Last Friday night, we were all sitting around the dining table playing cards, when I realized it was almost 9 p.m. and neither of us had looked at a phone in hours. Henry was laughing so hard at something ridiculous that he could barely shuffle the cards. Elf crumbs littered the table. And I realized: this is exactly what I’ve been craving all week.
We started our Without screendaily experience in February of last year, and as we head towards 2026, I realize that this has been the greatest gift to our family. From Friday 5 p.m. to Saturday evening, our phones live in a drawer (at least, Above all— it’s not a question of perfection!). Henry’s computer is turned off (thanks, parental controls). The TV stays off unless we have a family movie night. What we get instead is space, connection, and the feeling of time slowing down instead of slipping through our fingers. It became the anchor of our week.
I honestly didn’t realize how much we needed this kind of weekly reset until we started doing it. We are so good at filling every moment, staying busy, and moving from one thing to the next. And somewhere in all this movement we just forget to be together. Creating a family reset isn’t about adding something else to the calendar (the last thing we need!). It’s about taking the time to reconnect and remember what matters.
SO if you feel like the weeks are blurring together or you’re passing your partner in the hallway more than you’re actually connecting, Or like your family lives in the same house but lives parallel lives? This is for you.
What is a family reset ritual?
A family reset ritual is a consistent, intentional time each week where you put an end to the usual chaos and reconnect with the people you love most. It’s not about perfection or elaborate planning, but about creating a rhythm that feels good for your family.
Think of it like hitting the reset button on your week. You’re not trying to fix everything or solve every problem, you’re just making space to slow down, connect with each other, and set your intentions for the week ahead. For some families, this can feel like a Sunday morning breakfast where everyone talks about their week. For others, it’s a Friday night ritual that kicks off the weekend with intention.
The beauty of a weekly reset is that it becomes something everyone looks forward to. This isn’t a forced family time, it’s the time where you’re all truly present with each other, where the usual distractions disappear, and where you remember why you love being together in the first place.
Our screen-free Saturdays have become this for us. What started as an experiment (honestly, I was nervous about how the kids would react) became the day we all looked forward to. We discover new hiking trails around Austin, curl up with books by the fire, work on our round of golf, cook up hearty recipes (most recently, this Roasted Tomato and White Bean Soup), visit our favorite Austin restaurants, and sit around the table talking about anything and everything. It feels vast and like we’re building something real.
Choose your ritual
Your weekly reset doesn’t have to look like ours—the important thing is to choose something that fits your life. You could organize a “family meeting” on Sunday where everyone shares their highs and lows of the week. Or a Friday pizza night with some time to check in. Even making time with your partner for a Saturday morning coffee date can be a game-changer: just an hour to talk about the week ahead in a more intentional way.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach: your family reset routine should look like something you want to do, not something you to have TO DO. Some points to consider:
What day and time works best?
Look at your actual schedule: when do you have the most room to maneuver? For us, Friday night through Saturday made sense because it kicks off the weekend and gives us a complete reset before the week begins. Most of our kids’ activities take place during the week, so we can block out Saturdays most weeks. But maybe Sunday night works best for you, Wednesday night, or even a weekday morning before everyone disperses.
How much time do you have?
This doesn’t have to last all day (but if you want to go screen-free for 24 hours like us, I highly recommend it). Even one hour of intentional connection can change the energy of your entire week. Start with what seems feasible and build from there.
What does your family really value?
If you hate structured activities, don’t impose a rigid family meeting format on yourself. If your kids are young and chaotic, your reset may feel like a nature walk where everyone can move their bodies. If you and your partner enjoy deep conversations, maybe it’s a weekly dating ritual where you check in on your relationship and your dreams.
The ritual we created works because it centers around what we truly value: presence, connection, and time away from screens. And we’re planning fun activities for our kids to look forward to!
Login prompts
Okay, so you’ve set aside some time. And now ? This is where having a few conversation prompts in your back pocket can be very helpful, especially when you’re starting out. These talks aren’t meant to feel like an interview—they’re just gentle ways to spark real conversation and help everyone feel heard.
