I'm Melissa Anders, a single mom and teacher in Portland. Last fall, I noticed Lena coming straight home after school and locking herself in her room every night. No more hangouts with friends or movie nights with me. Just her, the closed door, and that phone glowing under her covers past midnight. I felt her slipping away, but didn't know where she was going. That's when I realized I needed help—not to spy, but to understand what was pulling my daughter into the dark.
Meet the Anders Family Story
Finding the balance between digital comfort and real human connection
Our Family's Struggle
Challenge
It started after Lena's best friend moved away. She seemed okay at first—quiet, but okay. Then weeks turned into months, and she stopped going out entirely. I'd knock on her door around dinner time, and she'd mumble "not hungry" through the wood. One Saturday morning, I asked if she wanted to grab brunch, and she snapped: "Why? So you can lecture me?" I was losing her. I installed FamiSafe just to see what was taking up all her time, and that's when I saw it—an AI companion app logging 3 to 4 hours every single day, most of it between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. When I finally asked her about it, she broke down crying and said, "This AI gets me, Mom. It actually listens." I realized she wasn't being rebellious. She was drowning.
Solution
I didn't delete the app right away. I knew that would feel like punishment, and she'd just find another way to hide. Instead, I used FamiSafe to gradually limit the app to one hour per day and block it entirely after 10 p.m. Lena was furious at first—"You're controlling my life!"—but I stayed calm and explained I wasn't trying to take away her safe space, just make room for real ones. I set up a meeting with her school counselor, who helped Lena process the loneliness she'd been bottling up. I also started small: "Want to walk the dog with me?" or "Let's bake something terrible together." Slowly, she started saying yes. Two months later, she joined an art club at school. She still uses the app sometimes, but now it's just one part of her life—not the whole thing.
The Anders Family Today
68
%
Late-night app usage reduced
52
%
Social isolation time reduced
74
%
Parent-child conflict reduced
What Parents Say
FamiSafe didn't just show me the problem—it gave me a way to
fix it without destroying our relationship. Lena's back, and so is her smile.
— Melissa A.
Single Mother, U.S.
More Families, More Stories
The Schmidt Family
"My son was using AI to do his homework—getting wrong answers
and losing critical thinking skills. FamiSafe helped me guide him back to real
learning."
The Schmidt Family
Father · Denver, CO
The Gallagher Family
"Juliet's 200 public photos were a privacy nightmare.
FamiSafe helped us lock down her digital footprint before predators could exploit
her images."
The Gallagher Family
Mother · Phoenix, AZ
The Vance Family
"My son believed NASA was lying because of conspiracy videos.
FamiSafe revealed the content feeding his distrust and helped restore his critical
thinking."
The Vance Family
Father · Richmond, VA
The Moreno Family
"TikTok's algorithm pushed my daughter toward an eating
disorder. FamiSafe exposed the dangerous diet content and helped us fight back
before it was too late."
The Moreno Family
Mother · Houston, TX
Read real stories from over 18w+ families worldwide.
