The Ghost at the Dinner Table: A Practical Guide to Reducing Screen Battles and Reconnecting with Your 7-12-Year-Old

By Nessa Halden

You've tried the timers. The parental controls. The warnings, the bargaining, the confiscated tablet. And every evening still ends the same way: a fight over "five more minutes."

Your child is at the table, but their mind is somewhere else. You ask about their day and get one word. When the screen goes off, the explosion comes: tears, shouting, slammed doors. Afterward, you're left wondering what is wrong with your child, and with you.

Here is the truth: nothing is wrong with either of you. The games and feeds your child loves are built to be hard to put down, and a 7- to 12-year-old brain is still learning how to stop. More rules and louder warnings won't win that fight. A smarter plan will.

The Ghost at the Dinner Table is that plan. It doesn't ask you to ban every device or become the house police. It shows you exactly how to end screen time with fewer battles, and how to make real life appealing enough that your child wants to come back to it.

Inside, you'll get: Word-for-word scripts for the moments that usually explode, including what to say when your child flatly refuses.The Surrendering Ritual, a four-step way to end screen time that removes most of the reasons endings blow up.The Screen Needs Finder, which reveals what the screen is really giving your child, so you can replace it instead of just taking it away.A Family Tech Constitution your child helps write, so the rules feel fair and are easier to keep.Real alternatives your child will actually want: a Boredom Laboratory, game-style skill quests, outdoor adventures for any home, and a project that connects your child with grandparents and family stories.A 14-Day Challenge that tells you exactly what to do each day, plus a five-step version for busy or single parents."When Nothing Seems to Work" straight answers for refusal, meltdowns, sneaking devices at night, co-parent conflict, and "all my friends are online."Why parents can trust it

Written by technology writer Nessa Halden and grounded in research on child development, motivation, sleep, and family life, this book is practical, balanced, and refreshingly honest. No shaming. No scare tactics. No promise of overnight miracles. Just clear steps you can start tonight, and clear guidance on when a child needs professional support.

Imagine the evenings ahead

The tablet goes in the basket without a war. Your child is back at the table, really back, telling you a story you didn't have to drag out of them. They're building something, running outside, laughing at the right moment again.

That turnaround starts with one evening and one small change. Scroll up and start tonight.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0HM9CQXZC
• ISBN13: 9798160801209
• Release Date: October 2026
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 0.54 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"