Featured in The Washington Post

When parents feel like they've lost control of their children's tech usage, they can call up Daniel Towle.

The Washington Post, November 2025

Screen Time Specialist: Helping Parents Understand What's Really Going On

12 years in London schools watching thousands of children interact with screens every day. I know exactly how these platforms capture attention and why children can't stop. I've tested every AI platform children use, and I've been through my own gaming recovery. Featured in The Washington Post.

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12 Years in Schools Been There Myself Available This Week
Daniel Towle - UK Screen Time Specialist and Digital Family Coach
★★★★★

"Daniel understood our ADHD son immediately. The strategy he created actually works."

— Eva, London

What Does a Screen Time Specialist Do?

A screen time specialist helps parents understand why their child can't stop using devices and creates boundaries that actually stick. Unlike monitoring apps or generic "limit screen time" advice, I work with your family's specific situation — whether that's setting up a first phone, ending daily battles, addressing gaming addiction, or managing screens for a neurodivergent child. I combine 12 years of working directly with children in schools with personal experience of gaming and social media addiction to create plans that work in real life.

What I Do

  • Identify the real problem (not just "too much screen time")
  • Create personalised family strategies
  • Help parents have conversations that work
  • Set up devices properly from the start
  • Rebuild trust damaged by screen battles

What I Don't Do

  • Give generic "limit screen time" advice
  • Sell monitoring software
  • Provide clinical therapy (I'll refer if needed)
  • Judge your parenting decisions
  • Suggest banning technology completely

Screen Time Help for Parents at Every Stage

Setting Up a First Device

You want to get it right from the start. Avoid the battles other parents warn you about.

Ending the Daily Battles

Every evening, the same fight. Negotiations, meltdowns, exhaustion. You've had enough.

When It's Gone Too Far

They're physically there but mentally somewhere else. You miss who they used to be.

ADHD & Neurodivergent Children

Standard advice doesn't work. 12 years in SEN settings means I understand why, and what does.

My Background

12 years with children and technology.

12 years of daily contact with children and technology — not theory, not research papers. I was in the room, every day, watching how children actually interact with screens. And I've been on every side of it.

Head of Technology, London schools. I managed every device, platform, and app that children used. I was responsible for the entire technology ecosystem — from choosing which devices to buy, to controlling what children could access, to training every teacher on how to use it.

Daily teaching, ages 5 to 12. I taught technology every single day. Laptops, iPads — I started to notice differences in how children learn on each device and I tested different methods to understand why.

Teacher training. I trained teachers how to use technology, which gave me insights most people miss — adults struggle with the same things their children do. The patterns are identical.

Parent workshops. I've delivered talks to parents on online safety, the methods platforms use to hook children, and what actually works when parental controls don't.

I've taught children whose parents are in the public eye. The one thing I've learned: every parent is worried about the same thing, no matter what your background is.

Both Sides

I've been on every side of this.

YouTube creator. I built my own channel from zero to 40,000 subscribers in a year — as a part-time hobby. I learned what it takes to be a successful YouTuber, the pull of the creative cycle, and the dangers of being an influencer. I understand why your child wants to be one.

Professional photographer. I worked for some of London's top fashion agencies, including London Fashion Week. I edited and manipulated images professionally. I understand how visual media shapes what children see and believe.

Ground zero generation. I was there at the point of origin. First mobile phone. MySpace. Facebook. Instagram. WhatsApp. I've watched every one of these platforms from their beginning to where they are now. I've experienced what your children are going through.

AI testing. Over a year testing AI platforms — for therapy use, for daily management, and for understanding what children are actually experiencing when they talk to a chatbot. Every word on this site is mine.

Gaming Recovery

I specialise in gaming because I've been there myself. I built my own system to manage it — and I'm currently over 5 months without playing a video game. Cold turkey didn't work. My gradual method did.

That system is what I now teach families.

From My Research in Schools

What parents don't realise

I surveyed children across my 12 years in schools. The results explain why screen time battles feel impossible to win.

Based on classroom observations across London primary schools, 2012-2024

50%
of 10-11 year olds

wouldn't tell their parents if something worried them online — because they're scared they'll be in trouble.

83%
of 10-11 year olds

believe they know more about technology than their parents. They probably do.

59%
of 10-11 year olds

hear their parents say "kids these days are better at tech." This undermines your authority.

"This is what we're not talking about. Your child doesn't see you as someone who can help — they see you as someone who doesn't understand and will just punish them."

Get help that actually works — from someone who's been there.

Book Your Session

£75 • 45 minutes • Available this week

Areas of Expertise

Gaming Addiction Specialist

I didn't think I had a problem — until I checked the UK definition. I developed a gradual reduction method that works where cold turkey fails. I understand the specific mechanics (matchmaking, battle passes, social pressure) that keep children hooked.

