"Smartphones aren’t for kids under 18 years old. Let them be kids—free of online burden and potential addiction."
This made me think of Steve, a guy I went to high school with. Straight A student, played several musical instruments well, and talented artist successful in various media, (paint, sculpture, etc.)
I asked him once how he managed it. He said it was easy--they had no TV.
Such a great point. Our time isn't free, and if we're spending time doing one thing, it means we're not spending time doing another, and there can be a cost to that.
Yes,electronic devices are such double edged swords. Children do not need them. Though,I can imagine how difficult it is for busy,frazzled parents NOT to put that device in their little hands for some moments to get something done.
I was certainly guilty of sitting my son in front of Seasame Street to get dinner made…I later learned what a brain messer that was,too!
We do the best we can with the knowledge of the time..
Our huge arguments was when he was about 8 and all his friends had PlayStation or something and I was the holdout…
He is one of the most accomplished people I know,likely because he is from the last generation NOT born with computers and phones in their hands..
Sadly,he and wife don’t plan children,but,he did say he would never let them play the games HE played,once he was old enough to get his own stuff…if he had kids..
Eight was right around the age that we had video game conflicts with our son, too, except the game that all the boys at school were playing was Minecraft. I think those of us who grew up without computers and cellphones were really lucky. It's hard on today's kids and families when the "it" thing that kids desire is a crazy powerful and potentially addictive electronic device and not just a pair of converse high tops.
Jenna, your subscriber spotlights are always fantastic!
Re: smartphones: As someone with nine kids, ages 24-40, the NUMBER ONE thing I would do over is not let them have a smartphone until they were old enough to buy and support their own. I see such a difference in the mental health and emotional maturity between my older (pre-smartphone era) kids and their younger (digitally dependent) siblings.
I think testimonies from people like you, Julie, are hugely beneficial, and I hope the younger parents or parents-to-be hear your message. Your perspective on seeing your nine kids is so helpful. When my kids were younger, I had heard a few other moms on podcasts saying they wished they had not given their children smartphones for the same reasons you noted and because they felt like they "lost" their child in a way, which sounded so sad. My situation is not perfect in any means -- my 15-year-old son asks regularly for a "real" phone "like what everyone else has," and there are some hard emotions at times. But, in line with what you suggest, we've decided that when he moves out and can buy his own smartphone, then he can have one, but until then he can use a talk/text phone that we provide.
Cell phones aren't for adults either! Cell phones should be kept in a faraday bag when traveling and used for emergencies. Cell phones are not even for reading substack (that's what computers were invented for).
Great to meet you Cindy! That's awesome that the NIH is actually doing *something* healthy. I'm all for government cuts but it sounds like your job should be the *last* one to be cut!
The "best mom ever" trophy is good. We could use awarding a few of those!
Nice to meet you, John! I think we'd all be a lot healthier if we followed your advice on cell phones, and family life would be better, too. At NIH, the communications departments of all the individual agencies and centers have been consolidated into one central communication department. My guess is that less information about individual agencies and centers will be distributed now, but I understand the desire for more control. Hopefully Bhattacharya will still carry over some of the NCCIH-funded research! Jenna gets full credit for the great writing meme!
Your care for your children impresses me! It's not easy to be a parent and resist all the pressure to equip your children with the "latest and greatest".
Jenna is awesome. Maybe the NIH can hire Jenna to write all their communication?
NIH should definitely hire Jenna!!! I think there's still a hiring freeze at NIH, but once that thaws, they should offer her the lead role. People would actually read all the articles if she wrote them :)
Yes! We need more authors like Jenna who can make reading fun! Convey the information and enjoy it at the same time.
Unfortunately, as much as I love you and Jenna, my deep desire is for *massive* government cuts (like 80% of it) which means that many good intentioned and valuable work like what you were doing is going to be "collateral damage". If we can save all those taxpayer dollars, maybe we can afford some private businesses doing the good work?
