The Tech Diet for your Child & Teen: The 7-Step Plan to Unplug & Reclaim Your Kid's Childhood

by Brad Marshall

Are you a parent struggling to set healthy, effective rules around technology in your house? Or have you already set clear parameters but find yourself outsmarted by your tech-savvy kids? Are you sick of hearing technology experts throw statistics and research at you with few practical parenting strategies on offer?

Brad Marshall, The Unplugged Psychologist, is on the front line helping parents deal with the dominance of gaming and problematic technology use. His clinic, the Internet Addiction Clinic @ Kidspace, was one of the first in Australia established to help young children, teenagers and families whose lives are totally torn apart by technology.

The Tech Diet for your Child and Teen provides real-life strategies that any parent can implement to create a healthy balance and put your kids' development first. Based on solid psychological research explaining why screen addiction is so powerful, Brad's jargon-free advice gives a clear plan for parents who have had enough and are serious about changing the way their kids use and interact with technology.

The Tech Diet for your Child and Teen contains:

Ways to apply workable solutions for excessive internet use and gaming rather than fighting about it Advice on how to take control of the Wi-Fi and manage smartphones and data Practical tips to help survive the school holidays How to tackle kids telling you they are doing 'homework' while switching screens A holistic plan that puts your child's wellbeing first, screens second Special information for children with conditions such as ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, anxiety and depression

PRAISE FOR THE TECH DIET FOR YOUR CHILD & TEEN

"Brad Marshall is an Australian psychologist working at the front line of problematic gaming and technology usage. He shares a common-sense practical approach to helping parents to tame excessive and unhealthy digital habits . His book is easy to read - seriously easy - and his Tech Diet does not require the digital amputation of complete banning, which is good news for everyone. If you are worried with what is happening in your home - this is the book for you!" Maggie Dent, Bestselling parenting author, educator and speaker

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Psychology

287 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 1, 2019

Reviews

[AJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was alright. Didn't enjoy the writing style which was a bit casual. I felt like the author really wasn't able to ladder the content to parents with a reasonable understanding of technology. It was written as if you knew basically nothing, and the author wasn't setting out to take you much beyond that.

I also would have preferred deeper references to research, rather than the clinical experiences of the author (without trying to take away from that experience).

I did enjoy the overall framework for making your decisions on how you implement changes/restrictions to your child's technology usage by always going to back to how they are progressing developmentally.

Three stars seems about right. It's worth a read, but I feel like there's a better book out there for me on this topic...

[Ruby Suder · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the fact that it was a fast read. I was a little disappointed that there was not more tip/info for using when a child has a mental disorder. The little ones in my life have multiple disorders and I going to have to contemplate how to follow while taking those into account. I feel a little worried that I might not have found this book soon enough, but I am willing to try to use suggested strategies.

[Ryhna Hjanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love this book - it was so helpful for my home, Brad does not judge or shun you and he actually gives real ideas and plans to help - not just talk about it - i saw him in his clinic aswell and he is lovly helpful man. anyone with a teenager shoudl read this book! 5 stars!

[Pablo Jurado · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice read

Practical. Like the balance between data and advice. And the feeling that we are just starting a neverending journey. The book is focused on children but i will be applying to myself
.

[Hannane Mohammadi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful techniques for both children and adults.

[Lindsey Clewett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to understand, full of simple, practical steps.

[Jehlish]

Very quick read, solid viable solutions.

[Naomi Bright · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting book, especially reading it as a teenager... provides underlying knowledge for the credibility of the method however, I don't think the strategies my mum will use are going to be secretive anymore haha!

[Aika Daylann · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love this book! so easy to read and understand

[Ashley Bartlett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good book that lays out in real terms what bad tech usage is, as well as normal usage. What are the warning signs of when tech use is becoming a problem. He also has a simple approach that plays well with much of the great advice I have seen elsewhere. Which is some hard line controls (and explains what those are for non tech people, which as a tech person I think is solid), and coming up with a plan with your kid.
It’s clear the author has been working with kids and parents in real life. I think it suffers a little bit by trying to overly appeal to reader, though it’s not holding the content back.

[Aika Daylann · Rating 5 out of 5]

just fantastic - an easy read, very quick read, very informative, no shaming, and he is a psycholoigist

[Simon Fuller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wise advice for raising the internet generation. Do your kids a favour - read this book!

This book gives easy to understand and easy to follow advice about how to monitor and, if necessary, control the amount of screen time children and teens use for their balanced development. The problem of excessive usage is bigger than you might first realise, but not insurmountable - with a few practical steps and some advice from an eminent expert.

[Micah Boerma · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very concise and relevant account of practical strategies parents can utilise when navigating limit setting for their children's time on technology. With a diagnosis of 'Gaming Disorder' or something similar looming in both the sights of ICD and DSM classifications, this book distills current research on what works, and what is useful for parents of everyday children that game, to those that are ardently addicted.

[Marlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

A MUST read for all parents! The author presents a very practical and simple approach to enhancing your child’s life by removing (or reducing) addictive behavior to technology. I will be recommending this book (and approach) to all my clients, family and friends.

[Ryhna Hjanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love this book - its so helpdful