1 00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:04,280 Speaker 1: Hi. This is Laura Vandercam. I'm a mother of four, 2 00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:08,479 Speaker 1: an author, journalist, and speaker. And this is Sarah Hart Hunger. 3 00:00:08,840 --> 00:00:11,799 Speaker 1: I'm a mother of three, practicing physician and blogger. On 4 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:14,640 Speaker 1: the side, we are two working parents who love our 5 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:17,880 Speaker 1: careers and our families. Welcome to best of both worlds. 6 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:21,560 Speaker 1: Here we talk about how real women manage work, family, 7 00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 1: and time for fun, from figuring out childcare to mapping 8 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 1: out long term career goals. We want you to get 9 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:33,519 Speaker 1: the most out of life. Welcome to best of both worlds. 10 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:37,560 Speaker 1: This is Laura. This is episode eighty three, airing first 11 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:40,240 Speaker 1: in early March twenty nineteen. We're going to be talking 12 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:42,839 Speaker 1: family travel, which is always a favorite topic for us, 13 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:46,479 Speaker 1: but we're particularly excited about our guests this time, Jodie Robbins, 14 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:50,480 Speaker 1: who is an expert on Canadian travel, which Canada turns 15 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:52,640 Speaker 1: out to be a great place to visit, whether you're 16 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:56,600 Speaker 1: Canadian yourself or our American listeners. Pretty easy to get 17 00:00:56,600 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 1: to and yet feels foreign in a little way, maybe 18 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:01,680 Speaker 1: slightly more exciting, but anyway. She's got a lot of 19 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:04,560 Speaker 1: great family travel tips as well as places we can 20 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:06,399 Speaker 1: we can visit in Canada. Which Sarah and I have 21 00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:09,760 Speaker 1: both been a big fan of doing with our families. Yeah, 22 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:12,040 Speaker 1: we love Canada. Cameron actually went to school today wearing 23 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:16,920 Speaker 1: a Roots Canada hat. It's good, you know, it's like 24 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:18,960 Speaker 1: going to Europe without the problem. Actually it's not really 25 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:21,600 Speaker 1: like going to Europe. But anyway, but you wanted to 26 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:24,760 Speaker 1: share a passport tip. Right, Oh my goodness, do I 27 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:30,040 Speaker 1: have a passport tip? I guess we Well, it's good 28 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:32,960 Speaker 1: to get a passport for your kids, you know, if 29 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:36,479 Speaker 1: you've got some time to do this, Like maybe this 30 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:39,080 Speaker 1: is something you could do on a day that your 31 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:41,880 Speaker 1: kids are off school, but it's not like a real 32 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:45,320 Speaker 1: school holiday that the post office would also be off. 33 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 1: Like this is when we've always done it. So last year, 34 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:51,040 Speaker 1: like President's Day weekend for some we got a half 35 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:54,560 Speaker 1: day on Thursday. It's not a holiday or the friday 36 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:57,880 Speaker 1: for anyone but the school. So we made our appointments 37 00:01:57,920 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 1: at the post office, brought the kids in, you know, 38 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:02,160 Speaker 1: get their photos ahead of time. But the good thing 39 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:04,240 Speaker 1: about having a valid passport for your kids is that 40 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:06,240 Speaker 1: then you can do it, like then you can consider 41 00:02:06,360 --> 00:02:09,799 Speaker 1: Canada or Mexico or Europe and as opposed to sort 42 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 1: of artificially limiting your options just because you don't have it, 43 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:16,200 Speaker 1: And I swear it's not that complicated. I say this 44 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:19,359 Speaker 1: to somebody who's got four kids passports. Sarah's done three. 45 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:22,679 Speaker 1: But I like public service announcement here, because every time 46 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:25,160 Speaker 1: I go to get them done, the family before us 47 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:27,920 Speaker 1: are after us gets turned away, and I feel so 48 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 1: horrible for them. It's really funny because we had the 49 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 1: exact standing and then I was being really obnoxious and 50 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:34,720 Speaker 1: I was like, of course the dead didn't read the 51 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 1: directions like that so sexist, like a mom could have 52 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:40,120 Speaker 1: just as easily not read the directions. I'm like, yeah, 53 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 