The 60-20-60 rule every family should know before a family road trip with teens

At a glance

• The 60-20-60 road trip rule gives teens a clear routine: 60 minutes of personal screen time, 20 minutes for a screen-free brain reset and 60 minutes of shared listening or learning.
• Building in screen-free breaks can help teens decompress, reset and avoid feeling drained or overstimulated during a long family road trip.
• Shared listening, such as taking turns choosing a podcast or audiobook to listen to together, can create low-pressure moments for parents and teens to connect.

Family road trips give teens a chance to do something different: take a brain break. The time in the car can offer a hard pause from the group chats and location check-ins long enough to be a helpful reset.

But long drives can also overload teens faster than many parents realize if the boundaries aren’t clear. Too much scrolling and sitting still can leave teens mentally drained, emotionally reactive or completely checked out when the drive is over. And because a teen’s brain is still learning how to self-regulate, they often find it hard to simply get off screens on their own.

That’s why I started doing the 60-20-60 road trip with my teens.

• 60 minutes of personal screen time
• 20 minutes of a brain reset
• 60 minutes of shared listening or learning
• Repeat as needed during the drive

Try this on your next family road trip.

1. Personal screen time: 60 minutes

This hour of screen time can be the teens’ choice: They can watch videos, play games or scroll social media content. But it’s essential to put a limit on that screen time during a family road trip. Too much time looking at screens can trigger the release of stress-inducing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, or could lead to dopamine let-down once they’re off their device.

Try this: Ask your teen to set a timer for 60 minutes to track their screen time. When the timer goes off, the device gets put away.

2. Brain reset: 20 minutes

This may be the most important part of the routine. A survey done by the American Psychological Association showed that a teen’s stress levels during the school year are above a healthy level. Giving teens intentional time to do nothing can help them reset and learn to self-regulate. The goal is simply to help the nervous system slow down.

This reset doesn’t have to be complicated:

• Listening to calming music
• Looking out the window
• Stretching during a gas stop

Try this: Before you hit the road, ask your teen what actually helps them feel calm. Then work together to find an option that’s appropriate for a family road trip and doesn’t involve looking at screens.

3. Shared listening and learning: 60 minutes

Teens specifically desire a connection with their parents by doing an activity together that you both enjoy. And a lot of family road trip bonding happens when you’re learning something new together. Podcasts or audiobooks can be a great option for learning together, as they can be about anything, like why video games are so popular or how birds communicate. The goal is to ignite neurons in parts of the brain that may have been dormant.

Try this: Let your teen choose the first podcast or audiobook before the trip. Parents choose the second one. Alternate throughout the drive.

Repeat steps 1, 2 and 3 until you arrive at your destination

Let your teens be the timekeepers — they can set timers and reminders on their devices to keep the routine on track. However, keep in mind that teens’ frontal lobes are not fully developed, so they still struggle to self-regulate. And that means they will still need your help reminding them about their usage.

We’ve got you: You’re there for them with Verizon Family Plus. Verizon’s there for you—including our 3-year price lock*.

*Learn more about our 3-year price lock guarantee.