Tricky situations 💪
What do I do if this happens to me? · 10 min
Hard situations
What do I do if this happens to me? · 15 min
Hard situations
What do I do if this happens to me? · 20 min
Each age has its own progress. People of the same age share this space and its logbook in this browser.
The magnet shows up in everyday moments. Let's practice, so when it really happens you'll know what to do.
Thanks for sharing. You're not the only one.
How to play
There are five situations. In each one, choose what you'd do and see what happens. You can do some today and others tomorrow.
«Five more minutes»
Choose what to answer. There's no score: it's a rehearsal.
The alarm rings. What do you do?
Cry and ask for more time.
If you choose this one
Tension goes up. 🧲 You argue, and the magnet wins.
Turn it off and choose something else.
If you choose this one
Tension goes down. 💪 You were the boss!
The trick: the timer decides, not the magnet.
Mom is on her phone
Choose what to answer. There's no score: it's a rehearsal.
You want to tell your mom something and she's on her phone.
Shout «you never listen to me!».
If you choose this one
Tension goes up. 🧲 Mom gets upset.
«Mom, can you listen to me for a minute without your phone?»
If you choose this one
Tension goes down. 💪 Mom puts it down and listens.
The trick: grown-ups forget too. You can remind them kindly.
I'm bored
Choose what to answer. There's no score: it's a rehearsal.
What do you do?
Ask for the tablet right away.
If you choose this one
Tension goes up. 🧲 Another afternoon of videos.
Open the boredom box.
If you choose this one
Tension goes down. 💪 You invent a new game!
The trick: the best games come from boredom.
A friend comes over to play
Choose what to answer. There's no score: it's a rehearsal.
What do you do?
Play on the tablet yourself while your friend watches.
If you choose this one
Tension goes up. 🧲 Your friend gets bored and goes home.
Put the tablet away and pick a game together.
If you choose this one
Tension goes down. 💪 You laugh all afternoon!
The trick: friends are for playing together.
Before bed
Choose what to answer. There's no score: it's a rehearsal.
What do you do?
One video in bed, and another, and another.
If you choose this one
Tension goes up. 🧲 You fall asleep late and you're sleepy the next day.
The tablet goes to the kitchen, and you read a story with someone at home.
If you choose this one
Tension goes down. 💪 You fall asleep peacefully, and wake up wanting to play.
The trick: night is for sleeping.
Act it out
Act out together the situation that happens to the child the most.
Notice if one of these situations happens to you today.
Which situation seems hardest to you?
Your superhero plan!
Finish and go to lesson 9 →Knowing what to do is easy. Doing it at midnight, with the group chat buzzing, is something else. This lesson is a rehearsal.
Thanks for sharing. You're not the only one.
How to use this lesson
There are six situations. You can do them in order or go to the one you need most, and you can do the lesson in two parts.
The group chat buzzing at midnight
Inside: if you fall asleep, you'll miss what they say. And tomorrow everyone will be talking about it.
Choose what to answer. There's no score: it's a rehearsal.
It's midnight and the group chat won't stop.
You stay up until they calm down.
If you choose this one
Tension goes up. You fall asleep at two. There's a test tomorrow.
You mute it, but keep it in bed.
If you choose this one
Stays the same. You check it twice anyway.
You write «Going to sleep, I'll catch up tomorrow» and leave it in the kitchen.
If you choose this one
Tension goes down. Tomorrow you read it all in five minutes. You didn't miss anything important.
Step by step: say you're leaving, and leave your phone outside your bedroom. Almost nothing that happens at midnight matters the next day.
I feel left out if I'm not online
Inside: if you're not on top of everything, you feel they'll leave you out.
Choose what to answer. There's no score: it's a rehearsal.
Your friends are talking about a video you haven't seen.
You spend the afternoon watching everything they post to keep up.
If you choose this one
Tension goes up. You get to the evening without having done anything of your own.
You say nothing.
If you choose this one
Stays the same. You feel left out for a while.
«I didn't see it. What's it about?»
If you choose this one
Tension goes down. They tell you, laughing. Nothing happened.
Step by step: you don't have to see everything. Your friends like you for who you are, not for how many videos you've watched.
The photo that makes you feel less
Inside: everyone seems to have a better life than yours.
Choose what to answer. There's no score: it's a rehearsal.
You see photos of a party you weren't invited to.
You keep looking at every photo.
If you choose this one
Tension goes up. You spend two hours feeling worse.
You close the app, but keep thinking about it.
If you choose this one
Stays the same. It hurts just the same.
You close the app and message a friend to do something.
If you choose this one
Tension goes down. You end the afternoon playing soccer.
Step by step: social media shows the best of everyone, not their whole life. If this happens to you often, the «Comparing yourself online» route is for you.
Your parents are on their phones too
Inside: they ask you to put it down, but they don't put theirs down.
Choose what to answer. There's no score: it's a rehearsal.
You want to tell your mom something and she's on her phone.
«You're always on your phone.»
If you choose this one
Tension goes up. You fight.
You don't tell her anything.
If you choose this one
Stays the same. You keep what you wanted to say.
