Childhood Unplugged - by Katherine Johnson Martinko (Paperback)

About the Book

Regulating children's use of digital media. More time spent offline will benefit their resilience, independence, and family relationships.

Book Synopsis

Reclaim childhood from digital devices-and rediscover the wonder of real life

Screens dominate modern childhood. The average child spends 7.5 hours a day on digital devices, leaving parents worried about anxiety, disconnection, and lost creativity. Childhood Unplugged offers a proven path to reclaiming childhood--without guilt, shame, or unrealistic rules.

Written by journalist and parenting expert Katherine Martinko, this inspiring guide helps families replace screentime with meaningful, hands-on experiences that build confidence, curiosity, and connection.

What You'll Learn

• How to reduce digital dependency and set healthy screen boundaries at every age.


• The hidden links between screen use, childhood anxiety, and attention challenges.


• Practical strategies for nurturing independent, resilient kids in a tech-saturated world.


• Real-world stories from families who've successfully reclaimed childhood--no tech meltdowns required.


• Ways to make outdoor play, creativity, and boredom your family's greatest teachers.

Praise for Childhood Unplugged

"...solid ideas for reducing digital dependency." -- Publishers Weekly

"...a helpful guide for parents who hope to curb their family's electronic habits." -- Foreword Reviews

"Real-world tools for parents to declutter their minds and set up safeguards to put themselves in control of digital technology. A digital minimalist's must-have guide." -- Joshua Becker, #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Things That Matter

"Katherine Martinko has written a treatise no parent should miss. How do we protect and enhance the humanity of our children in an age where they've been so recklessly bombarded with unfettered technology?" -- Loreena McKennitt, Founder, Stolen Child Project

A Gentle Invitation

If you've felt uneasy about how digital devices shape your child's world--but aren't sure where to start--this book offers clarity, compassion, and a roadmap toward balance.
It's time to unplug and rediscover the magic of being a kid.

From the Back Cover

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

Mandatory reading for all parents.
--Catherine Price, author, How to Break Up With Your Phone

The rallying cry we have been waiting for.
--Linda Åkeson McGurk, author, There's No Such Thing as Bad Weather

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, the vast majority undermines it 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.

Drawing on her own family's experience, plus interviews with digital minimalists, educators, and child development experts, 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, and more creative and active play
• Inspiration for caregivers overwhelmed by the thought of severing ties with the digital babysitter
• Age-appropriate advice for parents of 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.

A must-read book for parents in our time.
--Loreena McKennitt, founder, Stolen Child Project

Essential reading for the analog warrior, or even those seeking a bit more balance from too many screens.
--David Sax, bestselling author, The Revenge of Analog

Katherine Johnson Martinko writes extensively about free-range parenting and low-impact living. She is a former senior editor at Treehugger -- major green lifestyle site -- and previously wrote for Discovery Network. She lives in Port Elgin, Ontario.

Review Quotes

"...solid ideas for reducing digital dependency."
--Publishers Weekly

"Will likely prove to be a popular title for the many parents who want to wean their family's device-dependence."
--Library Journal

"...solid ideas for reducing digital dependency."
--Publishers Weekly
"With advice on removing televisions from bedrooms and limiting screen time or tablet usage to a couple of hours per week, this is a helpful guide for parents who hope to curb their family's electronic habits."
--Foreword Reviews

"A digital minimalist's must-have guide to launching your kids into a life of real connectedness and authenticity."
--Joshua Becker, #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Things That Matter

"Martinko expertly and urgently takes us deeper into the hidden horrors of too much screen time on the growing child. Then she throws us all a life preserver with the most practical, gentle advice I've seen."
--Angela Hanscom, author, Balanced and Barefoot: How Unrestricted Outdoor Play Makes for Strong, Confident, and Capable Children

