SWIPE LESS AND LIVE MORE
Published: February 03, 2025 4:42PM PDT | Updated: February 03, 2025 5:02PM PDT
Published: April 18, 2023 3:21PM PDT
Updated: April 20, 2023 3:21PM PDT
Raising Screen-Smart Kids with Unplugged Canada
Parenting in the digital age feels like navigating uncharted waters. We’re raising the first
generation of true digital natives, and while technology offers incredible opportunities, it also
presents real challenges. How do we equip our children with the tools to thrive in a digital
world while protecting their well-being and fostering genuine connection?
The goal isn’t to reject technology but to find a balance—empowering children to become responsible, resilient digital citizens. As John Muir once said, “The best classroom is the world around you.” Unplugging fosters creativity, problem-solving, and resilience. It’s not about eliminating screens but setting mindful boundaries, creating tech-free zones, and modeling healthy digital habits.
The goal isn’t to reject technology but to find a balance—empowering children to become responsible, resilient digital citizens. As John Muir once said, “The best classroom is the world around you.” Unplugging fosters creativity, problem-solving, and resilience. It’s not about eliminating screens but setting mindful boundaries, creating tech-free zones, and modeling healthy digital habits.
The Trade-Off: Connection vs. Convenience
It’s easy to turn to screens for convenience—keeping kids entertained, quiet, or connected. But as Dr. Richard Freed, author of Wired Child, warns, technology becomes harmful when it displaces essential childhood experiences like outdoor play, creative problem-solving, and
face-to-face interaction.
Catherine Steiner-Adair, author of The Big Disconnect, urges families to “create a culture of connection,” reminding us that technology should enhance, not replace, human relationships. Simple changes—like device-free dinners, screen-free bedrooms, and open conversations— can reinforce meaningful connections and model healthy habits for children.
The question is: what do we want our kids to remember—the time spent in front of screens or the time spent exploring, playing, and engaging with the world around them?
Catherine Steiner-Adair, author of The Big Disconnect, urges families to “create a culture of connection,” reminding us that technology should enhance, not replace, human relationships. Simple changes—like device-free dinners, screen-free bedrooms, and open conversations— can reinforce meaningful connections and model healthy habits for children.
The question is: what do we want our kids to remember—the time spent in front of screens or the time spent exploring, playing, and engaging with the world around them?
What’s at Stake? A Childhood Disrupted
Research shows that excessive screen time can negatively impact children’s mental health,
sleep, and cognitive development. Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation, links
rising anxiety and depression in young people to the decline of real-world play and the overuse
of social media. He stresses the importance of unstructured outdoor play to build resilience and
confidence.
As parents, we face a tough reality: screens are easy, but they come with a cost. When children trade play for passive screen time, they miss out on developing critical life skills like creativity, problem-solving, and social connection.
The good news? It’s not too late to reclaim childhood. By setting mindful boundaries and encouraging real-world engagement, we can reverse this trend.
As parents, we face a tough reality: screens are easy, but they come with a cost. When children trade play for passive screen time, they miss out on developing critical life skills like creativity, problem-solving, and social connection.
The good news? It’s not too late to reclaim childhood. By setting mindful boundaries and encouraging real-world engagement, we can reverse this trend.
Screens Aren’t Evil, But Balance Is Everything
The goal isn’t to demonize technology but to use it wisely. Devorah Heitner, author of Screenwise, advises parents to treat technology as a tool, not a toy. This means setting clear expectations around device use, having open discussions about digital safety, and encouraging
offline activities.
Dr. Katie Davis, in Technology’s Child, outlines key stages in a child’s development and how technology should evolve with them:
● Early Childhood: Tech should be interactive, used alongside caregivers to encourage real-world play and social interaction.
● Middle Childhood: Begin conversations about online safety and digital literacy, balancing screen time with outdoor and social activities.
● Adolescence: Focus on social media, online identity, and privacy. Open communication about digital life is crucial as teens navigate more complex interactions.
These stages help us understand how tech use should change as children grow, ensuring it enhances—not replaces—important developmental milestones.
Dr. Katie Davis, in Technology’s Child, outlines key stages in a child’s development and how technology should evolve with them:
● Early Childhood: Tech should be interactive, used alongside caregivers to encourage real-world play and social interaction.
● Middle Childhood: Begin conversations about online safety and digital literacy, balancing screen time with outdoor and social activities.
● Adolescence: Focus on social media, online identity, and privacy. Open communication about digital life is crucial as teens navigate more complex interactions.
These stages help us understand how tech use should change as children grow, ensuring it enhances—not replaces—important developmental milestones.
The Digital Dilemma: Are We Protecting Kids Where It Matters Most?
Lenore Skenazy, author of Free-Range Kids, offers a sharp reality check: “We’re
overprotecting kids in the real world and under-protecting them in the digital one.”
We’re quick to monitor physical safety—ensuring kids don’t wander too far, talk to strangers, or get hurt. Yet, we often hand them devices without fully understanding the potential risks of social media, online predators, and screen addiction.
What if we shifted our focus? What if we gave our kids more real-world freedom while setting firmer boundaries around digital spaces? Small steps, like encouraging outdoor play or independent errands, build resilience and confidence in ways screens never will.
We’re quick to monitor physical safety—ensuring kids don’t wander too far, talk to strangers, or get hurt. Yet, we often hand them devices without fully understanding the potential risks of social media, online predators, and screen addiction.
