Almost everyone today has a smartphone. However, many people cannot get rid of (脱离) smartphones because phones have become part of daily life.

As the addiction (瘾) to the smartphone has become a serious problem, it brings many results in life. Most phone users look down at their phones for a long time. When hunching (弯) or bending their neck, they put serious pressure on the neck and backbone. And this will cause a sore back or a neck ache. According to studies, as high as 45% of the young people from age 16 to 24 these days suffer back pain because of the heavy usage of smartphones. Also, trying to focus on and look at the screen of the phone for a long time will discomfort eyes and may cause loss of vision (视力). Besides, if someone brings the phone to sleep with, he or she will spend more time on the phone than sleep without noticing it. It’s true that phones make life more convenient, but that doesn’t mean they can take control of life.

To get rid of phones, you can create a phone-free time. For example, turn off your phone or stop it from the Internet after 8:00 p.m. At that time, you can spend time on anything but phone so that you won’t check on your phone. Just like smoking, phone addiction is habitual. You must replace the habit with another if you want to stop it. So find a few things to do whenever you are not using your phone, such as reading a book or exercising.

Of course, it’s not easy to get rid of a habit and the beginning is the most challenging. That’s why having a strong mind really makes a big difference. Remember, do not let your phone become your ______. Instead, improve your self-control and put smartphones into good use.

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D．

What are your parents like? Do they have any strict family rules for you? Do they make you feel stressed? Recently, a mother’s unique idea about her kids’ playtime has caught people’s attention online.

Jessi Meeks says every day, her three kids get an hour where they get to do “whatever” they want. She calls it “whatever-makes-you-happy hour”.

Meeks’ idea arose naturally from one of her kids’ suggestions. “One afternoon, the kids were outside painting and my husband and I were trying to talk and carry on a conversation. My oldest son Cannon looked at me and asked, “Can I paint my hands? And I was like, ‘Whatever makes you happy. You all just do it and be quiet so Mommy and Daddy can talk to each other,’ ” Meeks recalls. “And from then on, around that same time of the day, they would ask if they could do something and we’d be like, ‘Sure, whatever makes you happy.’”

But Meeks also sets necessary boundaries (界限). “If they start hurting themselves or hurting each other, we step in,” she adds,“And we don’t let them watch TV.”

Meeks believes the hour of free playtime has been beneficial for her kids. If they make a big mess, she thinks it’s a good chance to teach little ones the practice of tidying up. At the same time, it’s also a great way to allow time for them to explore and play the way they want.

“Even though the kids make a mess at times, it has worked out well for everyone in my family,” Meeks says. She views “whatever-makes-you-happy hour” as a daily period to make new memories and build a good family relationship.