MIT Press – Technology’s Child: Tech & Child Development (2020)
Technology's Child: Understanding Tech and Growth
Opening overview
If you’re struggling to find balance between screens and healthy development, Technology’s Child: Understanding Tech and Growth is an essential digital detox guide. It empathizes with parents and educators and offers practical ways to build healthy screen habits while protecting children’s social, cognitive, and emotional growth.
Key features & benefits
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Authoritative research and context (Author: Katie Davis; Publisher: MIT Press; Publication Date: 2020-11-03; ISBN: 9780262342527) – Builds trust and credibility by grounding recommendations in scholarly analysis and real-world observation, so caregivers can rely on evidence-based guidance rather than fads. Mechanism: academic framing + accessible examples = actionable, defensible choices for family tech rules.
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Developmentally tailored guidance (covers toddlers to young adults across 256 pages) – Helps you reduce screen time effectively by offering age‑specific strategies that match cognitive and social development stages, improving adoption and long‑term outcomes. Mechanism: tailored interventions reduce resistance and increase sustained behavior change.
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Practical routines and boundaries to improve focus and productivity – Translates research into concrete habits (device curfews, task-focused tech use, classroom strategies) that minimize distraction and support attention both at home and school. Mechanism: consistent routines and environmental controls lower cognitive load and temptation, boosting focus and productivity.
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Sleep-focused recommendations and blue light mitigation – Offers actionable tips (evening routines, device policies, filter use) to promote blue light reduction for better sleep quality and healthier circadian rhythms. Mechanism: limiting evening screen exposure and using targeted strategies reduces melatonin disruption and improves restorative sleep.
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A usable “digital wellness device” in book form – Compact, 256 pages of focused guidance that functions like a mental toolkit for families and educators seeking ergonomic and health‑focused design of digital experiences. Mechanism: clear frameworks and checklists make it simple to implement ergonomic, health‑oriented practices around device use.
Our expert take
We found Technology’s Child to be a rare combination of scholarly rigor and practical usability: what impressed us most was how Katie Davis links developmental science to everyday policies and routines that families and schools can actually implement. For caregivers frustrated by constant device use, sleep disruption, or attention problems, this book provides a measured, research-backed pathway to a sustainable digital detox and healthier screen habits. Because it’s published by MIT Press and rooted in developmental perspectives, we trust its recommendations as well-grounded starting points for long-term digital wellness.
Who is this best for?
- Parents of young children and teens who need age‑appropriate strategies to reduce screen time and protect development.
- Educators and school leaders designing classroom and homework tech policies that improve focus and productivity.
- Caregivers seeking practical, evidence-based steps to improve sleep, attention, and overall digital wellness.
Call to action
Ready to make an informed step toward healthier tech use for the kids in your life? Compare prices on Technology’s Child: Understanding Tech and Growth now to choose the best edition and start building sustainable digital wellness habits.