Yes, the cuts are needed. I've had mixed feelings on my job. I don't entirely trust the government, and I suspect a lot of people don't, so I've questioned how useful some of our content even is to the public. (I also saw some NCCIH-funded research that would raise eyebrows, and I suspect the public would not support it, so reductions there, I think, are beneficial.)
That's an important nuance. Even if the information is good and accurate, people may no longer trust it. Thus it's a waste of money to produce and publish it.
Our government needs to "trim down" and regain our trust, then hopefully we can slowly allow it to expand again to provide valuable services. Then hopefully it won't get out of control again.
In my opinion, many people have gone from "skeptical" of government information to flat out assuming by default that it's misleading propaganda.
Try it sometime, go out shopping without bringing your cell phone with you. Enjoy the amusement as those you encounter marvel at you not having a cell phone.
People absolutely drop their jaws when I tell them I do not carry a cell..ever. I was recently called a “Unicorn “ for that reason 😁I could never get used to having to mind it. And, I dropped the one my son bought me ,and broke it the first time I picked it up!
I DO have a very old one that I WILL charge up if we are traveling and I know we’re going to get separated….and,I occasionally worry if my car broke, and I borrowed a phone,would my family pick the call up as they would not recognize the number…
My son rags on me,CONSTANTLY to get one tied to my hip..no can do!
I like it,too,Cindy:) and,the person who said it is really a sweet person, and meant it in the best possible way..
In fact,most people( the ones who don’t look at me too crooked) say something like” Good for you “ ,or, that’s great,I wish I could do without “..
I remind them that I’m retired, don’t have small children to monitor, not running a in home,business,no longer teaching horsemanship,so,I really don’t NEED a phone at all times…and,if I did,I would. It’s not some spiritual accomplishment….it truly is that I can’t be bothered to keep one,much less the LEARNING curve just to figure out how they work! Yikes!
It is ironic that we have more information at our fingertips,but,we have LOST our ability to remember much important,even ancient knowledge that could be a great benefit to remember,and,pass on.
I have learned so much in the 10 short years I’ve learned to “surf the net”, and,I’m soooo grateful to the people who take the time to explain EXACTLY how to fix anything,and,post it on YouTube. But, my precious collection of books is gathering dust,and,unless some kind of sun flares knocks out power,forever,they will be boxed up and given away when I am gone 🙁
I gently remind my loved ones to let me teach them all the wonderful ways the many weeds I nurture around me can nourish them,but,again the “Unicorn” looks 🤷🏻♀️
The Internet is an awesome resource, but it's not the same as my books! Think of your books as "tornado anchors". My home will never get blown away by a tornado. Nothing could lift all this weight!
{laugh} Why oh why do I pull out weeds one by one when I could pour toxic chemicals on them?
John. John, I go out without my cell phone all the time. I also go out without my glasses, my wallet, my carefully prepared list and map, and any clear idea of what my goal is... These are not intentional, and the marvel is that I don't have to be fetched every single time.
I do know what you mean about the marvel though: people used to marvel that I didn't wear a wristwatch (the proto-cellphone). (There was a clock on every wall everywhere I went and outside at all the banks. I might've worn one in the country, if "time" had ever been a thing out there.)
Oh, I have my MAGA hat for that. ...if I forget it I just stop by the thrift stores and get a few more while I'm out. (My car knows the way to all the thrift stores.)
Great to meet you Cindy! Another conscious kindred spirit with a voice we all need to hear. Of all the substacks that I read, this is my favorite because I seem to like everyone who posts. And it’s nice to feel the grace of other subscribers and know that I’m not alone in this crazy world.
It's lovely to meet you as well, Roberta! Such kind words--thank you. I think Jenna's created such a great community through her writing, and I agree that it truly helps to feel connected with other readers!
Be careful - MAHA is still BIG BROTHER "...Meanwhile, RFK Jr. has launched an HHS propaganda campaign to push wearable trackers on every citizen under the banner of “Making America Healthy Again,” a Barnum slogan that barely veils its surveillance-state ambitions (a persistent threat I have addressed before.)..."