1: but it was yeah, And there's different reasons, like obviously 54 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:45,960 Speaker 1: if you're you know, a two household family, if you're 55 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:48,680 Speaker 1: divorced or not married or whatever, there's there's slightly more 56 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:51,440 Speaker 1: complications like the parent who's not the custodial parent has 57 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 1: to notarize the forms within a certain window because they're 58 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 1: trying to prevent child kidnapping, which makes total sense, but 59 00:02:57,040 --> 00:03:00,440 Speaker 1: it does make it more complicated. But both arts have 60 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:04,600 Speaker 1: to be there if you are to gather as custodial parents, 61 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 1: so that's complicated. Obviously, you have to choose a particular 62 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 1: day for that, but you know you can often get 63 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:14,600 Speaker 1: Saturday morning appointments. Then bring in the forums, make copies 64 00:03:14,639 --> 00:03:20,640 Speaker 1: of everything, your passports, your driver's licenses, the kids birth certificates, 65 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:23,960 Speaker 1: like everything, just anything you might need, bring it in. 66 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:26,519 Speaker 1: But when we've done that, it's actually been great. I 67 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:29,680 Speaker 1: often find I have more stuff than I need, but 68 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 1: you know, having it done than you're good and then 69 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 1: you can go, so go do it. If you haven't 70 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:37,920 Speaker 1: done it, please please go do it? All right off 71 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:41,200 Speaker 1: the soapbox. So do you have any are you going 72 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 1: to be using your passports in the next years with 73 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:45,080 Speaker 1: the kids? Do you have your year kind of planned 74 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 1: out travel? We might wind up in Canada. We went 75 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: to the UK with the big kids last year, and 76 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 1: we also took them to Montreal, both great destinations that 77 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 1: require passports. We may wind up in Canada at some 78 00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: point this year. I'm not sure if we will. We 79 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:01,960 Speaker 1: haven't totally planned that out yet. But you've got some 80 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 1: cool travel on deck. Look at what you're yeah, we're 81 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:08,920 Speaker 1: I mean, we haven't decided all of it, which I 82 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:10,400 Speaker 1: kind of think is fun and like the idea that 83 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 1: we don't actually know what we're doing for summer. Yet 84 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:16,760 Speaker 1: we typically I would say our typical travel times are 85 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 1: now spring break, kind of end of summer, like August, 86 00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:23,559 Speaker 1: like right before school starts, and then winter break because 87 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:25,240 Speaker 1: you realize as soon as your kids are in school, 88 00:04:25,279 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 1: like you're no longer able to just take some random 89 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:29,720 Speaker 1: week in the middle of May or something. You're kind 90 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:33,240 Speaker 1: of limited. So we're doing a Disney cruise for spring break, 91 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:36,799 Speaker 1: which was my first cruise, and I'm actually really looking 92 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 1: forward to this because we're doing it with friends, which 93 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:41,440 Speaker 1: is I think we'll make it even more fun. We 94 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:43,960 Speaker 1: are doing we don't know what we're doing in August, 95 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:45,720 Speaker 1: and I'm hoping maybe I'm gonna get inspired by this 96 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:48,320 Speaker 1: episode because it does seem like another a time that 97 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:50,279 Speaker 1: might be a nice time to go back to Canada. 98 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:54,760 Speaker 1: And then in the winter maybe some kind of ski 99 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 1: slash Philadelphia combo again that might be our new thing. 100 00:04:58,000 --> 00:04:59,360 Speaker 1: And then Josh and I have a couple of couple 101 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:02,240 Speaker 1: strips coming up, one to Nashville, one in the summer 102 00:05:02,279 --> 00:05:05,359 Speaker 1: to Colorado. I'm both for concerts. Oh my gosh, Genevieve, 103 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:08,120 Speaker 1: I know I was gonna say, Genevieve is already wailing 104 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:11,840 Speaker 1: about your leaving her for the couple strips, just like 105 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 1: I can sense it, so I'm wailing in the background. 106 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:18,159 Speaker 1: I think you're right. Well, hopefully that will resolve itself. 