Tammy Cohen | Issue No. 5
TEXT MESSAGES
TO MY SONS
Small messages. Big love.
SPRING 2026
“I went quiet on purpose
and here’s what I found.”
Connection doesn’t require noise.
It requires intention.
• The Opener 2 min read
I Went Quiet on Purpose.
Welcome to the second quarter of 2026. Yes, it’s been a while.
Here’s the honest truth: I stepped back intentionally. Not because I had nothing to say, but because I had too much noise around me. And I’ve learned that when everything is loud, the most powerful thing you can do is go still.
We live in a world that equates output with worth. More posts. More emails. More presence. The more streams of information, the more relevant we must be, or so the story goes.
The truth is, we are not.
Today’s newsletter is about the very thing I’ve been sitting with: the strange, aching paradox of our hyperconnected, overloaded world, and the one small thing that can cut right through it.
□ This Month’s Reflection 3 min read
The Paradox of Connection
And the One Thing That Cuts Through It
We have more ways to connect than at any other point in human history.
And yet people feel more disconnected than ever before in history.
That’s not an accident. It’s a symptom.
We are drowning in algorithm fatigue, notification overwhelm, and the constant pressure to be “on.” Every platform is built to hijack attention. Every scroll is designed to create just enough stimulation to keep us from being fully present anywhere.
If you feel this way, imagine how it is for our kids.
They didn’t grow up the way we did. They didn’t have a time before, when boredom was just boredom, when a phone call took real intention. For them, the scroll is the conversation. The meme is the feeling. The like is the acknowledgement.
That’s not laziness. That’s the water they’re swimming in.
So what do we do?
We don’t fight the medium.
We use it differently.
A single, well-timed text message, sent with intention, not expectation, lands differently than a long conversation they didn’t ask for. It bypasses the defensiveness. It slips past the eye-roll.
It says: I see you. I’m not asking for anything. I’m just here. You matter.
You don’t need a reply for the message to matter. In fact, some of the most important things I’ve ever sent to my sons were met with silence.
📍 Come Find Me 1 min read
I would love to meet you face-to-face.
Two upcoming opportunities, one in person and one virtual.
In Person • Sunday, June 7th
Barnes & Noble Author Event
Country Glen Center
91 Old Country Rd, Carle Place, NY 11514
(516) 741-9850
Virtual • Friday, May 8th
Stand Up, Speak Up, Show Up
The Summit of Inspiration – 262 Network’s 30th milestone summit
Tammy speaks at 12:20 PM EST / 9:20 AM PT
Pre-Signed Copies Available
Barnes & Noble Manhasset
1542 Northern Blvd, Manhasset, NY 11030
Barnes & Noble 5th Ave, Manhattan
555 5th Ave, New York, NY 10017
♥ What Readers Are Saying 1 min read
Award recognition and notes from readers.
Award Recognition
★★★★★
Excellent book for any parent looking for new or better ways to communicate with their children. A straightforward read that’s easy to digest and put into action!
★★★★★
Since reading it, I have started to send my own children text messages of affirmation and love. It was a lovely read.
★★★★★
Lots of great strategies to connect with kids in a hyper-screen-based world. Did not disappoint.
□ For Your Listening Pleasure 1 min read
Catch Tammy In Conversation.
Three recent episodes worth a listen.
🎙️ Resilience: When Cancer Enters the Story
with April Wyett · Living with Intention
🎙️ Why Connection Still Wins in a Noisy World
with Kim Somel · The Seen
🎙️ The Modern Message in a Lunchbox
with Carmen DeVallis · The Art of a Meaningful Life
The book that started it all
Know a parent
who needs this?
The perfect gift for Mother’s & Father’s Day.
Forward this newsletter. It might be the most meaningful thing you send them all month.
TEXT MESSAGES TO MY SONS
by Tammy Cohen · © 2026
You’re receiving this because you care about connection.
Thank you for being here.