I've been a lifelong paper planner user, but as far as the family planner goes, I'm going digital.
Maybe you’re new to Hearth or perhaps you have been following along since their inception. Hearth has plenty of tips for you and your family, so be sure to check those out; but, today I’m writing to you as a Hearth customer.
While I’m not officially a parent yet, by the time this post goes live, my twins will have arrived! My husband and I live in Los Angeles and while we love it, we are miles away from most of our family and support system, which can make the already hard job of child rearing even harder. I have a personal paper planner that I keep for work as well as personal appointments, but my husband relies on his iPhone.
With twins coming, we needed a digital family planner to keep us informed and connected. Hearth can’t launch soon enough and I was one of the first customers to preorder mine.
If you’re on the fence about whether or not to preorder your own Hearth, I wanted to tell you a little bit about my story and why I think Hearth will be a perfect fit for my growing family.
Family calendar helps with work life balance
Our brand new twins, Olive and Cyprus, born 10/13/21!
First, let me say that I’m not against paper planners. Like I mentioned, I still use mine for work-related events and scheduling, likely because I grew up with one. My mom would carefully fill out her paper planner with different colored pens so that she could differentiate between me, my sister, and my dad’s schedules. This honestly still gets the job done, but unfortunately my dad couldn’t really access it from the depths of her purse. Once cell phones came around and started acting like little computers, we actually tried the Cozi App, but that was short lived. It was confusing and annoying to fill out, and at the time it didn’t sync with my phone’s calendar.
Maybe it isn’t a paper planner for you. Perhaps it is a bulletin board or dry erase board. Or a to-do list taped to the fridge. Or a mile-long list on a note taking app on your phone.. or maybe even just reminders written on the back of your hand – we’ve all been there! Over the years, we have had technological advancements in nearly every industry, yet only a few things have remained the same, including the tools we have available to manage our families. Like a whiteboard in the family kitchen.
So, why has a whiteboard worked so successfully? Let’s be honest: it’s not because it’s efficient – in fact, having to constantly re-write the same schedule or task list over and over again is anything but. And it’s not because it’s attractive – most whiteboards are an eyesore and do not fit a family’s home design. It’s also not because it is easily accessible - we are in our homes less and less these days.
A whiteboard (almost) works because it does a few things really, really well:
- It is visible to all family members,
- is simple and easily read,
- and it has a single purpose in its design.
My husband and I know that in order to keep our growing family organized, we need something something that can keep everyone on the same page – not just us, but other caretakers like babysitters and grandparents, too.
My husband doesn’t see or look at my paper planner. We do have a shared digital family calendar, but it isn’t ingrained in his brain like it is for me because it can be "out of sight, out of mind". Note that there isn’t anything wrong with this and he is a great husband, we are just wired differently! Hearth shines because it takes everything we love about a paper planner or bulletin board and makes it better with the conveniences of technology!
Hearth Display is visible in your home and easily accessible, not to mention easy to use, so your kids can utilize it too. This keeps scheduling top of mind without you having to always remind family members. When you are on the go, you can still access it from any device and it can sync with your current phone calendar. On top of that it has other features like family profiles, color coordinating calendars (no need for different pens!), to-do lists, routine builders to encourage healthy habits, and more. With twins, we will have to keep track of diapers, feedings, and twice the schedules, so I am hoping it will bring some sanity to our soon to be sleep deprived lives. To learn more about the Hearth Display Family Operating System and all that it offers, click here.
My paper planner works for now, but very soon, I think it will become obsolete. I already notice it now when I have to grab it from a different room in the house. I typically have my phone with me all the time, which means my digital planner is with me all the time too. Convenience is king in this day and age and will only become more prominent. We're so excited for Hearth to get our family planner into the 21st century!
This post was guest written by Lauren Mulenos, a content creator located in Los Angeles, California. She resides there with her husband, Great Dane, cats, and brand new twins. As a recovering perfectionist, she can’t wait to get her hands on her Hearth Display next year. You can follow along with her at LMents of Style.
Congratulations Lauren on your new little ones, and welcome to the Hearth family!