My choice is to consider MAHA to be those of us in the trenches actually working to make America heathier, not those in power jockeying for bribes and popularity.
I very much respect that you can consider maha to be anything you like. However, the reality is it's RFKJr's baby and no matter if you think otherwise, if you support maha, you're buying into the government's new hoodwinking movement.
Google AI puts it this way, and like it or not it's the reality of maha: "MAHA stands for "Make America Healthy Again". It's a movement and political action committee (PAC) focused on transforming the American approach to public health, environmental sustainability, and government accountability.
Key aspects of MAHA:
Origin: The term and movement were popularized after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suspended his independent presidential campaign and endorsed Donald Trump, now the movement's leader. MAHA is rooted in the "health freedom movement," which predates Kennedy's involvement and focuses on transparency, informed consent, and personal health decisions free from corporate and government coercion..."
And let's remember that RFKJr aligned himself with Mr. Project Warp-speed...
It's going to be pretty hard to find any politician or major national leader that we will agree with 100% (heck we'd be lucky to hit 50%). RFK is as close as I've come (although I really like Tulsi Gabbard too).
If MAHA "officially" is nothing more than "health freedom" that is a *huge* step forward from tyranny and pharmaceutical murder. So I'd already consider MAHA to have "won". Plus they have started a tidal wave of companies at least publicly stating they will be making their products less harmful.
Sure, many of us would like much better progress and messaging from the top, but this is still a million times better than what we had under the previous administration.
You kid yourself... previous administration... lol. If you believe in administrations then the previous administration inherited "pharmaceutical murder" aka Project Warp Speed from the administration before that! Be serious. There's ONE "administration". No one is elected, and no one wants you healthy. I wish I had your naivety. Yeah, we'll take the red dye out with the right hand and add mRNA to spinach with the left... because the sheeple are easily fooled and lead.
Very nice to meet you, Cindy! Heading over to your Substack now :-) I’m impressed that NIH let you write about real stuff for so long! Love your "holy shot!" posts.
I had to laugh about your husband being one of your only "heart" bestowers. I just started my substack a couple weeks ago and it's the same for me -- except that I always have to go get my husband's phone and give my substack the hearts myself lol.
Oh you had me laughing, Eli, about your self-heart-clicks via your husband's phone! I'm looking forward to reading about your farm story -- just subscribed! Thank you for checking out the "holy shot" posts. I wish I had known more about vaccines when my children were born. Back then, I read one book that suggested spacing out vaccines and that listed the ones with high aluminum to avoid, and we did that, but I would've made other choices had I known more.
A pleasure to meet you, Cindy. I will definitely subscribe to both your Stacks!
I applaud your tireless discipline with your children. No smartphones is the wise choice. We turned the satellite off for over 5 years so there was no TV in the house which made a HUGE difference in our son’s ability to focus.
I wish we had held out a bit longer on the smartphone, but we succumbed to the pressure.
I truly hope you find a suitable avenue for your important writing! ❤️🙏. In the meantime, focus on what you do best (being a great mum and writing) on your Stacks. Who knows, you may become a bestseller here on this platform!
I, too, loved the writing meme ❤️🤯😆
And, I love everyone who subscribes and comments here. I’ve “met” so many kind and generous souls right here and I am soooooo grateful.
A huge hug to you, Jenna. I really love these subscriber spotlights 🙏❤️
Cindy, I have my theories on sports, both positive and negative. I’ve been an athlete my entire adult life and it’s wholly personal.
Watching professional sports for some (not all) can become a distraction/addiction. I don’t find it healthy to watch anything constantly. You may have a different take and I am always open to changing my opinions!
Participation in sports is something entirely different. This might be an interesting topic?!