"Katherine Martinko makes the case that not only is a screen-free childhood possible, but reducing our children's time on screen is essential for their happiness, sanity, and health. Thoroughly researched and beautifully written, it should be mandatory reading for all parents."
--Catherine Price, founder, ScreenLifeBalance.com, author, How to Break Up with Your Phone

"The passionate, clear-eyed, and thoroughly practical guide every parent needs to fight the good fight against the excesses of digital today."
--David Sax, bestselling author, The Revenge of Analog and The Future is Analog

"Truthful and transparent expert information combined with pragmatic and practical advice on how to liberate parents and "unplug" children. A must-read for any parent who wants to bring back the joys of parenting...and the fun of childhood."
--Dr. Mari Swingle (R. Psych), author, i-Minds, director, Swingle Clinic

"It takes an enormous effort to show our kids the world beyond their screens, but Katherine Martinko teaches us how to get it done in this practical, empathetic, and fascinating new guide."
--Michael Harris, author, Solitude and The End of Absence

"Martinko provides an in-depth, well-researched guide filled with reflections on her own journey with (but of course mostly without!) screens, and the joy she has experienced from "unplugging." A useful guide for those keen to begin their own screen-free journey."
--Outdoor Play Canada

"Martinko has written a must-read for parents struggling with screen time (all of us!). Her well-researched book shows the urgent need to free kids from screens and release them into the outdoors. She offers frazzled parents achievable practical advice rooted in the challenges of parenting today."
--Dr. Mariana Brussoni, professor, University of British Columbia, director, Human Early Learning Partnership

"...solid ideas for reducing digital dependency."
-Publishers Weekly

"Will likely prove to be a popular title for the many parents who want to wean their family's device-dependence."
-Library Journal

"...solid ideas for reducing digital dependency."
-Publishers Weekly
"With advice on removing televisions from bedrooms and limiting screen time or tablet usage to a couple of hours per week, this is a helpful guide for parents who hope to curb their family's electronic habits."
-Foreword Reviews

"A digital minimalist's must-have guide to launching your kids into a life of real connectedness and authenticity."
-Joshua Becker, #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Things That Matter

"Martinko expertly and urgently takes us deeper into the hidden horrors of too much screen time on the growing child. Then she throws us all a life preserver with the most practical, gentle advice I've seen."
-Angela Hanscom, author, Balanced and Barefoot: How Unrestricted Outdoor Play Makes for Strong, Confident, and Capable Children

"Katherine Martinko makes the case that not only is a screen-free childhood possible, but reducing our children's time on screen is essential for their happiness, sanity, and health. Thoroughly researched and beautifully written, it should be mandatory reading for all parents."
-Catherine Price, founder, ScreenLifeBalance.com, author, How to Break Up with Your Phone

"The passionate, clear-eyed, and thoroughly practical guide every parent needs to fight the good fight against the excesses of digital today."
-David Sax, bestselling author, The Revenge of Analog and The Future is Analog

"Truthful and transparent expert information combined with pragmatic and practical advice on how to liberate parents and "unplug" children. A must-read for any parent who wants to bring back the joys of parenting...and the fun of childhood."
-Dr. Mari Swingle (R. Psych), author, i-Minds, director, Swingle Clinic

"It takes an enormous effort to show our kids the world beyond their screens, but Katherine Martinko teaches us how to get it done in this practical, empathetic, and fascinating new guide."
-Michael Harris, author, Solitude and The End of Absence

"Martinko provides an in-depth, well-researched guide filled with reflections on her own journey with (but of course mostly without!) screens, and the joy she has experienced from "unplugging." A useful guide for those keen to begin their own screen-free journey."
-Outdoor Play Canada

"Martinko has written a must-read for parents struggling with screen time (all of us!). Her well-researched book shows the urgent need to free kids from screens and release them into the outdoors. She offers frazzled parents achievable practical advice rooted in the challenges of parenting today."
-Dr. Mariana Brussoni, professor, University of British Columbia, director, Human Early Learning Partnership

About the Author

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.