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Emily Thomas

@emilyayerthomas

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My sweet family, @connectedfam, everyday adventures, low-tech fun, and life that’s simple + slow ✨

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For his first piano recital, Shep’s teacher selected the Main Theme from Jurassic Park. He was ecstatic — big John Williams fan — but it proved more challenging than expected. His teacher suggested John play the left hand while Shep play the right, but Shep really wanted to do it on his own. So we made him a deal: if he could get it ready in time to play solo, we’d have a full-blown family pizza party (candy, soda, popcorn!) and watch the actual movie, which he’s been desperate to see for years. Well, he did it, practicing double or triple his usual daily amount for weeks. We held up our end of the bargain, too 🦕🦖💙 by @emilyayerthomas

Just a few snaps from the fourth annual Camp Clurb 💫 by @emilyayerthomas

I was talking with my friend Emily on the podcast about how strange it can feel to parent this way right now.

You look around at restaurants and see kids on iPads every table. Do you hear your parents talk about when their kids will get phones or social media, and it can feel like the default has already been decided.

Most families are not trying to do anything wrong! Life is busy and kids get restless. Screens are easy! I understand how it quickly becomes normal.

but I keep coming back to one question…

“What does childhood actually need?”

@connectedfam and I had this conversation together on the podcast!

If want to hear the full conversation about protecting your kids, attention in a screen filled world…

💬 comment PODCAST and I’ll send you the episode! by @emilyayerthomas

Welcome to the 90s, Mr. Banks! ☎️

We’ve had our @tincan.kids landline phone for about two months and it’s been exactly what we were looking for: a low-tech way to stay in touch, grow in independence, learn some new skills, and delay personal phones. All the details on Substack now — just comment LANDLINE and I’ll send you the link! by @emilyayerthomas

Gearing up to paint this year’s book ornaments and realized I never memorialized last year’s here! Charlotte’s Web, Frederick, and The Mysterious Benedict Society 🥰📚 As always, thank you to @brighterdaypress for the inspiration and tips! by @emilyayerthomas

Looking for a fun reading goal for the year? You can borrow @emilyayerthomas’s!👇📚

For the last five years she’s preselected 12 fiction and 12 non-fiction books in January - one pair for each month of the year. While she doesn’t follow through perfectly (she’s often at the mercy of library holds!), this structure has given her a thoughtful way to prioritize her TBR list, balance different topics she wants to learn about, and get excited for a year of books ahead. Here’s a bit of what she has planned for the first few months:

❄️ January: The Unmaking of June Farrow (Adrienne Young) + Well-Lived (Sally Clarkson)
❤️ February: Gilead (Marilynne Robinson) + The Writing Life (Annie Dillard)
🌱 March: The Wedding People (Alison Espach) + Never Enough (Jennifer Wallace)
🌸 April: A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving) + The Many Lives of Mama Love (Lara Hardin)

What’s on your TBR list for 2025? Please share! by @emilyayerthomas

So proud of you, Kim 🥲

P.S. Gifters, two #powersheets covers are already sold out! Choose your favorite while we still have them in stock 🤍 by @emilyayerthomas

Good babysitters are worth their weight in gold, amen? 🤍 Several gals have become such a special part of our family over the years, and we’re not willing to say goodbye when they leave for college! The kids and I put together this box for one of our favorites to brighten her fall semester, and of course I added a few Cultivate goodies. (Perk of the job!) Here’s everything we included, in case it helps inspire your own care package for someone you love:

💪 Write the Word | Confidence
🎉 A pack of celebration stickers
🫧 @touchland hand sanitizer
🌈 Fancy pens
❄️ Melamine snowflake plates
🎄Holiday hand soap
🎀 @mielleorganics scalp and hair strengthening oil
🧴Mini lotion
❤️ Monogrammed stocking
💅 @oliveandjune nail polish and daisy press-on nails
💸 A @target gift card
😋 @rxbar
🎄 Mini bottle brush trees
🍬 @lindt Lindor truffles
💌 A handwritten note

Coming from someone who had a rough transition to college, even a note and ONE of these items would have brightened my whole week. I’m grateful to pay it forward! — Emily by @emilyayerthomas

Hello from the far reaches of outer space! The Milky Way galaxy, a Shepbot 6000 robot (newest model), an astronaut, the sun, and NASA Mission Control to keep us all on course 🚀💫☀️☄️🤖 by @emilyayerthomas

We are home from our annual fall trip to the North Carolina mountains and feeling grateful. Following NC’s travel advisory, we rerouted from our original destination, which was devastated by Helene, to @brysoncity, which is open and eager for business. In between hiking and exploring, we were met with gratitude for shopping and eating at local businesses that rely on fall tourism dollars. Many of them asked us to tell our friends — so here I am, telling my friends. Some areas in #wnc are not ready to receive visitors. They need our aid as they rebuild, and they will for a long time. But others need our presence — for us to simply enjoy them as we always have — and they could use it right now ❤️ by @emilyayerthomas

15 photos for 15 years of adventures in our beloved North Carolina mountains hardly scratches the surface of all WNC has given our family over the years. Devastated by the loss of life, property, and landmarks from Hurricane Helene 💔 by @emilyayerthomas

Hi, friends! I’m putting the finishing touches on my talk for next week — 10 keys to finding success as a low-screen family. I’m folding in my favorite parts of Jonathan Haidt’s NYT bestseller The Anxious Generation, and we’ll have plenty of time to brainstorm solutions and encourage each other throughout the evening (plus enjoy a really fun night out!).

If we’ve never met, hi! I’m Emily Thomas - wife, mom to three, and writer passionate about play-based childhoods, life-giving traditions, and teaching kids and teens to navigate technology well. In addition to my weekly newsletter focused on digital minimalism and family culture, @connectedfam , I’m the Director of Content at @cultivatewhatmatters , where I’ve helped thousands of people uncover what matters, set goals, and create meaningful lives they love. I hear there are just a few tickets left for Monday’s event, and I’d love to see you there! I’ll be bringing goodies from both Cultivate and Connected Fam and can’t wait to give out some hugs :) If you already have your ticket, say hi below!

Tickets linked in our bio! Only a handful left. by @emilyayerthomas