I applaud you on your TV hiatus!! That is inspiring and makes me want to do it, too. Our TV is on too much when the NHL and NBA seasons are in session, which seems to last forever. And if my son watches sports, then my daughter tries to make the case that she should get equal TV time of something else. Thank you for your encouragement on writing -- I greatly appreciate that!
If I had more (waking) hours in a day, I would read, read, read (and play golf, and mow the lawn, spray for weeds, string trim the ditch, kill the spiders in my mailbox, hang up ALL my clothes in my closet, and ......) and read some more. Now I can't recall why I went on this rant/ramble so I better just go cut the grass. ( : - )
Ugh. Just got my almost 12yo a smartphone with lots of restrictions but I can see the PULLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL of it. Stresses me out a lot. And of course I'm tied to my own stupid device so there's that...
You seem awesome! Subscribed to your newsletters and I'm gonna see if I can find Japanese sweet potatoes anywhere to try that recipe!
Kids and cell phones are a challenge! "all" their friends have them so there is a huge amount of peer pressure! They should also be taught to use speakerphone and NEVER hold it up to their head.
Agree. One way to have some privacy without the radiation so strong is to use Amotsure earbuds or similar airtube headphones. I don't have anything to do with that company, I'm just a happy customer.
I've heard that kids can easily break through the restrictions on Apple smartphones. Not sure about the other types. A wonderful resource for parents is ScreenStrong. The woman who founded it, Melanie Hempe, had a son who became addicted to video games, and she's made it her mission in life to help families avoid screen conflicts and preserve healthy relationships. She has a great website and podcast (https://screenstrong.org/author/mh/). She also has a Substack called Be ScreenStrong. You can also use regular sweet potatoes! I just prefer the taste a bit more with the Japanese ones.
Oh thank you :) I make my kids laugh at times, and it's never because I'm trying to be funny. Example: while playing Clue, someone showed me their card, and as they put it back in their hand, I said "Okay. Mr. Green" out loud instead of just in my head. (Needed more sleep!)
You are completely right! I held off on letting my kids have phones and social media until 15 years old-wish I held off longer- but now my daughter is 20 years old and she thanked me for doing that. She said all the friends that had phones earlier all have mh issues and she said she will do the same thing when she has kids. I definitely got so much pushback but my advice to new moms is to hold strong. They will thank you for it!
No smart phone for kids under 18? Make room on that hill for me, Cindy. I'll die right there with you. Smart phones have been the worst thing for kids' mental health. Ever. Now, about your writing process. Switch out reading for inspiration for trips to the bathroom (little old lady bladder) and that's my writing process for sure. Great to meet you! Thanks, Jenna. Cindy's a keeper!
Yes! I'm so happy to have you as a fellow warrior on that hill! I will think of you, Candace, the next time my son is making his case again, and I will calmy explain that his brain isn't quite ready. We also have small bladders in common :)
Thanks a MILLION Jenna for your amazing Substack and for introducing me to your wonderful readers!!! And thanks a MILLION to all of you who subscribed and heart-clicked--it has indeed been a huge flood. I'm incredibly grateful and hope to provide you with good content that's worth checking out!
"Smartphones aren’t for kids under 18 years old. Let them be kids—free of online burden and potential addiction."
This made me think of Steve, a guy I went to high school with. Straight A student, played several musical instruments well, and talented artist successful in various media, (paint, sculpture, etc.)
I asked him once how he managed it. He said it was easy--they had no TV.
Such a great point. Our time isn't free, and if we're spending time doing one thing, it means we're not spending time doing another, and there can be a cost to that.
Yes,electronic devices are such double edged swords. Children do not need them. Though,I can imagine how difficult it is for busy,frazzled parents NOT to put that device in their little hands for some moments to get something done.
I was certainly guilty of sitting my son in front of Seasame Street to get dinner made…I later learned what a brain messer that was,too!
We do the best we can with the knowledge of the time..
Our huge arguments was when he was about 8 and all his friends had PlayStation or something and I was the holdout…
He is one of the most accomplished people I know,likely because he is from the last generation NOT born with computers and phones in their hands..
