Parenting Perspective 

Dinner time is one of the rare daily opportunities for families to connect, yet it is easily interrupted by phones buzzing with messages or notifications. Creating a phone-parking station provides a clear, practical solution: a shared place where devices rest so people can focus on one another. For this to succeed, it must be simple, fair, and consistent so children and adults alike respect it. 

Choose a Visible, Neutral Spot 

Select a basket, tray, or box near the dining area and label it as the “phone station.” Visibility reminds everyone of the rule, while neutrality prevents it from feeling like a punishment aimed at children alone. 

Lead by Example 

Parents should be the first to place their devices in the station. When children see adults doing the same, they recognise the practice as a family value, not a one-sided demand. 

Make It a Ritual, Not a Rule 

Frame it positively: “Let us park our phones so dinner feels special.” Invite children to place their phones in the station as part of the meal routine, just like washing hands or saying Bismillah. 

Add a Positive Closure 

After dinner, gather phones together with a short dua or collective “Alhamdulillah for this meal.” Linking the act of unplugging to gratitude helps children associate screen-free meals with blessing and connection rather than restriction. 

Over time, the phone-parking station becomes part of the rhythm of dinner, teaching children that meals are about presence, family, and thankfulness. 

Spiritual Insight 

Islam emphasises respect, attention, and gratitude during meals. By parking phones aside, families show Adab (manners that place people before distractions) and create an atmosphere that honours blessings. 

Qur’an Guidance 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Ibraheem (14), Verses 34: 

‘And bestowed upon you everything that you have asked Him (Allah Almighty); and if you were to calculate the benefactions of Allah (Almighty), you cannot enumerate them…’ 

This reminds us that food on the table is among Allah Almighty’s greatest favours, and giving it full attention is an act of gratitude. 

Hadith Reminder 

It is recorded in Mishkaat Al Masaabih, Hadith 4178, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘The food of one person is enough for two, the food of two is enough for four, and the food of four is enough for eight.’ 

This teaches us that meals are about sharing, blessing, and togetherness, not distraction or isolation. 

When a phone-parking station is respected, children learn that dinner is a sacred family moment. They see that presence at the table is part of Adab, gratitude, and faith, nurturing both stronger family bonds and a deeper connection to Allah Almighty’s blessings.