«Mom, can you listen to me for a minute without your phone?»
If you choose this one
Tension goes down. She puts it down and listens.
Step by step: say it calmly and ask for something specific. And suggest an agreement for everyone.
The video everyone is watching
Inside: it's a challenge that went viral. Everyone's doing it, and it's dangerous.
Choose what to answer. There's no score: it's a rehearsal.
Your friends tell you to do it and film it.
You do it so you don't look bad.
If you choose this one
Tension goes up. You get hurt. The video has ten likes.
You say maybe later.
If you choose this one
Stays the same. They keep pushing.
«I'll pass. It's not worth it for a video.»
If you choose this one
Tension goes down. Someone else says «me neither».
Step by step: no video is worth your health. Saying no takes courage too.
I can't stop
Inside: you spend hours on your phone, especially at night. It's not that you enjoy it that much. It's that when you put it down, something you don't want to feel shows up: sadness, nerves, loneliness.
Choose what to answer. There's no score: it's a rehearsal.
It's two in the morning and you're still on your phone.
You tell yourself you'll stop tomorrow.
If you choose this one
Tension goes up. Tomorrow is the same.
You delete all your apps.
If you choose this one
Stays the same. It lasts two days.
Tomorrow you tell an adult you trust.
If you choose this one
Tension goes down. Talking about it doesn't fix it all at once, but you're no longer carrying it with no one.
Step by step: name what you're feeling. Tell an adult you trust. If you can't stop, or if the sadness doesn't go away, asking a psychologist for help is taking care of yourself.
If you're going through a very hard time, talk to an adult you trust or a helpline in your country. Asking for help takes courage too.
Your situation
Write about a situation you're living right now.
Go over the steps of one situation before you go to sleep.
Which option would you have chosen before this route?
Your plan.
Finish and go to lesson 9 →Knowing what to do is easy.
Doing it at nine at night, with no strength left, the chat buzzing and your child talking to you, is something else.
This lesson is a rehearsal.
Thanks for sharing. You're not the only one.
How to use this lesson
There are six situations. You can do them in order or go straight to the one you need most, and you can do the lesson in two parts.
Each one has five parts: the scene, what happens inside, the simulator, step by step and if it goes wrong.
Your child talks to you while you're on your phone
The scene. You're reading something on your phone. Your 7-year-old comes in and starts telling you something that happened at school.
Inside. You want to finish what you were reading. You tell yourself you can listen anyway.
Choose what to answer. There's no score: it's a rehearsal.
«Uh-huh, and then?», without looking up.
If you choose this one
Tension goes up. Your child stops halfway and walks off.
«Wait a minute and then tell me.» And you keep reading for five minutes.
If you choose this one
Stays the same. When you go looking for him, he's already playing with something else. He doesn't tell you.
You lock the screen, set it aside and look at him: «Tell me».
If you choose this one
Tension goes down. Your child tells you everything, with details you didn't expect.
Step by step
- In the moment: lock it and look. If you really can't, tell him how long you'll ask him to wait, and keep your word: «I'll finish this in two minutes and I'm back with you».
- Afterwards: if he told you something important, ask later how it's going.
- Later on: notice when he usually tells you things (after school, at dinner, before bed) and protect that time.
If it goes wrong. If you catch yourself with the «uh-huh» without looking, you can go back: «Sorry, I wasn't listening. Will you tell me again? I'm looking at you now».
The dinner where everyone is on a screen
The scene. Your family is at the table. Your partner is looking at their phone, your teenage daughter too, and yours is next to your plate.
Inside. You want to say something, but you also know you're doing the same.
Choose what to answer. There's no score: it's a rehearsal.
«That's enough! Put those phones away!»
If you choose this one
Tension goes up. Everyone puts them away grudgingly. Dinner goes on in silence, and tense.
You say nothing and stay on yours.
If you choose this one
Stays the same. Another dinner like every other.
You put yours away and ask: «What was the best part of your day?».
If you choose this one
Tension goes down. At first they look at you funny. Then your daughter answers, and your partner puts down their phone to listen to her.
Step by step
- In the moment: start with yourself. Put yours away and open a conversation with a question.
- Afterwards: propose the basket, or the table rule, at a calm moment, not in the middle of dinner.
- Later on: the house agreement from lesson 7, talked over and for everyone.
If it goes wrong. If you already shouted, you can go back: «Sorry for how I said it. I'd like us to talk at dinner. Shall we try it for a week?».
You and your partner, each on your phone in bed
The scene. Every night ends the same way: both of you in bed, each on your own screen, until someone turns off the light.
Inside. It's comfortable. But you feel you barely talk anymore.
Choose what to answer. There's no score: it's a rehearsal.
«You're always on your phone.»
If you choose this one
Tension goes up. «And you?» The conversation ends in a fight.
You say nothing.
If you choose this one
Stays the same. Another night like the others.
«Hey, I miss talking to you. Shall we try leaving our phones outside this week?»
If you choose this one
Tension goes down. Your partner thinks about it. «Okay. But the alarm…» «We'll buy one.»