Sadly,he and wife don’t plan children,but,he did say he would never let them play the games HE played,once he was old enough to get his own stuff…if he had kids..
Eight was right around the age that we had video game conflicts with our son, too, except the game that all the boys at school were playing was Minecraft. I think those of us who grew up without computers and cellphones were really lucky. It's hard on today's kids and families when the "it" thing that kids desire is a crazy powerful and potentially addictive electronic device and not just a pair of converse high tops.
Jenna, your subscriber spotlights are always fantastic!
Re: smartphones: As someone with nine kids, ages 24-40, the NUMBER ONE thing I would do over is not let them have a smartphone until they were old enough to buy and support their own. I see such a difference in the mental health and emotional maturity between my older (pre-smartphone era) kids and their younger (digitally dependent) siblings.
I think testimonies from people like you, Julie, are hugely beneficial, and I hope the younger parents or parents-to-be hear your message. Your perspective on seeing your nine kids is so helpful. When my kids were younger, I had heard a few other moms on podcasts saying they wished they had not given their children smartphones for the same reasons you noted and because they felt like they "lost" their child in a way, which sounded so sad. My situation is not perfect in any means -- my 15-year-old son asks regularly for a "real" phone "like what everyone else has," and there are some hard emotions at times. But, in line with what you suggest, we've decided that when he moves out and can buy his own smartphone, then he can have one, but until then he can use a talk/text phone that we provide.
Cell phones aren't for adults either! Cell phones should be kept in a faraday bag when traveling and used for emergencies. Cell phones are not even for reading substack (that's what computers were invented for).
Great to meet you Cindy! That's awesome that the NIH is actually doing *something* healthy. I'm all for government cuts but it sounds like your job should be the *last* one to be cut!
The "best mom ever" trophy is good. We could use awarding a few of those!
The meme about writing is excellent!!!
Nice to meet you, John! I think we'd all be a lot healthier if we followed your advice on cell phones, and family life would be better, too. At NIH, the communications departments of all the individual agencies and centers have been consolidated into one central communication department. My guess is that less information about individual agencies and centers will be distributed now, but I understand the desire for more control. Hopefully Bhattacharya will still carry over some of the NCCIH-funded research! Jenna gets full credit for the great writing meme!
Your care for your children impresses me! It's not easy to be a parent and resist all the pressure to equip your children with the "latest and greatest".
Jenna is awesome. Maybe the NIH can hire Jenna to write all their communication?
NIH should definitely hire Jenna!!! I think there's still a hiring freeze at NIH, but once that thaws, they should offer her the lead role. People would actually read all the articles if she wrote them :)
Yes! We need more authors like Jenna who can make reading fun! Convey the information and enjoy it at the same time.
Unfortunately, as much as I love you and Jenna, my deep desire is for *massive* government cuts (like 80% of it) which means that many good intentioned and valuable work like what you were doing is going to be "collateral damage". If we can save all those taxpayer dollars, maybe we can afford some private businesses doing the good work?
Yes, the cuts are needed. I've had mixed feelings on my job. I don't entirely trust the government, and I suspect a lot of people don't, so I've questioned how useful some of our content even is to the public. (I also saw some NCCIH-funded research that would raise eyebrows, and I suspect the public would not support it, so reductions there, I think, are beneficial.)
That's an important nuance. Even if the information is good and accurate, people may no longer trust it. Thus it's a waste of money to produce and publish it.
Our government needs to "trim down" and regain our trust, then hopefully we can slowly allow it to expand again to provide valuable services. Then hopefully it won't get out of control again.
In my opinion, many people have gone from "skeptical" of government information to flat out assuming by default that it's misleading propaganda.
I liked your comment, John, assuming you mean everyone but me...
{laugh} Addicted to your cell phone? 😇
Try it sometime, go out shopping without bringing your cell phone with you. Enjoy the amusement as those you encounter marvel at you not having a cell phone.