107 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:22,280 Speaker 1: I've never been on a cruise, so maybe sometimes, you know, 108 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:24,599 Speaker 1: we'll have to report back on the Disney cruise because 109 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:26,279 Speaker 1: I'm sure that's the kind of cruise my kids would 110 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:28,960 Speaker 1: want to do, right Like, we went to Olannie two 111 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:31,920 Speaker 1: years ago, the Hawaii Disney Resort, and they love that, 112 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:34,279 Speaker 1: so I assume it's sort of very similar. Is like 113 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:38,839 Speaker 1: that only cruise ship form, So we'll probably weren't doing 114 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:41,360 Speaker 1: that at some point in our life. Yeah, we tend 115 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:43,440 Speaker 1: to do. We're probably not doing a big spring break 116 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:47,279 Speaker 1: thing this year because we're doing Disney in February. We 117 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:50,720 Speaker 1: have two summer weeks already planned their sort of beach weeks. 118 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:55,080 Speaker 1: One Michael's sisters lake house with sort of extended family 119 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 1: get together, and then we're doing a week in the 120 00:05:56,720 --> 00:05:59,600 Speaker 1: Jersey Shore, you know, And we'll probably wind up doing 121 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:02,760 Speaker 1: something that last week of August two just because nobody's working, 122 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:04,719 Speaker 1: so it's a pretty easy week to take off. But 123 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:07,800 Speaker 1: this does start adding up, Like I calculated last week, 124 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 1: I probably took six weeks of so at least quasi vacation. 125 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:14,560 Speaker 1: I mean it's never one hundred percent for me. I 126 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 1: usually do you know, somewhere between three and ten hours 127 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:21,720 Speaker 1: of work on any given vacation week from my time logs. 128 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:24,279 Speaker 1: But still it's a lot of time, and I'm not 129 00:06:24,320 --> 00:06:27,600 Speaker 1: sure how sustainable that that is. So well, well, so 130 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:30,480 Speaker 1: we definitely don't have six weeks now, even with my 131 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:33,760 Speaker 1: schedule work schedule wise, so that's yeah, not gonna happen. 132 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:36,039 Speaker 1: It was. But the problem, I mean, we set this 133 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 1: sort of bar like that. Now the kids are all like, well, 134 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:39,599 Speaker 1: what are our three trips we're doing over the summer? 135 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:45,800 Speaker 1: Who three? Like, no, not three trips, but oh well 136 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:51,159 Speaker 1: we've sort of overdid that. But yeah, no, it's just 137 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:55,440 Speaker 1: one sideling before we get into our guest. This is 138 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:59,200 Speaker 1: the last week before Juliette School of Possibilities comes out. 139 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:03,599 Speaker 1: Speaking of the Jersey sure, yeah, house, we're staying in them. 140 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:07,480 Speaker 1: It's semi the house that her School of Possibilities modeled on, 141 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 1: only if the house was like four times as big. 142 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:12,400 Speaker 1: But it's sort of how I pictured the location. I 143 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:15,320 Speaker 1: am not renting a whole conference center in case anyone's wondering. 144 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 1: But and the town are going to a start of 145 00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:21,160 Speaker 1: the town that I based that on for the book. 146 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:24,240 Speaker 1: And what town is that is? That keep May Ocean Grove, 147 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:28,320 Speaker 1: Ocean Grove, but it's it's a fictional town in the book. 148 00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:31,800 Speaker 1: It's called Mars, which just means s in Latin. So 149 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:36,480 Speaker 1: it's very just inspired by ocean, inspired by Ocean Grove. 150 00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:39,160 Speaker 1: If there were a big conference center there, which there 151 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:41,560 Speaker 1: is not. But anyway, you can't you can't go wrong 152 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:44,440 Speaker 1: with the Jersey Shore, I mean, yeah, yeah. But just 153 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:47,680 Speaker 1: if anyone was thinking of buying the book, which I 154 00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:50,600 Speaker 1: of course heartily encourage, you could still get the pre 155 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:54,680 Speaker 1: order incentives this week have a free ebook you can 156 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:57,160 Speaker 1: download if you fill out the form on my website 157 00:07:57,240 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 1: Laura vandercam dot com that you pre ordered. Just go 158 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:03,360 Speaker 1: to the Juliette School of Possibilities page there fill out 159 