Childhood Unplugged: Practical Advice to Get Kids Off Screens and Find Balance

Ditch the devices and bring back the magic of being a kid

Screens are everywhere. Children spend an average of 7.5 hours on digital devices every day with profoundly negative consequences. While some tech may "amplify" real life experience (online music lessons or Zoom calls with faraway family, for example), the vast majority "amputates" by limiting physical activity, creating anxiety, or damaging self-esteem. Childhood Unplugged takes a bold approach to creating healthy boundaries around the use of digital media, suggesting kids should be offline for the majority of their time.

Drawing on her own family's experience, plus interviews with digital minimalists, educators, and child development experts, author Katherine Martinko presents:

• Meticulously researched analysis of the impacts of excessive screen time on children's physical, neurological, emotional, and social development
• Specific pathways to reduced screen exposure, naturally leading to more time spent outdoors, increased confidence and empathy, more creative and active play, and other benefits
• Inspiration for caregivers overwhelmed by the thought of severing ties with the digital babysitter
• Age-appropriate advice for fundamental change, with specific sections for babies and toddlers, school-aged children, and adolescents.

Taking a calming, nonjudgmental approach, Childhood Unplugged is a lifeline for parents, caregivers, educators, and anyone who questions the role of digital media and yearns for the young people in their life to experience the profound beauty and magic of childhood.

Katherine Martinko is an editor and writer with a decade of experience in digital news publishing. She was a senior editor at Treehugger, an internationally respected environmental lifestyle site. Katherine previously wrote for Discovery Network's Parentables website and maintained a popular parenting blog. Many of the thousands of articles she has written over the years explore the importance of raising "offline" kids, teaching them to become resilient and independent, and being wary of the profound effects of too much screen time on developing brains. Katherine is an honors graduate of the University of Toronto, where she studied English and history. She speaks four languages, is a classically trained violinist, an award-winning public speaker, and a community leader who spearheaded a major refugee resettlement effort in her own small town. Katherine lives with her husband and three children in Port Elgin, Ontario. Find her at https: //feistyredhair.com.