People absolutely drop their jaws when I tell them I do not carry a cell..ever. I was recently called a “Unicorn “ for that reason 😁I could never get used to having to mind it. And, I dropped the one my son bought me ,and broke it the first time I picked it up!
I DO have a very old one that I WILL charge up if we are traveling and I know we’re going to get separated….and,I occasionally worry if my car broke, and I borrowed a phone,would my family pick the call up as they would not recognize the number…
My son rags on me,CONSTANTLY to get one tied to my hip..no can do!
I love the label of "Unicorn" for being cell-free. Definitely something to strive for!
I like it,too,Cindy:) and,the person who said it is really a sweet person, and meant it in the best possible way..
In fact,most people( the ones who don’t look at me too crooked) say something like” Good for you “ ,or, that’s great,I wish I could do without “..
I remind them that I’m retired, don’t have small children to monitor, not running a in home,business,no longer teaching horsemanship,so,I really don’t NEED a phone at all times…and,if I did,I would. It’s not some spiritual accomplishment….it truly is that I can’t be bothered to keep one,much less the LEARNING curve just to figure out how they work! Yikes!
Wishing you the very best success!
Yes, it's amazing we were able to survive and drive across the country (and foreign countries too) without cells phones! How did we do that magic???
Indeed!
It is ironic that we have more information at our fingertips,but,we have LOST our ability to remember much important,even ancient knowledge that could be a great benefit to remember,and,pass on.
I have learned so much in the 10 short years I’ve learned to “surf the net”, and,I’m soooo grateful to the people who take the time to explain EXACTLY how to fix anything,and,post it on YouTube. But, my precious collection of books is gathering dust,and,unless some kind of sun flares knocks out power,forever,they will be boxed up and given away when I am gone 🙁
I gently remind my loved ones to let me teach them all the wonderful ways the many weeds I nurture around me can nourish them,but,again the “Unicorn” looks 🤷🏻♀️
Good to meet you my fellow unicorn! 😇
The Internet is an awesome resource, but it's not the same as my books! Think of your books as "tornado anchors". My home will never get blown away by a tornado. Nothing could lift all this weight!
{laugh} Why oh why do I pull out weeds one by one when I could pour toxic chemicals on them?
John. John, I go out without my cell phone all the time. I also go out without my glasses, my wallet, my carefully prepared list and map, and any clear idea of what my goal is... These are not intentional, and the marvel is that I don't have to be fetched every single time.
I do know what you mean about the marvel though: people used to marvel that I didn't wear a wristwatch (the proto-cellphone). (There was a clock on every wall everywhere I went and outside at all the banks. I might've worn one in the country, if "time" had ever been a thing out there.)
😇
But, but, but, without your cell phone... How will the authorities track you and spy on you???
Oh, I have my MAGA hat for that. ...if I forget it I just stop by the thrift stores and get a few more while I'm out. (My car knows the way to all the thrift stores.)
Great to meet you Cindy! Another conscious kindred spirit with a voice we all need to hear. Of all the substacks that I read, this is my favorite because I seem to like everyone who posts. And it’s nice to feel the grace of other subscribers and know that I’m not alone in this crazy world.
It's lovely to meet you as well, Roberta! Such kind words--thank you. I think Jenna's created such a great community through her writing, and I agree that it truly helps to feel connected with other readers!
We come for the snark and stay for the community!
Oh... can I get a "MAHA Dad's Club" mug? I don't want to co-parent with the government either!
Be careful - MAHA is still BIG BROTHER "...Meanwhile, RFK Jr. has launched an HHS propaganda campaign to push wearable trackers on every citizen under the banner of “Making America Healthy Again,” a Barnum slogan that barely veils its surveillance-state ambitions (a persistent threat I have addressed before.)..."
https://dfreality.substack.com/p/week-in-review-026-22jun-28jun25
https://dfreality.substack.com/p/the-coincidence-zone-east-palestine
My choice is to consider MAHA to be those of us in the trenches actually working to make America heathier, not those in power jockeying for bribes and popularity.
