Friend Letters Archives - Heard It From A Friend

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Be the Change You Want to See
Friends Helping Friends
It's No Wonder We're Overwhelmed
No Wonder We're Overwhelmed
Silicon Valley 'Bro-Culture'
The Secrets to Happiness
Time to Boost Your Tech Savvy!
What's Next?

Technology To The Rescue…?

Dear Friends,

While we all have those moments when we wonder about our parenting decisions, I had a major cause for pause earlier this week. I’d happily sent my 9 and 12 year olds off to their grandparents, and while I did have some trepidation that a connecting flight was involved, I’d reasoned it was going to be an adventure of a lifetime.

Is This Our Wake-Up Call?

Dear Friends,

I realize this may not be popular, but really I don’t understand this trend. Wait Until 8th (grade) to give your kids a smartphone is a campaign that launched a year ago and continues to gain traction. They recently published this piece on Facebook extolling the benefits of the new LightPhone2, calling it a “basic phone with a cool design without all the garbage that comes with smartphones.”

Why ‘Wait Until 8th’?

Dear Friends,

I realize this may not be popular, but really I don’t understand this trend. ‘Wait Until 8th’ (grade) to give your kids a smartphone is a campaign that launched last August and continues to gain traction. They recently published this piece on Facebook extolling the benefits of the new LightPhone2, calling it a “basic phone with a cool design without all the garbage that comes with smartphones.”

Should We Cancel Summer?

Dear Friends,

After discovering we could use Echo Dots around the house like an intercom system, I was sold. My 9-year-old had done a spectacular job setting them up–it’s that easy–but one thing was inexplicably still not working, so I called Amazon.

When talking with the technician, he kept laughing. I had many questions and was giving him some feedback on the Alexa app user interface. I also wanted to find out how I could broadcast “Dinner Time!” over our Echo Dot system.

Where Do You Fall On the Technology Adoption Curve?

Are You Laughing at Me?

Dear Friends,

What’s the Secret to Happiness?

Dear Friends,

Does Money Buy Happiness? is an age old question that has been bandied about since the dawn of time. For decades research concluded that while there is a correlation between having more money and feeling happier, the extent is limited after basic needs are met. Then a few years researchers discovered that people’s happiness levels increase when money is spent on experiences as compared to material goods. This helps to explain why happy memories of big life events and vacations stick with us so much longer than that new purse smell.

Do You Suffer From Self-Sufficiency Syndrome?

Why Is It So Difficult to Ask For Help?

Dear Friends,

It finally clicked for me why it’s so hard to ask for help. Not only do we live in a society that celebrates independence and self-sufficiency, but also culturally, we laud the virtue of hard work. Now in our 24/7 world, accessibility can trump family time, even on the Dumbo ride. And the new norm among the retired set is vying for “Who’s Busier?” bragging rights.

Why Does This Keep Happening?

Dear Friends,

Clearly, there is a resounding chord that continues to strike a nerve deeply at our core. Every few months or so another post goes viral on the same subject. From Women Aren’t Nags, We’re Just Fed Up to Dear Husband, I. Need. More. Help., women are sharing collectively in the challenges of caring for house and home, kids, a husband, and the family pet, while also attempting to maintain some semblance of self-identity and sanity.

Are You In The 3%?

Dear Friends,

In this recently published survey, only 3% of people could accurately name a female tech executive (10 people actually cited Siri or Alexa!). In contrast, 57% could correctly identify a male leader with Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg mentioned most frequently.

Let’s Talk Travel!

Dear Friends,

I was at it again–I spent nearly the entire day last Sunday planning for summer. Every year as it approaches there is both excitement and dread. The excitement part is clear–longer days, more relaxed schedules, vacation, more family time. But the dread part is in the logistics (which is ironic considering that one summer I interned as a hotel concierge at the Broadmoor).

Even Melinda Gates Was Unprepared…

Dear Friends,

It’s no wonder we feel overwhelmed parenting in the Digital Age if even Melinda Gates admits to being unprepared. I think many of us can relate.

Now that we are signing iPad school use policies for our kindergarteners, we’ve unwittingly been promoted to Chief Technology Officer as the ‘Chief Overseers’ of homework. Some women are fortunate to have back-up from their partners, but others are managing the Home IT department solo.

It’s For Our Kids.

Dear Friends,

One thing I always fret over in this Digital Age is whether my girls get enough outdoor time. When I was a kid, I played outside for countless hours, coming home always hungry, happy and tired. Apparently now, inmates in the UK get more outdoor time than kids. This week, in a flash that may turn out to be brilliance, I instituted a new rule: for every minute of iPad time, they have to spend a minute outdoors. So far, so good, and if this sticks, I will be one happy CHR. Getting a dog helps the most!

Friends sitting together and talking at a restaurant in LA

What Questions Are You Afraid to Ask?

Dear Friends,

I just came off a glorious 72-hour girls’ weekend in LA, and there is nothing like the gift of the gab with girlfriends. There was non-stop chatter, from product recommendations like using these magnets for laundry instead of detergent, to how to get more leverage on the home front (delegating grocery shopping, meal prep, and errands is always a good idea).

Good Friends Help Friends Plan Trips!

Dear Friends,

Have you found yourself chasing that mythical family vacation? One thing I never anticipated was what it would be like to travel with kids. Crafting an itinerary that delights in the moment and dazzles in memory for years to come really is a monumental feat. It took many missteps and years of experience to understand my family’s travel profile.

Have You Staked Your Claim?

Dear Friends,

I’m still celebrating International Women’s Day, and all that we’ve collectively accomplished this past year. Women are starting businesses at 1.5x the rate of men, and more women are running for office than ever before. It’s cause for celebration, yet as we reach for more, striking the right balance on the home front can be tricky.

5 Eye-Popping Things You May Not Know About Apple

When I first started investigating Apple almost two years ago, I was surprised by how much I didn’t know, and the effort it took me to find out!

It’s On!

Really, truly, I can’t take it anymore. I went to another parent’s tech night at my daughters’ school and listened to a most impassioned speaker, Polly Ely of the Lab Method, expound on the impact devices are having on families. As a marriage and family therapist, she had many poignant and heartbreaking examples to share: kids stumbling upon pornography, parents feeling anxious, and the incessant pull of these devices on the parent-child bond. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard these themes–Delaney Rushton, the pediatrician and moviemaker behind Screenagers, has also underscored the severity of these issues, and many of us have our own personal experiences.