Set the boundary around work hours, not the phone itself
Taking the phone away entirely for the whole day raises safety and communication concerns, since the worker needs a way to reach their own family, emergency services or the agency. A more workable approach limits specific stretches of time rather than banning use outright.
A simple version might read: phone away or on silent during meal preparation and childcare supervision, free during scheduled rest breaks and after the work day ends. Writing that window down means neither side has to guess what counts as acceptable on a given afternoon.
- Away or on silent during active tasks like cooking or supervising children
- Free use during scheduled rest breaks and after duties end
- Always reachable for a real emergency, regardless of the general rule
Decide Wi-Fi access and data cost upfront
Sharing the household Wi-Fi password is usually more practical than expecting the worker to fund their own data plan, though the decision stays with the household. Some set up a separate guest network with a speed cap instead of sharing the main one.
Avoid checking the content of personal messages or calls without a specific reason. House rules can reasonably cover when the phone is used and basic conduct expectations, but routinely reviewing private content tends to damage trust faster than it resolves any real problem.