How to break phubbing addiction in teens

To begin with, what is phubbing? It is ‘phone snubbing’, being on a phone while a real person is there right in front for interaction. It means Mr. X can continue sending text messages to Ms. Y while sitting across the table from her. If your teenager has started this, stop it before it becomes a mental health issue. Here are a few things you can do.  
 
Observe your teen’s behaviour. First step, identify it. Panic reactions from parents are never wise. Is your teen making eye contact and engaging actively in face-to-face interactions? Or is your teen always reaching for a mobile phone when in the presence of others? Try to throw a question or comment that will get their attention and make them talk to you. For example: ‘why don’t you put that phone down?’ may not work. But ‘where did you buy that really great t-shirt?’ might work well.  
 
Talk to your teen about it in private. Snubbing in person is as bad as phubbing. So get them to talk while you share a meal or work together on doing the dishes. First ask why they are doing it, whether they feel neglected or bored or disconnected in any way. Explain why phubbing can disconnect them more from the world. Tell them that catching up on social media might mean missing out on real life. And if that keeps happening, what are the events they will upload?  

Review your own behaviour. Are you on your phone or laptop all the time? Are you using work from home as an excuse to block interaction with your kids? Please consider this: you are a model phubber, and you are not multitasking, you are inefficient 

Introduce the concept of Do Not Disturb. If your teen doesn’t like it, play their game. Tell them setting social media and phone interaction hours only prove to others that they have a life too! Explain that turning off notifications might make them appear cooler rather than cutting them off. It will also help in emphasising work-related use. Tell your teenager that round-the-clock mobile interaction can happen only when group study, test prep or group projects are happening.