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INSIDE THE VILLAGE: Kids are wasting their lives staring at cell phones

This week's podcast: The author of a new book — Childhood Unplugged: Practical Advice to Get Kids Off Screens and Find Balance — explains why she won't let her 14-year-old son have a smartphone

​Welcome back to Inside the Village, a one-of-a-kind podcast where all news is local — and no topic is off-limits.

On this week's episode: Why you should never buy your kid a smartphone (or, at the very least, delay the inevitable for as long as possible).

Deep down, every parent has the same regret: I wish my child spent way less time staring at a phone and more time soaking up the world around them. A new book offers plenty of helpful tips on how to accomplish that: Childhood Unplugged: Practical Advice to Get Kids Off Screens and Find Balance.

Author Katherine Martinko is our guest on this week's podcast. She talks about what motivated her to write the book — and why her own son, now 14, still isn't allowed to own a cell phone.

Spoiler alert: her son is doing just fine without one. He is well-adjusted, safe, and has plenty of real friends.

Hosted by Scott Sexsmith and Michael Friscolanti, the Editor-in-Chief of Village Media, Inside the Village is a news and current affairs podcast that provides a weekly window into some of the best local journalism from across our chain of Ontario newsrooms. Produced by Derek Turner, the program also explores bigger-picture issues that impact people across the province.

Every episode is available HERE. If you prefer the audio version, it is available wherever you find your favourite podcasts.

Have something to say? You can reach us at [email protected].

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