I very much respect that you can consider maha to be anything you like. However, the reality is it's RFKJr's baby and no matter if you think otherwise, if you support maha, you're buying into the government's new hoodwinking movement.
Google AI puts it this way, and like it or not it's the reality of maha: "MAHA stands for "Make America Healthy Again". It's a movement and political action committee (PAC) focused on transforming the American approach to public health, environmental sustainability, and government accountability.
Key aspects of MAHA:
Origin: The term and movement were popularized after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suspended his independent presidential campaign and endorsed Donald Trump, now the movement's leader. MAHA is rooted in the "health freedom movement," which predates Kennedy's involvement and focuses on transparency, informed consent, and personal health decisions free from corporate and government coercion..."
And let's remember that RFKJr aligned himself with Mr. Project Warp-speed...
It's going to be pretty hard to find any politician or major national leader that we will agree with 100% (heck we'd be lucky to hit 50%). RFK is as close as I've come (although I really like Tulsi Gabbard too).
If MAHA "officially" is nothing more than "health freedom" that is a *huge* step forward from tyranny and pharmaceutical murder. So I'd already consider MAHA to have "won". Plus they have started a tidal wave of companies at least publicly stating they will be making their products less harmful.
Sure, many of us would like much better progress and messaging from the top, but this is still a million times better than what we had under the previous administration.
You kid yourself... previous administration... lol. If you believe in administrations then the previous administration inherited "pharmaceutical murder" aka Project Warp Speed from the administration before that! Be serious. There's ONE "administration". No one is elected, and no one wants you healthy. I wish I had your naivety. Yeah, we'll take the red dye out with the right hand and add mRNA to spinach with the left... because the sheeple are easily fooled and lead.
Ah, but the flavor of the propaganda changes! It keeps us entertained while we struggle to pay the rent!
For the record, I'm not part of the MAHA surveillance/tracker crowd :)
Very nice to meet you, Cindy! Heading over to your Substack now :-) I’m impressed that NIH let you write about real stuff for so long! Love your "holy shot!" posts.
I had to laugh about your husband being one of your only "heart" bestowers. I just started my substack a couple weeks ago and it's the same for me -- except that I always have to go get my husband's phone and give my substack the hearts myself lol.
Oh you had me laughing, Eli, about your self-heart-clicks via your husband's phone! I'm looking forward to reading about your farm story -- just subscribed! Thank you for checking out the "holy shot" posts. I wish I had known more about vaccines when my children were born. Back then, I read one book that suggested spacing out vaccines and that listed the ones with high aluminum to avoid, and we did that, but I would've made other choices had I known more.
A pleasure to meet you, Cindy. I will definitely subscribe to both your Stacks!
I applaud your tireless discipline with your children. No smartphones is the wise choice. We turned the satellite off for over 5 years so there was no TV in the house which made a HUGE difference in our son’s ability to focus.
I wish we had held out a bit longer on the smartphone, but we succumbed to the pressure.
I truly hope you find a suitable avenue for your important writing! ❤️🙏. In the meantime, focus on what you do best (being a great mum and writing) on your Stacks. Who knows, you may become a bestseller here on this platform!
I, too, loved the writing meme ❤️🤯😆
And, I love everyone who subscribes and comments here. I’ve “met” so many kind and generous souls right here and I am soooooo grateful.
A huge hug to you, Jenna. I really love these subscriber spotlights 🙏❤️
Cindy, I have my theories on sports, both positive and negative. I’ve been an athlete my entire adult life and it’s wholly personal.
Watching professional sports for some (not all) can become a distraction/addiction. I don’t find it healthy to watch anything constantly. You may have a different take and I am always open to changing my opinions!
Participation in sports is something entirely different. This might be an interesting topic?!
