When my old baby monitor gave up, I thought it was the perfect excuse to upgrade.
Gone were the days of carrying a chunky device around the house.
My shiny new camera connected straight to my phone — I could watch my daughter from anywhere, even speak to her through it.
At first, it felt like a blessing. Then, something happened that still gives me chills.
An Innocent Imagination or Something More?
My daughter has always had a vivid imagination.
She often chats to her dolls or invisible friends, so when I heard her talking one night, I thought nothing of it.
The second time it happened, I lingered by the door — and that’s when I heard it. A deep, gravelly voice responding to her.
My first thought was that it must be my husband, who was away on a work trip but could log into the monitor remotely.
When I called him, he was baffled. He hadn’t been on the app at all. My stomach dropped.
The Horrifying Discovery
I played back the footage, and there she was — sitting up in bed, staring straight into the camera, happily chatting away.
And then came the voice. A man’s voice. Definitely not my husband’s.
The realization hit me like a punch: someone had hacked the monitor and had been spying on my daughter — maybe on our whole family — for who knows how long. The thought made my skin crawl.
Since then, I’ve been plagued by nightmares where that voice twists into something almost demonic.
I wake up drenched in sweat, shaken to the core.
How Hackers Got In
My research revealed a disturbing truth — Wi-Fi-enabled baby monitors are vulnerable if your home network isn’t secure enough. I’ve since reset all my passwords and boosted my internet security, but I still feel uneasy in my own home.
Worse still, I keep wondering if my daughter will be traumatized by what happened. The guilt is crushing. Did I, by bringing this “upgrade” into our home, put her in harm’s way?
Jane’s Advice – You’re Not a Terrible Mother
Jane responded with reassurance. Feeling guilt, she said, is practically part of a mother’s DNA, but that doesn’t mean you’re at fault. You couldn’t have known the risks, and had you been aware, you’d have chosen differently.
Jane pointed out that your daughter is unlikely to be scarred by the incident — after all, she was simply talking to a voice, unaware of the danger. The trauma here is yours, because you understand the implications.
Her advice? Stay calm around your daughter to avoid passing on your fear, and consider replacing the Wi-Fi monitor with a non-connected version to restore your sense of safety.
When a Friend’s Boyfriend Has a Not-So-Sweet Secret
Another letter landed in Jane’s inbox with a very different problem. A woman wrote in about her best friend’s new boyfriend. He’s funny, kind, and generous — but he has breath so bad the whole friend group has noticed.
It first hit her in a crowded bar, where talking meant leaning close. She thought it was just an unfortunate mix of dinner and beer, but after a few more encounters, she realized it was a permanent feature.
When the group met without the friend, everyone agreed — he smelled. Now the dilemma was whether to tell her.
Jane’s Advice – Tread Gently
Jane advised against making it about disgust. If the bad breath doesn’t bother the friend, calling it out could only push her away. But, Jane added, halitosis can signal health issues — anything from tooth decay to infection — so it could be worth mentioning as a concern for his wellbeing rather than an attack on him.
Importantly, Jane warned not to speak for the rest of the group. Sensitive conversations should come from personal observation, not a collective complaint.
Her bottom line? We can’t choose our friends’ partners, but if they’re happy, our role is to support them — even if we’d never make the same choice.
