Can you remember the last time you had a power outage at your house?

As soon as the lights go off and the appliances power down, things get really quiet. It makes you feel uncomfortable, maybe even a little vulnerable.

And asking a teen to turn off his cell phone for a night, or close the laptop for a few hours, might ignite the same feelings of apprehension. But making one evening each week a time to “unplug” from technology can actually be a healthy way to teach him moderation. And instead, you can play a fun family game and engage with each other in conversation.

You’ll probably hear groans the first time around. If you make the experience fun, your teen might start looking forward to the weekly break from the web.

If you listen on a mobile phone or tablet, please download our Parenting Today’s Teens app available for Apple or Android. If you listen on a desktop or laptop computer, press the “play” button above to enjoy daily parenting advice.