Yes, I'm going to jot this down as a possible topic! I side with you on this. My son would not :)
I applaud you on your TV hiatus!! That is inspiring and makes me want to do it, too. Our TV is on too much when the NHL and NBA seasons are in session, which seems to last forever. And if my son watches sports, then my daughter tries to make the case that she should get equal TV time of something else. Thank you for your encouragement on writing -- I greatly appreciate that!
If I had more (waking) hours in a day, I would read, read, read (and play golf, and mow the lawn, spray for weeds, string trim the ditch, kill the spiders in my mailbox, hang up ALL my clothes in my closet, and ......) and read some more. Now I can't recall why I went on this rant/ramble so I better just go cut the grass. ( : - )
Ugh. Just got my almost 12yo a smartphone with lots of restrictions but I can see the PULLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL of it. Stresses me out a lot. And of course I'm tied to my own stupid device so there's that...
You seem awesome! Subscribed to your newsletters and I'm gonna see if I can find Japanese sweet potatoes anywhere to try that recipe!
Kids and cell phones are a challenge! "all" their friends have them so there is a huge amount of peer pressure! They should also be taught to use speakerphone and NEVER hold it up to their head.
Agree. One way to have some privacy without the radiation so strong is to use Amotsure earbuds or similar airtube headphones. I don't have anything to do with that company, I'm just a happy customer.
Airtube earbuds / headphones are very hard to find!
This is the source:
https://atmosure.com/products/air-tube-headphones
Thank you!
THAT one we have down.
I've heard that kids can easily break through the restrictions on Apple smartphones. Not sure about the other types. A wonderful resource for parents is ScreenStrong. The woman who founded it, Melanie Hempe, had a son who became addicted to video games, and she's made it her mission in life to help families avoid screen conflicts and preserve healthy relationships. She has a great website and podcast (https://screenstrong.org/author/mh/). She also has a Substack called Be ScreenStrong. You can also use regular sweet potatoes! I just prefer the taste a bit more with the Japanese ones.
Trader Joe’s generally carry them!
Oh! Wouldn't have considered that. Will look! Since sweet potatoes are on the clean 15 that would work :D
Joined Cindy’s Substack because she made me giggle
Right there with ya…also for the pudding ;).
Oh thank you :) I make my kids laugh at times, and it's never because I'm trying to be funny. Example: while playing Clue, someone showed me their card, and as they put it back in their hand, I said "Okay. Mr. Green" out loud instead of just in my head. (Needed more sleep!)
Way to go Mom
You are completely right! I held off on letting my kids have phones and social media until 15 years old-wish I held off longer- but now my daughter is 20 years old and she thanked me for doing that. She said all the friends that had phones earlier all have mh issues and she said she will do the same thing when she has kids. I definitely got so much pushback but my advice to new moms is to hold strong. They will thank you for it!
That is so helpful to hear. A good reminder for the days when there's a lot of pushback. Thank you!!
ThankYou for bringing Cindy into our lives, Jenna. Power to the People!
Another subscriber superstar for the win! Thank you Jenna and Cindy! Have a great weekend everyone!
Jenna— this is such a lovely idea. I really enjoyed reading this one.
You are so kind to take the time to say so! I really do have the best subscribers. Including you.😊😊😊
No smart phone for kids under 18? Make room on that hill for me, Cindy. I'll die right there with you. Smart phones have been the worst thing for kids' mental health. Ever. Now, about your writing process. Switch out reading for inspiration for trips to the bathroom (little old lady bladder) and that's my writing process for sure. Great to meet you! Thanks, Jenna. Cindy's a keeper!
Yes! I'm so happy to have you as a fellow warrior on that hill! I will think of you, Candace, the next time my son is making his case again, and I will calmy explain that his brain isn't quite ready. We also have small bladders in common :)
Thanks a MILLION Jenna for your amazing Substack and for introducing me to your wonderful readers!!! And thanks a MILLION to all of you who subscribed and heart-clicked--it has indeed been a huge flood. I'm incredibly grateful and hope to provide you with good content that's worth checking out!
😊💕👏