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 1: the form. And this ebook is some of my favorite 160 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:08,960 Speaker 1: life hacks. It's called Laura's Little Book of Life Hacks, 161 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:11,120 Speaker 1: one hundred and thirteen ideas for winning at work and 162 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:13,720 Speaker 1: at home and so just a lot of my favorite 163 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:16,720 Speaker 1: tips in one place. And so you know, again as 164 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 1: We've mentioned in the past if if you're not quite 165 00:08:18,440 --> 00:08:20,440 Speaker 1: sure about a fable, this is a way to sort 166 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 1: of get another Laura Vandercam productivity related book and then 167 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:27,040 Speaker 1: think of yourself as getting the fable for free. So 168 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:29,400 Speaker 1: all you have to do is pre order it. So anyway, 169 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:32,000 Speaker 1: that'll be out next week. Thanks for letting me do 170 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:35,000 Speaker 1: that little commercial. Of course, I'm excited for you. I 171 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:37,839 Speaker 1: think it's going to be a great what's the word 172 00:08:37,920 --> 00:08:40,880 Speaker 1: for like, what's the word for like premiere premiere launch 173 00:08:40,920 --> 00:08:44,520 Speaker 1: book brook release day, launch day? Yes, exactly, exactly. All right, Well, 174 00:08:44,559 --> 00:08:47,079 Speaker 1: let's get to Jody and learn about all things travel 175 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:51,839 Speaker 1: in Canada. Well, we're happy to welcome Jody Robbins to 176 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:55,200 Speaker 1: the program today. Jody will be talking with us about 177 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:59,600 Speaker 1: family travel and Canada, her area of expertise. So Jody, 178 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:04,480 Speaker 1: could you introduce yourself to our listeners. Sure. Yes, I'm 179 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:08,880 Speaker 1: a Calgary based freelance writer and blogger and I like 180 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:12,440 Speaker 1: writing a lot about family travel and wellness and outdoor adventure. 181 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:16,240 Speaker 1: My first book, twenty five Places in Canada Every Family 182 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:20,080 Speaker 1: Should Visit, is available on Amazon and it's a Canadian 183 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:23,760 Speaker 1: bestseller and I make a lot of mistakes when I travel. 184 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:26,400 Speaker 1: I'm certainly not perfect, so I share all of that 185 00:09:26,559 --> 00:09:29,040 Speaker 1: in the book and on my blog, so hopefully everyone 186 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 1: else can have better experiences. And when I'm not traveling, 187 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 1: I have take care of my daughter and my dog, 188 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:38,880 Speaker 1: and I have a husband. We do a lot of 189 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:42,200 Speaker 1: snowboarding in the Canadian rockies. And I also like trying 190 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:46,400 Speaker 1: out wacky spa treatments whenever I get the chance. Maybe 191 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:48,480 Speaker 1: that's an upside of travel writing, right, you have a 192 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 1: reason to go visit all hotel spas. I would like 193 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 1: some more detail on the wackiness, but also how old 194 00:09:57,559 --> 00:10:01,760 Speaker 1: is your daughter? My daughter is fourteen and I'm doing 195 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:04,920 Speaker 1: currently an article on wacky facial so I've had a 196 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:07,679 Speaker 1: lot of snail slime mucus on my face and a 197 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:12,480 Speaker 1: couple Wow that work. I don't know. What does that 198 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:15,439 Speaker 1: do for you? Is like the botox equivalent or something? 199 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:18,439 Speaker 1: I don't know. Yeah, it's really good. Actually it's got 200 00:10:18,440 --> 00:10:21,800 Speaker 1: a like a hydralonic acid and colic acid in there, 201 00:10:22,040 --> 00:10:24,600 Speaker 1: so if you're in a harsh winter climate, it's highly recommended. 202 00:10:25,559 --> 00:10:29,800 Speaker 1: Oh interesting, cool, Well, your skin looks excellent. We have 203 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:33,079 Speaker 1: video for our listeners. We recently started using a new 204 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:35,720 Speaker 1: software program that allows us to see each other. We're 205 00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:38,560 Speaker 1: not recording the video for putting out into the world, 206 00:10:38,559 --> 00:10:41,440 Speaker 1: but it's kind of helpful for our managing our conversations 207 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 1: because we can see who's talking and try to interrupt 208 00:10:43,920 --> 00:10:46,360 Speaker 1: each other a little bit less. But yes, we can 209 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:48,920 Speaker 1: tell you that Jodie skin looks looks fantastic. So we'll 210 00:10:48,960 --> 00:10:54,120 Speaker 1: put in the you know plug for snails. I was 211 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:57,160 Speaker 1: hoping it'd be more like chocolate or something you know 212 00:10:57,360 --> 00:11:02,720 Speaker 1: or I know, especially at this time of years. So 213 00:11:03,800 --> 00:11:06,360 Speaker 1: why don't we just dive right into some of the 214 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:09,040 Speaker 1: travel tips. So Sarah and I have both been looking 215 00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:12,120 Speaker 1: through twenty five places every family should visit in Canada, 216 00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:14,560 Speaker 1: which then also has a helpful section in the back 217 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:18,200 Speaker 1: of just family travel tips in general. And you have 218 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:21,160 Speaker 1: a couple of surprising things that you think people should bring, 219 00:11:21,280 --> 00:11:24,160 Speaker 1: like on a road trip, you should bring a cookie sheet. 