For families with children:
- What was the best part of your week? What was the most difficult part?
- Is there anything worrying you this week?
- What is the thing that excites you?
- If you could do anything as a family this weekend, what would it be?
For couples:
- How do you feel about us right now? Is there anything you need more from me?
- What is taking up the most space in your mind lately?
- What is one thing we could do together this week that would benefit us both?
For the whole family:
- What have we not done together in a while that you miss?
- If our family had a motto, what would it be?
- What one thing can each person do this week to help our family feel more connected?
The goal is not to force deep revelations every week (although that happens sometimes and those moments are magical). It’s simply about creating a space for everyone to share what is real for them: the good, the hard and the ordinary that makes up life.
I love that these relationship rituals give us language for things we couldn’t talk about otherwise. Like last week, Henry mentioned that he was feeling stressed about an upcoming test and we were able to problem solve together in a way that felt supportive rather than pressured. Phoebe shared a situation involving another girl at school and we had an honest conversation about friendship and belonging. These aren’t things that always come up during the weeknight dinner rush: they need the space created by a weekly reset.
Ideas for couples or families
If this sparks something in you, here are some ideas to help you start your own reset ritual. Feel free to use them as inspiration to create something completely personal to you.
The day without a screen
This is our version, and honestly, it was a game changer. Put your phones away for 24 hours (or even just a few hours if that seems more realistic). No social media, no email, no mindless scrolling. You’ll be amazed at how much mental space this creates and how much more present everyone feels. We keep Adam’s Apple Watch on in case of emergency, but otherwise we’re completely unplugged. And yes, sometimes we watch a family movie together. It’s not about being puritanical about screens, but about being intentional about when and how we use them.
Weekly walk
Every Sunday morning, rain or shine, take a walk together. It doesn’t have to be long: even 20 minutes in the neighborhood can reset your nervous system and give you time to talk without the distractions of home. There’s something about moving your body side to side that makes conversation more natural.
Saturday morning reset
Set aside Saturday morning for organization and family connection. Make a big breakfast together, review the week ahead, discuss each other’s schedules and commitments, and make sure everyone feels prepared and supported. This is especially useful if you have busy weeks with many moving parts.
The Friday evening ritual
Light some candles, make dinner together, put on some music, and treat Friday night like a special occasion. This is your transition from the work week to the weekend: make it different. We’ve done this by simply putting on some nice music while we cook, lighting candles at dinner, or asking everyone to share one thing they’re grateful for before eating.
Couple’s coffee date
If you have young children, use naptime or cartoons to get 30 minutes of uninterrupted connection with your partner. Make some coffee, sit somewhere comfortable (not in front of the TV), and talk. About your week, your relationship, your dreams or anything that seems important to you. Protect this time fiercely: it’s so easy to let it slip away.
Game night
Pull out board games, card games, whatever your family likes (our favorite board games are here)—and make it a weekly tradition. No phones at the table, no rushing, just quality time playing together. Some of our best conversations happen during games because everyone is relaxed and laughing.
Nature Day
Commit to spending a few hours outside each week. Hike a new trail, go to a park, have a picnic, explore somewhere you’ve never been. Changing your environment, even a little, can change everyone’s energy and mood in the best way.
The objective of each of them is consistency. Calling it a weekly reset doesn’t mean it has to be elaborate or Instagram-worthy, it just means you show up every week, even when it’s imperfect, even when someone is in a bad mood, even when life is chaotic. Because that’s when we need it most.
Takeaways
Intentionally setting aside time each week to connect with your family is not about adding more to your plate, but about remembering what actually nourishes you. It’s about creating space for what matters most.
These little moments make up our lives, and having weekly rhythms helps me remember to look my kids in the eyes instead of always staring at a screen. Have deeper conversations with Adam instead of just coordinating logistics. I want us to feel like a team that is truly present to each other, not just coexisting in the same space.
Setting these boundaries can seem difficult, and I’m far from perfect at it. But I also know that when we are truly present – when we slow down enough to truly connect – everything feels different. More alive, more meaningful and more like the life I want to live.
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