Named sources & findings in the book
Each block covers what the book reports, how The Tech-Smart Family uses it, and a soft next step (a printable or the book).
Named in the book
JAMA Pediatrics (2023)
What the book reports
A comprehensive 2023 study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that children’s screen time increased by over 52% during recent years.
How The Tech-Smart Family uses it
That figure helps explain why many UK and Ireland households feel overwhelmed: usage has risen sharply, so calm boundaries and routines matter more than guilt. The book pairs the statistic with practical age bands, zones and transition habits rather than scare stories.
Put age-right limits on the fridge with our free age-band screen guide, or get the full system in the book.
Named in the book
JAMA Pediatrics (2024): global preschoolers and the WHO combo
What the book reports
A 2024 global study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that only 14.3% of preschoolers worldwide are meeting the World Health Organization’s recommended combination of limited screen time, adequate physical activity and sufficient sleep. The book also notes that in Europe, while most children meet sleep recommendations, about half still exceed suggested screen time limits, and only about half get the physical activity they need.
Separately, the book cites a 2024 JAMA Pediatrics finding that while 81% of children worldwide currently meet sleep duration recommendations, that achievement is increasingly threatened by growing screen use, particularly in the evening.
How The Tech-Smart Family uses it
Balance is treated as a three-legged stool: screens, movement and sleep. Routines emphasise screen-free evenings, outdoor play and charging stations so families protect the WHO-style combination in everyday life, not just “hours of TV.”
Named in the book
UK Parliament research (2024)
What the book reports
Research from the UK Parliament (2024) reveals that nearly 25% of young people (described in the book as nearly one in four / nearly 25% of children and young people) now show signs of genuine dependency on their devices: anxiety when unable to access them, difficulty controlling usage time, trouble disconnecting at bedtime, and prioritising screen time over face-to-face social interactions.
The book also reports that a 2024 study referenced in the UK Parliament report found children with televisions in their bedrooms showed higher rates of sleep problems and poorer academic performance. Longitudinal research mentioned in the same report found that girls who watched more television at age four demonstrated greater difficulty understanding emotions and social situations several years later.
How The Tech-Smart Family uses it
Dependency signs are treated with empathy, not shame: design for attention is acknowledged, and families get tools for ending screen time calmly, keeping devices out of bedrooms, and building collaborative media agreements, especially for pre-teens.
Named in the book
World Health Organization (WHO)
What the book reports
As discussed in the book, WHO themes include:
- Under 1: no screen time for infants.
- 2-year-olds: no more than 1 hour daily (less is better).
- Preschool (about 3-5): screen time limited to no more than 1 hour daily, with less being better.
- Young children need substantial active play combined with adequate sleep; the 2019 guidelines emphasise less sitting and watching screens and more physical activity for children under five.
How The Tech-Smart Family uses it
WHO bands become the backbone of the age-by-age chapters and free guidelines page: minimise early exposure, protect play and sleep, and treat “less is better” as a practical compass for busy homes.
Named in the book
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
What the book reports
As discussed in the book, AAP themes include:
- Avoid digital media except video chatting for children under 18-24 months.
- For preschoolers: limit screen use to 1 hour daily of high-quality programming, with co-viewing encouraged.
- For school-age children: place consistent limits while ensuring screens do not displace adequate sleep, physical activity and other essential behaviours; focus less on rigid time alone and more on high-quality, balanced use.
- Updated AAP guidance (as stated in the book) associates family rules focusing on balance, content quality and communication with better wellbeing outcomes than rules based exclusively on screen time duration.
- The book recommends using the AAP Family Media Plan tool to create a personalised agreement.
How The Tech-Smart Family uses it
AAP themes shape co-viewing advice, the video-chat exception for toddlers, school-age “location and balance” rules, and the family media agreement chapter, so parents write shared rules instead of policing minutes alone.
Named in the book
Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development
What the book reports
The Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development followed children from age two through ten and found that each additional hour of television viewing at age two was associated with measurable decreases in classroom engagement and mathematical achievement years later. The book presents this as evidence that early screen exposure patterns can influence academic trajectories long after the viewing itself has ended.
How The Tech-Smart Family uses it
Early years get special weight: the book encourages gradual, sustainable reductions for families already using screens with toddlers, and focuses on serve-and-return interaction, play and language, without panic if habits need adjusting.
As discussed / research cited in the book
University of Cambridge (2023): play and executive function
What the book reports
A landmark study from the University of Cambridge (2023), as discussed in the book, found that children with rich, varied play experiences showed significantly better executive function (working memory, flexible thinking and self-control) compared with peers with screen-heavy routines. The book links this to real-world activities that demand active participation, multiple senses and social interaction.
How The Tech-Smart Family uses it
Reducing screens is framed as making space for play menus, boredom-busters and hands-on alternatives, so executive skills grow through building, pretending and outdoor time, not only through “less tech.”
As discussed / research cited in the book
Sleep & bedroom screen themes
What the book reports
- Screen exposure within about two hours of bedtime can disrupt sleep; blue light suppresses melatonin. The book advises ending screen time at least one hour before bedtime (some families prefer two).
- A comprehensive 2024 study published in Sleep Medicine Reviews, as cited in the book, found that children with televisions in their bedrooms were 2.3 times more likely to experience sleep difficulties compared with those with screen-free sleeping spaces.
- A 2024 study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, as cited in the book, found that children who maintained screen-free bedrooms and evening routines fell asleep an average of 23 minutes faster and slept more deeply than those with evening screen exposure.
- UK Parliament-linked findings (above) also connect bedroom TVs with sleep problems and poorer academic performance.
How The Tech-Smart Family uses it
Bedrooms become protected rest zones: family charging stations, analog alarms, reading nooks and calm evening sequences replace late-night scrolling: practical steps tied directly to better sleep.
As discussed / research cited in the book
Other findings named in the manuscript
What the book reports
The book also discusses (without always providing a full formal citation string) themes such as:
- Paediatrics & Child Health (2021): preschoolers who exceeded the recommended one hour of daily screen time were approximately 3.5 times less likely to demonstrate strong working memory skills compared with children who stayed within guidelines.
- Developmental Psychology (2021): preschoolers who consistently stayed within the one-hour daily recommendation showed significantly better working memory capacity than those who exceeded limits.
- Cureus (2023): thoughtful educational media can support learning, while excessive screen time correlates with decreased attention spans, reduced task management and lower academic performance.
- University of California (2023): children with extensive screen time showed measurably lower levels of empathy and emotional understanding compared with peers with limited exposure.
These appear as research cited in the book to explain attention, language, empathy and content-quality choices, not as standalone medical claims on this site.
How The Tech-Smart Family uses it
Parents get distinctions between active and passive screen time, co-viewing habits, and short recovery timelines (the book notes many families see focus improvements within a few weeks of clearer limits).