How to Get Kids to Do Chores: Does the Maya Method Work?

This would require convincing my other family members to give up their smartphones (such as my wife) and that ain't going to happen. You see, unless the family you've made is a strict dictatorship, there's more than one vote. And I don't want to live in or create a dictatorship.

My wife and I both agree to do smartphone detox every once in awhile. We set the parental control passwords on each other’s phones, and block safari and web browsing, and new app installs. Also YouTube and social media apps.

We can still listen to audiobooks and it’s voluntary both ways. My wife decides what she wants me to block and if the other asks we re enable it.

The first few days really really suck. It’s super boring and I feel like an addict with how many times I unlock my phone then realize there’s nothing to do on it.

At the same time, after you’ve reset your “baseline” stimulation level, it’s amazing how many things get done. Also, my daughter LOVES how much attention she gets.

It’s not a dictatorship, but that doesn’t mean you and your wife can’t be of one accord sometimes. If it’s sometbing you’re truly interest in, and not just writing off because you think it’s a dumb idea, have a conversation with your wife. You might be surprised.

From what you describe it seems you already live under the dictatorship of the locked down pocket computer that can be used to make phone calls.

Clearly your family is engaging in voluntary servitude and is probably highly dependent.