ADHD & Neurodivergent Children

12 years in SEN settings. Standard "set a timer" advice doesn't work for neurodivergent brains — hyperfocus makes stopping physically painful, and executive function needs different boundaries. I create strategies specifically designed for how neurodivergent brains interact with technology.

AI Safety for Children

Character AI, ChatGPT, Meta AI — children are forming relationships with AI chatbots. I've spent a year testing every platform children use to understand the risks parents need to know about.

Real Results

Families like yours

★★★★★

"We wanted some advice on how to get ahead with teaching our son technology. Dan is great at coming up with creative ideas that our son loves to do. Highly recommended."

P
ParentLondon
★★★★★

"We'd tried setting limits ourselves but nothing stuck. Daniel helped us find an approach that actually worked for our family."

M
ParentVia video call
★★★★★

"One session gave us more clarity than weeks of trying to figure it out ourselves. We finally understood what was actually going on."

J
ParentVia video call

What I've Learned Across 1,000+ Families Through Schools and Parent Workshops

Parental Controls Create False Security

If there was a parental control that actually worked, there would just be one. Instead, kids bypass them within weeks, and parents think they're protected when they're not.

Meltdowns Aren't Defiance — They're Withdrawal

When you take devices away suddenly, you've removed the dopamine hit without explanation or preparation. The brain responds exactly as it would to any addictive substance being withdrawn.

The Relationship Often Needs Repair

Years of screen time battles damage the parent-child relationship. Many parents feel they've "lost" their child. Part of what I do is help families reconnect — not just manage devices.

Kids Often Don't Want the Phone Either

From my research with primary school children, most kids aren't that fussed about getting a phone. It's often parents pushing WhatsApp groups because they "need it for school." The pressure to give devices early comes from systems, not children.

Media & Press

Media, Press & Expert Commentary

I'm available for expert comment, interviews, and features on screen time, gaming addiction, AI safety for children, and digital parenting. I provide practical, experience-based insight — not academic theory.

Gaming addiction in children
Screen time and ADHD/neurodivergent children
AI chatbot safety (Character AI, ChatGPT, Meta AI)
Social media's impact on children
Why parental controls aren't working
Digital parenting in the AI age

For media enquiries: info@digitalfamilycoach.com

Fast turnaround. Available for live broadcast, pre-record, and print.

Questions

Common Questions About Screen Time Coaching

Here's what parents ask before booking.

A screen time specialist helps parents understand why their child can't stop using devices and creates boundaries that actually stick. Unlike monitoring apps, a screen time specialist works with your family's specific situation — whether that's a first phone setup, daily screen time battles, gaming addiction, or screen time with a neurodivergent child. Sessions combine psychology, practical strategies, and real-world experience to create a plan that works for your family.
A child therapist addresses clinical mental health conditions requiring diagnosis and ongoing treatment. A screen time specialist focuses on the practical: understanding why screens are so compelling, implementing boundaries that work, and creating family systems that prevent daily battles. If concerns arise that need clinical support, a good screen time specialist will tell you directly and refer appropriately.
Appointments are typically available within the same week. Sessions are via video call so families worldwide can access support. When you're dealing with daily battles, you shouldn't have to wait weeks or months like NHS referrals.
At £75 for a 45-minute session, screen time coaching costs less than a month of in-app purchases. You leave with a concrete plan you can implement that same day: specific boundaries, exact words to use, how to handle resistance, and clarity on what's actually driving the behaviour.
There's no "serious enough" threshold. Whether you're setting up a first phone, tired of nightly arguments about devices, or worried your child is genuinely addicted — a screen time specialist helps at every stage. Prevention is always easier than intervention.
Yes. Gaming addiction is one of my core specialisms. I've been through problematic gaming myself — I didn't realise how far I'd gone until I checked the UK criteria. I developed a gradual reduction method that works where cold turkey fails, and I understand the specific mechanics (matchmaking, battle passes, social pressure) that keep children hooked.
Yes. ADHD and neurodivergent children respond differently to screen design — hyperfocus makes stopping physically painful, and standard "set a timer" advice doesn't work. With 12 years in SEN settings and experience of the AuDHD assessment process myself, I create strategies specifically designed for how neurodivergent brains interact with technology.
Daniel Towle

Ready for things to be different?

Whether you're setting up a first device, tired of daily battles, worried it's gone too far, or want your child to thrive with technology — I can help. One 45-minute session. Concrete strategies. A plan built around YOUR family.

Personal gaming recovery 12 years school expertise Available this week
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100% confidential • Video calls worldwide • No commitment required

£75 per session