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

by Katherine Johnson Martinko

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 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.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Psychology, Childrens, Audiobook, Self Help, Education

176 pages, Paperback

Published July 11, 2023

Reviews

[Riley Higa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay let’s see: I would give this book 2.5 stars. The topic is interesting—I think screen use is alarming at all ages but especially for children it does seem concerning—the problem is this book isn’t all that great. The title says finding a balance, but the author has completely no screens allowed for her children in her home. That doesn’t seem too practical or balanced in the year 2024. One major issue I have with this book though is that it groups all types of technology into one. Tv shows are drastically different from social media which is drastically different from gaming. Mobile screens are not the same a movie screens, but to this author anything with an LED light is synonymous. I really disagree with that way of thinking. There are carefully crafted television shows that teach great lessons and have a beautiful story. That is certainly going to yield a different outcome than watching random YouTube videos all day. They each require their own restrictions and intentions. Besides that, it seems a little more preachy than helpful. I also thought it was interesting the author argues really against being super scared all the time about rough play and stuff (I agree), but her approach to screens and all technology seems way more based in fear. It’s almost like swapping one fear for another. I wish it was less “screens are evil” and more “active play is good”. Overall I am more interested in reading other books about this same topic, but finding a better one.

Edit: I forgot to mention the irony of me writing a review for this on an iPhone. Lol

[Melissa Daley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping for a bit more out of this book. Off the bat I questioned if I could relate to her perspective, like many parents, I have two kiddos who rate their iPad as their toy of choice. It’s not something I’m proud of. The author and her family live in a screen free home. I respect their decision and admire them for their choices. I was hoping for tips and techniques to cut back. But the more I read, the more it was pushed to cut it out altogether. No tv, no phones, no computers. It’s “okay for mom and dad with passwords but not for kids.” I have a hard time getting on board with trying to sell why mom and dad need phones and computers for work (especially in this work from home culture) but it’s not appropriate for kids. How is that setting the right example? Not only that but the kids use technology in school and you see the way AI is driving the future. I just don’t agree with cutting out all technology. I think like many things in life it’s about finding balance. I don’t disagree with the research (or first hand experience) that comes with kids having access to technology and the effects; however I felt like taking such an extreme view will turn off many parents who are tired of the tantrums and want to take a more moderate approach.

[Emma Grace Blumer · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the whole this was a well-communicated argument for a screen-free/screen-reduced childhood. It started out somewhat preachy, but improved as it went on - the last two chapters bumped it up a star for me. I’d recommend it to any parent or caregiver navigating our digital age with kids in tow.

[Aurelian Cotuna · Rating 5 out of 5]

When my son was born I made a decision to protect him as much as possible from screens.

Developing software products most of my adult life, I understood how powerful software is, and how fascinating the screens are.

This is a recipe for disaster especially for the developing brain of a child.

But nowadays saying No to screens and Yes to real life experience, adventure and outdoor play, seems like a crazy idea.

This book is exactly about this - how to keep children off screens and in the real life, and how important that is for their developing minds.

I totally recommend it to parents interested in the development and wellbeing of their children.

Say no to screens!

[Camisado · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really glad my library had this available for loan; I'm going to be purchasing a copy to refer back to as my son grows up. As a technologist by career and a 1989 baby, I'm aware of the pitfalls of introducing screens and social media too early (the latter, if at all!) especially in the current climate. Have also filled my to-read list with Martinko's reference collection. Excited to follow her advice and give my son a screen free (or screen minimal) childhood.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book reinforced all my beliefs. I thought it was very informative and well presented.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5, I didn't agree with everything in the book but the overarching theme was good and I enjoyed reading it.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first few chapters about the impact and research are very interesting. But it all goes downhill when she starts giving advice on "how to" by age group.

[Kirby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so needed and well written. Katherine cites some really important names in the field like Richard Louv, Lenore Skenazy and Angela Hascom to name a few. She offers some hard truths people probably don’t want to hear but need to.

[Jeff Zell · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I ever have an opportunity to hand a parent or a soon to be parent that is wondering how to navigate bringing up a child in our modern North American context, I would, without hesitation, hand him or her Martinko's book. Martinko and her husband have three boys and send them to public school. However, they are both alarmed about the increasing presence of and reliance upon "screens" in private and public life. They are also concerned about the short and long term effects of abundant screen usage. Martinko convincingly offers another way to raise and educate the children. If you want children that are creative, inventive, imaginative, empathetic, have sustained focus, deeper comprehension, emotionally regulate themselves, and are physically fit, then she has some solid recommendations.

Before she gets to the recommendations, she explains what research and parental observation have already discerned about sustained computer or "screen" usage does to children and adults. It's not conducive to productive citizenry. She also admits to the computer's addictive qualities from personal experience.

Her recommendations begin with "get rid of the screens" and then include lots of free range outdoor play, lots of reading, and continues on from there. I found the recommendations reasonable and well thought out.

