My teenage son refuses to get off his phone at night. I tried taking it away, and he said I’m ruining his social life. I usually give it back to avoid fighting. How do I parent without becoming the villain? – Let’s Get Along

Let’s Get Along – There is no such thing as being a child’s friend and parent at the same time. You must pick one and picking the friend version doesn’t usually pan out well. Having the job of parent means setting down rules and guidelines but the main point is to continually reinforce them. You say you “try” and take the phone away. There shouldn’t be a try and give up. There should be a “give me the phone or it’s gone for a month” if he doesn’t hand it over. Gentle parenting works in some cases but as they get older, not so much. And a social life doesn’t happen on the screen. It happens in real life. Everyone is so addicted to screens. Do him a life favor and limit the screen time. My son doesn’t even sleep with the phone in his room or any electronics for that matter. And get........

© Yuma Sun