220 00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:27,240 Speaker 1: Like tell us about that one. Yeah, well, cookie sheets 221 00:11:27,240 --> 00:11:31,079 Speaker 1: are very multi purpose. But essentially what they are is 222 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:35,160 Speaker 1: it's like a little table for your kids, and because 223 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:39,480 Speaker 1: of the ridges along it, things don't fall out, So 224 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:43,440 Speaker 1: you can use a cookie sheet for magnetic play. You 225 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:45,840 Speaker 1: could use a cookie sheet you could cut up some 226 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:47,960 Speaker 1: felt and they can make pictures or just if they 227 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:50,840 Speaker 1: want to color. But it keeps everything contained. And if 228 00:11:50,880 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 1: you're eating in the car, you can use it as 229 00:11:52,640 --> 00:11:57,240 Speaker 1: a little food tray. Ooh nice, that's definitely good. The 230 00:11:57,640 --> 00:12:02,720 Speaker 1: makeshift potty is another one, so for those with a younger, 231 00:12:02,800 --> 00:12:06,040 Speaker 1: newly trained, newly potty trained kids. I guess how does 232 00:12:06,080 --> 00:12:08,520 Speaker 1: one make a makeshift pody. Well, you get one of 233 00:12:08,559 --> 00:12:12,280 Speaker 1: those giant plastic tubs of ice cream, the kind when 234 00:12:12,280 --> 00:12:14,320 Speaker 1: we were kids, we could only buy ice cream that way, 235 00:12:14,520 --> 00:12:17,600 Speaker 1: and you line that kind of a plastic bucket with 236 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:22,960 Speaker 1: thick plastic bags, and so you know, you can use 237 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:25,640 Speaker 1: it as a vessel to store things in your vehicle. 238 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:28,920 Speaker 1: But you know, when you are in need, you can 239 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:30,960 Speaker 1: pull over at the side of the road and that 240 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:35,280 Speaker 1: as a little makeshift potty. Yeah, or if somebody is carsick, right, 241 00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:40,240 Speaker 1: I mean, I guess it's right, yeah. Yeah. And your 242 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:44,439 Speaker 1: surprise bag, what is a surprise bag involved? Well, people 243 00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:46,679 Speaker 1: can use this for any type of travel, whether you're 244 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:48,920 Speaker 1: doing a road trip, run an airplane. But you make 245 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:53,040 Speaker 1: a bag for each child with items to surprise and 246 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:56,520 Speaker 1: hopefully delight them. And it doesn't have to be expensive, 247 00:12:56,800 --> 00:12:59,360 Speaker 1: but it just it's more than novelty factor to keep 248 00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:03,920 Speaker 1: the kids into attained so things like etch a sketch 249 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:07,760 Speaker 1: or pipe cleaners or dollar store treats or maybe even 250 00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:09,960 Speaker 1: a piece of licorice, something that takes them a long 251 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:12,480 Speaker 1: time to chew. Now, some parents I know make these 252 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:15,400 Speaker 1: bags and keep them up front with the caregiver and 253 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:19,439 Speaker 1: only dole out one treat every thirty minutes, but others 254 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:21,640 Speaker 1: just deliver the bags to the kids as soon as 255 00:13:21,679 --> 00:13:24,360 Speaker 1: they get in the vehicle or on the plane. I 256 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:26,520 Speaker 1: do feel like that's a nice festive way to start 257 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:28,160 Speaker 1: your trip, and the kids are probably be very excited 258 00:13:28,160 --> 00:13:30,480 Speaker 1: about it. Although my true confession is my kids are 259 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:32,679 Speaker 1: typically most excited about the idea that they would get 260 00:13:32,679 --> 00:13:35,720 Speaker 1: to use the iPad for like four hours on some flight, 261 00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:39,719 Speaker 1: right right, right. I don't matter when you do it, 262 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:41,920 Speaker 1: it's just the whole you know, they do get excited 263 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:44,280 Speaker 1: about it, and sometimes they're like dying to get on 264 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:45,720 Speaker 1: the plane. You know, they don't want to wait for 265 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:47,960 Speaker 1: boarding because they know they're going to get that bag 266 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 1: as soon as they sit down. Yeah, yeah, I think 267 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:53,440 Speaker 1: you had an interesting thought on the you know, doling 268 00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:55,440 