What to do when your nine year old's friend gets an iPhone

This newsletter is based on a true story.

I dearly love all my readers, it’s true… but I have one friend in particular who’s near the top of the heap. She’s been a paid subscriber to TCF from the jump, a loyal cheerleader who champions the small business side of The Connected Family rather more than I do. She’s also the most delightful reader, frequently texting me encouragement or — better yet — success stories from tips she’s tried with her own two kids. (No quicker way to a writer’s heart!)

She also likes to keep me busy with future topic ideas. And whoo boy — she sent me a doozy a few weeks ago:

Can’t you just feel the frustration, the social anxiety, the defeat humming off this text message?

😔, indeed.

I quickly sent her a voice memo back, sharing a few thoughts about how I might handle the situation. My advice, though, was theoretical, as this is not a situation our family has dealt with… yet. (While I hope that’s true for many more years, I know it’s more likely our turn is right around the corner.) And that got me thinking: what, exactly, would I do if it were one of June’s neighborhood friends who had been given a phone? That question rolled around in my mind until I had an answer, and so today I thought I’d share where I’ve settled. Whether you tuck it away or use it immediately, I hope it’s helpful. Let’s get into it…