Step by step
- In the moment: talk about what you miss, not about what the other person does wrong.
- Afterwards: try a week with phones outside the bedroom. It's easier to commit to a week than to «forever».
- Later on: keep a time each day just for the two of you, with no screens.
If it goes wrong. If it already came out as a complaint, you can go back: «Sorry for how I said it. It's not against you. I just miss you».
Work messaging you at ten at night
The scene. Your boss or a coworker messages you at ten at night. It isn't urgent, but you feel you have to answer.
Inside. Fear of looking bad. Guilt if you don't answer. And anger, because you were resting.
Choose what to answer. There's no score: it's a rehearsal.
You answer right away, and stay on the chat for an hour.
If you choose this one
Tension goes up. You go to bed late and unable to switch off, and the next day they expect you to answer at the same hour.
You read it and don't answer, but you keep thinking about it all night.
If you choose this one
Stays the same. You didn't answer, but you didn't rest either.
You mute the chat after a certain hour and answer first thing the next day: «Good morning, just saw this. I'll get back to you shortly».
If you choose this one
Tension goes down. Nobody complains. And you slept.
Step by step
- In the moment: if it isn't urgent, it doesn't have to be now. Mute the work chat outside work hours.
- Afterwards: if it worries you, talk to your boss once: «After eight I don't check the chat. If it's urgent, call me». Almost always, nobody calls.
- Later on: set the work mute to come on automatically at the same time every day.
If it goes wrong. If you already answered at night, it's okay. Tomorrow, try again.
Your teenager won't put the phone down
The scene. Your 15-year-old is on his phone all day. At the table, in the car, until he falls asleep. You don't know how to bring it up anymore.
Inside. Worry, anger, fear of losing him. And also the suspicion that you're not setting the best example.
Choose what to answer. There's no score: it's a rehearsal.
«You're sick with that phone. I'm taking it away.»
If you choose this one
Tension goes up. You fight. That night he uses it in secret.
You say nothing, to avoid a fight.
If you choose this one
Stays the same. Everything stays the same, and your worry grows.
«Will you show me what you like watching most? And then can we talk about how we all use our phones at home?»
If you choose this one
Tension goes down. He shows you a video and you both laugh. Then he agrees to talk, especially when you say you're going to change too.
Step by step
- In the moment: take an interest in what he does on his phone before criticizing it. For him, that's where his friends are.
- Afterwards: make the house agreement with him, not for him. Start with what you're going to change.
- Later on: watch for warning signs: if he stops sleeping, eating, seeing his friends or doing what he used to enjoy, or if he's sad for a long time. Then it's worth talking to the school and getting professional help.
If it goes wrong. If there was already a fight and a punishment, you can go back: «I got angry yesterday. I want us to talk about it differently, and I'm going to do my part too».
When your phone is your escape from something that hurts
The scene. You realize you spend hours on your phone, especially at night. It's not that you enjoy it that much. It's that when you put it down, something you don't want to feel shows up: loneliness, sadness, anxiety, a problem you don't know how to solve.
Inside. Exhaustion. Shame at not being able to stop. And something heavy underneath.
Choose what to answer. There's no score: it's a rehearsal.
You tell yourself you'll have more willpower tomorrow, and nothing changes.
If you choose this one
Tension goes up. The screen covers the problem for a while, and the problem is still there.
You delete all your apps at once.
If you choose this one
Stays the same. It lasts two days. Then you go back, and you feel worse.
You ask yourself what you're covering up, and you tell someone you trust.
If you choose this one
Tension goes down. Talking about it doesn't fix it right away, but for the first time you're not carrying it with no one.
Step by step
- In the moment: when you pull it out, ask yourself what you're feeling. Name it: «This is loneliness», «This is anxiety».
- Afterwards: tell someone you trust. And look for a way to care for what hurts that isn't the screen: a walk, a call, time with someone.
- Later on: if you can't stop even when you try, if it's taking your sleep, your work or your people, or if what's underneath is a sadness that doesn't go away, get professional help. A doctor or a psychologist can help you. It isn't overreacting: it's taking care of yourself.
If it goes wrong. If you slip again, don't punish yourself. Noticing what you're covering up is already a huge step.
If you're going through a very hard time, reach out to a psychologist or a helpline in your country. Asking for help takes courage too.
Your situation
Step 1 · Choose the situation most like something you're living today, or write your own.
Step 2 · Write what's happening, with whom, and what you've done so far.
Step 3 · Your next step. With the tools from lessons 6 and 7, what will you do this week?
Take the next step you wrote. Even if it's small.
Which situation is most like your life? Which simulator option would you have chosen before this route?
You have the tools now, and you've tried them in hard situations.
In the next lesson you'll build your plan: what you'll do, when, with whom, what you'll change around you and what you'll do the day you slip again.
Finish and go to lesson 9 →Lesson 8 of 10.
Almost there.
To take with youNotice if one of these situations happens to you today.
To take with youGo over the steps of one situation before you go to sleep.
To take with youTake the next step you wrote. Even if it's small.
What you write and your progress are saved only on this device. When you finish the lesson we add 1 to the total, without knowing who you are.