What if we shifted our focus? What if we gave our kids more real-world freedom while setting firmer boundaries around digital spaces? Small steps, like encouraging outdoor play or independent errands, build resilience and confidence in ways screens never will.
The Power of Collective Action
This is where Unplugged Canada comes in. Their mission is simple: delay smartphone use until
at least age 14 and empower families to reclaim childhood from screens. Their pledge offers
practical support, workshops, and community connection for parents navigating this challenge.
Why delay smartphones? Research shows that limiting early access to smartphones reduces anxiety, improves social skills, and strengthens mental health. Dr. Jean Twenge, author of iGen, highlights a clear link between the rise of smartphones and the decline of adolescent wellbeing. When parents collectively agree to delay smartphone use, the social pressure shifts— and kids can thrive without feeling left out.
By signing the Unplugged Canada Pledge, families commit to fostering healthier digital habits, creating more time for outdoor play, and ensuring their children’s mental and emotional wellbeing come first. Together, we can redefine what childhood looks like in a tech-driven world.
Why delay smartphones? Research shows that limiting early access to smartphones reduces anxiety, improves social skills, and strengthens mental health. Dr. Jean Twenge, author of iGen, highlights a clear link between the rise of smartphones and the decline of adolescent wellbeing. When parents collectively agree to delay smartphone use, the social pressure shifts— and kids can thrive without feeling left out.
By signing the Unplugged Canada Pledge, families commit to fostering healthier digital habits, creating more time for outdoor play, and ensuring their children’s mental and emotional wellbeing come first. Together, we can redefine what childhood looks like in a tech-driven world.
You’re Not Alone—And It’s Not Too Late
Raising screen-smart kids is hard—but you don’t have to do it alone. Every parent at Alcuin
College is navigating the same struggle, and there’s no perfect formula. What matters most is
staying engaged, being flexible, and remembering that your role as a parent is more powerful
than any device.
Unplugged Canada offers the tools, research, and community support you need to make informed choices. By setting mindful tech boundaries and encouraging real-world connection, you’re not just protecting your child’s mental health—you’re giving them the gift of a childhood filled with wonder, play, and connection.
So take a deep breath. Put down your phone. Invite your child outside. Together, we can help them build a future where technology serves them—without ever replacing the magic of real life.
Unplugged Canada offers the tools, research, and community support you need to make informed choices. By setting mindful tech boundaries and encouraging real-world connection, you’re not just protecting your child’s mental health—you’re giving them the gift of a childhood filled with wonder, play, and connection.
So take a deep breath. Put down your phone. Invite your child outside. Together, we can help them build a future where technology serves them—without ever replacing the magic of real life.
CALL TO ACTION:
Join the Unplugged Canada Pledge today—and let’s reclaim childhood, one unplugged
moment at a time.
Author
Jennifer Hepton
BEd, PBDE
Certified Conscious Parenting Coach
Alcuin Parent
Alcuin Parent
Resources:
Here's a list of the books and authors referenced in the blog post
Freed, R. Wired Child
Steiner-Adair, C. The Big Disconnect
Skenazy, L. Free-Range Kids.
Haidt, J. The Anxious Generation
Heitner, D. Screenwise
Davis, K. Technology's Child
Twenge, J. M. iGen
Here's a list of the books and authors referenced in the blog post
Freed, R. Wired Child
Steiner-Adair, C. The Big Disconnect
Skenazy, L. Free-Range Kids.
Haidt, J. The Anxious Generation
Heitner, D. Screenwise
Davis, K. Technology's Child
Twenge, J. M. iGen
Reference List Citation
1. Twenge, J. M. (2017). iGen: Why today’s super-connected kids are growing up less rebellious, more tolerant, less happy—and completely unprepared for adulthood— and what that means for the rest of us. Atria Books.
2. Freed, R. (2015). Wired child: Reclaiming childhood in a digital age. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
3. Steiner-Adair, C. (2013). The big disconnect: Protecting childhood and family relationships in the digital age. Harper.
4. Haidt, J. (2023). The anxious generation: How the great rewiring of childhood is causing an epidemic of mental illness. Penguin Press.
5. Heitner, D. (2016). Screenwise: Helping kids thrive (and survive) in their digital world. Routledge.
6. Davis, K. (2023). Technology’s child: Digital media’s role in the ages and stages of growing up. MIT Press.
7. Skenazy, L. (2009). Free-range kids: How parents and teachers can let go and let grow. Wiley.
1. Twenge, J. M. (2017). iGen: Why today’s super-connected kids are growing up less rebellious, more tolerant, less happy—and completely unprepared for adulthood— and what that means for the rest of us. Atria Books.
2. Freed, R. (2015). Wired child: Reclaiming childhood in a digital age. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
3. Steiner-Adair, C. (2013). The big disconnect: Protecting childhood and family relationships in the digital age. Harper.
4. Haidt, J. (2023). The anxious generation: How the great rewiring of childhood is causing an epidemic of mental illness. Penguin Press.
5. Heitner, D. (2016). Screenwise: Helping kids thrive (and survive) in their digital world. Routledge.
6. Davis, K. (2023). Technology’s child: Digital media’s role in the ages and stages of growing up. MIT Press.
7. Skenazy, L. (2009). Free-range kids: How parents and teachers can let go and let grow. Wiley.
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