A written family agreement: the table is a screen-free zone for everyone in the home.

All phones and TV out during dinner — at least one daily meal.

Basket near table. Every phone in pre-first-bite. First to touch washes dishes.

At dinner, each family member shares his biggest mistake of the day — normalizes failure and reinforces growth mindset.

Before asking your child to put their phone away at the table, put yours away first — modeling beats any spoken rule.

Replace "how was school?" with a daily-varying open question that invites a story not "fine."

Tell your child about your failures weekly — the biggest gift granting him "permission to fail."

Do not call out of the blue. Text an hour before: "Can I have 15 minutes now or after dinner?"