help with the moments when following it is hard.
See the screen time agreement ↓Three actual pages from Screens Down, Family Up. Explore a conversation script, screen-free activities, and the printable family screen time agreement.
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A complete script for “all my friends are allowed.”
PDF page 6 of 31Baking ideas by age, outdoor games, and a nature day plan.
PDF page 16 of 31A printable agreement for daily limits, screen-free zones, and shared commitments.
PDF page 9 of 31Your child says: “But ALL my friends are allowed! I'm going to be left out of everything!”
Don’t say: “I don't care what other families do.”
Say this instead:
“You're right — a lot of your friends do have more screen time, and I get why that feels unfair. Being left out is a real worry, and I'm not ignoring it. Here's what we'll do: your time with friends is protected — we'll make sure you never miss the things that matter to you. What we're changing is the scrolling-alone time. Can you help me figure out which parts matter most to you, so we protect those first?”
Excerpt from PDF page 6.
Get the complete reset31-page PDF · Illustrated activities ebook included
Lawrence Martin is a father of three who wanted more connection around his own dinner table. After months of trial and error at home, he developed the approach behind Screens Down, Family Up.
He writes about family connection and finding balance with technology. His kids still ask for more screen time. The goal is a better way to handle those conversations—and more time together.
Get the day-by-day plan, 12 scripts, printable templates, and the illustrated 50 Screen-Free Activities ebook in one purchase.