The reader may not agree with everything that Martinko recommends, but she will make you make conscientious choices about how you raise your family.

[Kathleen Garber · Rating 4 out of 5]

My children (and me) are very plugged in so we needed this book. It’s a bit more strict than I was expecting but is still good advice. It proposes cutting out electronics until grade 8 at the earliest and even then, just a flip phone. She doesn’t agree with electronics in schools which I have to say I have to agree with for the most part. Online learning was the last straw for us and lead us back to homeschooling although it was only one of the reasons. In our homeschool we use electronics sparingly because my kids use it so much outside of school.

I do want to use some of her points to unplug us more but I’m not willing to go tech free. I feel this book is better for those with young children who can start no tech right from the get go. It will be a lot easier although she does give advice for moving from a tech household to a tech free or tech limited household.

I appreciate the Amplify, Don’t Amputate chapter which explains how when you DO use tech, how you can use it for good. It shows the difference between what amplifies your life and what amputates it.

I received a copy of this book to review.

[Rachel Miao · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer- we are a very low screen/tech family to begin with & I already agree with the book's basic premise.

I agree that "advice to get kids off screens" is a bit of false advertising. The author has run her household as mostly tech-free from the start, and there isn't much in the way of personal experience, research, or guidance re: how to backtrack. Her harping on the fact that it's easiest to "begin as you wish to go on" may feel like salt to the wound for those who have already begun.

That said, I disagree that the book is overly preachy. The author makes a concerted effort to stay nonjudgmental. But she stands by her "extremism" (as do I), and tries to explain why such a radical, "weird" approach is necessary in order to achieve the outcomes she wants for her family.

If you are already (or on the way to being) willing to raise your kids "unplugged", this is a great resource. If you are ambivalent/on the fence/have cognitive dissonance but are also burnt-out with no bandwidth for soul-searching and/or painful, systemic change (who hasn't been there?) - then this might just make you angry, defensive, and less open to change.

[Laura Brzovic · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good little read to cement things I already believe in. Heavy use of screens for children and families reduces connection, the ability to focus, resiliency and creativity, etc etc. I think the damage is really quite profound.

Martinko’s solution is essentially to just put the screens away and enjoy different activities together as a family. I do think that’s relatively difficult, but I do think you can manage screens in a healthy way. I think watching TV or movies as a family from time to time is okay. But throwing kids on iPads and iPhones seems entirely unnecessary to me. There’s so many more wonderful choices and activities out there.

She also really bashes schools and teachers at the end for using screens too much. I’m a teacher and actually don’t use screens at all any more with my students….but I will tell you teachers are doing their very best in all areas. Cut them some slack.

[Natalyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m on the hunt for the best parenting books out there. I’m pretty certain there’s no one set parenting philosophy that I love, so I’m out to duct tape the best ideas together and make a childhood for my kids that we’ll all love! Up next on my reading list was “Childhood Unplugged” by Katherine Johnson Martinko.
In “Childhood Unplugged,” Martinko dives into the issue of kids with technology. Her parent philosophy is to make technology almost non-existent in her home, removing televisions and other easily accessible forms to force her children to find other means of entertainment.
While I think limiting tech is important, I don’t see myself hauling my tv to the curb anytime soon. I still feel there’s a way to have Bluey, but not be glued to the screen all the time. What that looks like? I’m not entirely sure yet, but I’m working on it.
I appreciate what Martinko is doing, but I don’t think it’s a fit for me. I was looking for a more practical approach with tips or guidelines and I didn’t see much of that here (what I did see of that I liked). I think this book would have packed a more powerful punch if there was a little more on the space between the two extremes. Overall, this was a 3 star read for me!

[Sarah DeLaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a regular reader of Martinko's Substack and found this book to be a deeper dive into many of the topics she discusses there. The evidence presented reaffirmed my decisions around screens for my family and it was a quick, enjoyable read. I will say, as a career educator I found the section on screens in schools to be somewhat accusatory towards the teachers and lacking consideration of other factors contributing to the overuse of tech in schools. Obviously, I am going to be more sensitive sensitive to this than people not in my role, but almost every public educator I know (at elementary and middle school level) would ditch computers without a second thought. In my experience in the US, it is school districts, not educators who are pushing tech. In my case, programs and assessments were required to be used weekly, if not daily, on the computer. I can't speak for all educators, but in my experience many agree 1:1 technology isn't the answer.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has some good suggestions and I found it inspiring in parts, but the overall tone came across as too judgmental to convince me to overhaul our lives. Going completely tech free isn’t for us, nor is home-schooling - I have never understood the attitude of thinking you could provide a better, more well-rounded education for your children at home compared to them being taught by those who know their subjects best. There will always be bad teachers, granted, but to think you alone can do a better job than a whole group of qualified people is wild. Also school isn’t only about the academics, there’s the whole social development side too.. anyway I digress! This book has good ideas but is too preachy to get you on side. It’s worth a read (or listen) still but be prepared for that.

[Tess Pereira · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would recommend all parents, family members, friends, and educators take a read. There may be eye rolls from them at times (those with less open minds) but this was such an eye opening read, not only for future kids but for myself.
I chose this book for a research paper for school and the amount of knowledge I gained from this read struck a nerve. After reading this book I have been opening up dialogue to other co-workers and family members towards these conversations held in the book. I highly recommend reading if you are wanting more information on technology and the effects it has on children (that grow into adults eventually).

[Chesca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I forced myself to listen to this a little bit every day—like taking daily meds or vitamins! It’s really excellent; I just hated how much I needed this book in my life. Ugh.

Here’s a glimpse into the table of contents:

Part I: The Personal and Social Costs of Screens
    Chapter 1: The Kids Are Not All Right
    Chapter 2: Amplify, Don’t Amputate

Part II: How to Take Control of Screens
    Chapter 3: Begin as You Mean to Go On (Babies & Toddlers)
    Chapter 4: Freedom to Play (Elementary-Aged Kids)
    Chapter 5: Grant Freedom, Demand Responsibility (Adolescents)
    Chapter 6: But Everyone’s Doing It
    Chapter 7: The Parent’s Role
    Chapter 8: School of Screens

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're interested in a lot less screen time in your life and your kids' lives, there are some strong reasons and good advice in this one. The negative effects of excessive screen time are becoming more commonly known and those are covered in the beginning of the book, but perhaps more compelling is all the better ways we could be spending those hours, building mental health, physical health, and life skills while playing, tinkering, exploring, and socializing in the real world. "How we spend our days is how we spend our lives."

[Elizabeth Quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book refreshing with regard to letting kids be actual kids in this current era of instant and endless information, but also a calling upward for adults/parents to assess our own screen use to create a family culture focused on real interaction and growth. I first discovered the author’s Substack (which is great bite-sized essays about fostering a minimally-screened culture) and her book did not disappoint! I think it’s an important read for all parents, and her mantra “begin the way you mean to go on” is one of my favorite bits of parenting advice.

[Beth Cramer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always love to read how we can be inspired to raise the next generation into what they will be. Screens will always be a part of our and their lives but how to have a healthy relationship with screens for kiddos and adults, this book does a phenomenal job breaking down how each generation needs to take steps back and how as parents, we can set that model. Only 4 stars because a lot of repeated material and similar to other comments, this book encourages the complete disuse of screens whereas more alternatives to winding back would be more beneficial to this modern day society.

[Stefanie Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has completely changed the way I think about screen use, both as a mother and a teacher. I am SO ready and motivated to ditch the devices so my kids can get back to an "analog" childhood. I worried that this book would make me feel guilty about the screen use my kids have had up until now, but the author gives advice and offers evidence in a completely non-judgmental way that makes you feel empowered, not regretful. 100% recommend.

[Rekuch Academy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read. The subtitle doesn't do this book justice; Childhood Unplugged is not primarily about practical tips for the unbalanced family. This book is about childhood itself - its purpose and function - and about how childhood is perceived by society. It's well-written. If you only have the inclination for a short sample; read the intro, Chapter 1, and Chapter 8 for a big-picture overview of Katherine's main points.

[Vaida · Rating 3 out of 5]

Knygą skaičiau lietuvių kalba. Patiko, tik visą knygą galima apibendrinti vienu sakiniu - vietoj technologijų, vaikams pasiūlykime laiką kartu su tėvais gamtoje, buityje, namuose, ruošiant namų darbus, vykstant į kelionę ir t.t. Būkime su savo vaikais tol, kol galime, nes jie užauga ir išeina gyventi savo gyvenimo.

[Teddi Garrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good concept, but it comes off a little judgey. Lots of “I know that’s not true because my kids are normal”. I love the idea of practically helping parents get their kids off screen and outside as much as possible, just didn’t feel like this was the most helpful way to relay that information.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

Repetitive, common sense, and occasionally too extremist. But honestly - just the act of reading this made me check my social media so much less, so I'm going get a bunch more anti-tech books out of the library and keep up the trend in 2024

[Kaci Grecek · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn't as relatable as I was hoping for. It was interesting and informative, but I was hoping for more. It didn't suggest anything I didn't already know, so wasn't for me. I could see it being really helpful if you have no background knowledge of screen time and its effects on children.

[Jen Feddema · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first heard about this book when the author was interviewed on 570 News here in Kitchener. While I don’t agree with everything the author states, largely the idea of breaking up with tech in our homes and schools has been inspiring and informative. Definitely worth the read!

[Lauren Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great treatise on preserving childhood, limiting media influence and promoting free play that fosters real independence. The age-range sections, addressing societal norms, pushback, and support in realms of family, friends, and school: all the bits are great advice and absent of judgement.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good review of all the reasons why parents should avoid introducing their children to electronic devices from birth on. If this book isn’t enough to scare the daylights out of you, probably nothing will. Of course, having unplugged children means parents have to pull the plug as well.