Speaker 1: out the screens that you might want to wait a 269 00:13:55,440 --> 00:13:59,000 Speaker 1: little bit just to keep the novelty and sort of 270 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:04,760 Speaker 1: reserve it for the urgency time. SU sure, And it's 271 00:14:04,880 --> 00:14:09,440 Speaker 1: tough to do if you've already established electronics, because kids 272 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:13,120 Speaker 1: no routine and they don't usually like disruptions. But if 273 00:14:13,160 --> 00:14:16,240 Speaker 1: you have younger children and you've not yet gone down 274 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:19,800 Speaker 1: that route of handing over the iPad, my advice is 275 00:14:19,840 --> 00:14:22,840 Speaker 1: to save electronics and any kind of device until the 276 00:14:22,960 --> 00:14:26,360 Speaker 1: end of the journey, when nobody's fresh anymore. That way, 277 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:30,400 Speaker 1: they just get used to occupying themselves, occupying their mind. 278 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:33,040 Speaker 1: I remember when my daughter was little, we didn't have 279 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:36,160 Speaker 1: the option. I don't think iPads were out yet, and 280 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:38,760 Speaker 1: she would look out the window and she would tell 281 00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:40,920 Speaker 1: me how much she loved watching TV in the car 282 00:14:40,960 --> 00:14:42,760 Speaker 1: when it rained, and I had no idea what she 283 00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:45,480 Speaker 1: was talking about, but she was making up little TV 284 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:48,160 Speaker 1: shows from the little water droplets and she thought that 285 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:51,000 Speaker 1: was TV so and that was you know. Obviously, she 286 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:53,920 Speaker 1: was quite young when she did that, but I was 287 00:14:53,960 --> 00:14:57,440 Speaker 1: happy to have gotten that advice because we have I've 288 00:14:57,440 --> 00:14:59,960 Speaker 1: got a family member who's a couple hours outside of town. 289 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:02,680 Speaker 1: We would visit often, and she would know she needed 290 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 1: to occupy herself. And then the last sort of half 291 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:09,040 Speaker 1: hour in the journey when it was you know, really frustrating, 292 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:11,400 Speaker 1: and you know kids have a hard time being patient. 293 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 1: When you dole out the electronics, then they're very useful 294 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:19,040 Speaker 1: and I think more effective. Yeah, now with your your 295 00:15:19,120 --> 00:15:20,760 Speaker 1: daughter being on the older side, now, I mean one 296 00:15:20,800 --> 00:15:23,800 Speaker 1: of your tips is involving older children in planning the 297 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:26,640 Speaker 1: trip and planning stops on a road trip or planning 298 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:29,320 Speaker 1: events if you're flying somewhere on the other end of it. 299 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:31,840 Speaker 1: So what does your daughter come up with that you've 300 00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:34,640 Speaker 1: been surprised by? Well, I think it doesn't really matter 301 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 1: how old your child is. It's really hard to avoid 302 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:41,360 Speaker 1: the are we there yet? Lines? But with older children 303 00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:44,400 Speaker 1: you can really involve them in the planning process. So 304 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:47,800 Speaker 1: my advice is to have them plan the stops so 305 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:50,920 Speaker 1: you can use an old fashioned paper map. Those are 306 00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:53,160 Speaker 1: often quite fun for kids to look at, or obviously 307 00:15:53,160 --> 00:15:55,920 Speaker 1: go into Google Maps and have them plan out the stops. 308 00:15:56,120 --> 00:15:59,000 Speaker 1: Say we're going from A to B. It's going to 309 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:02,160 Speaker 1: take approximately this much time. You figure it out. You 310 00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:05,520 Speaker 1: look for green spaces, you look for interesting attractions or 311 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 1: fun restaurants, maybe a cool donut shop. And when you 312 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:11,800 Speaker 1: give them that responsibility, they're more interested in the trip. 313 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:14,800 Speaker 1: It gets them doing a bit of research and they 314 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:17,040 Speaker 1: can print it out, they can make an itinerary, and 315 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:19,360 Speaker 1: then everybody knows, Yeah, we're going to be driving for 316 00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:21,760 Speaker 1: the next hour and a half, that's when we're going 317 00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:24,520 Speaker 1: to stop. Because I think when kids feel that loss 318 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:27,120 Speaker 1: of control, you know, parents control everything, where we eat, 319 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:29,360 Speaker 1: where you stop to go to the bathroom. It just 320 00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:32,080 Speaker 1: makes it more enjoyable for them, and it's also one 321 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:36,200 Speaker 1: less thing you need to do. I love that. I 322 00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:38,880 Speaker 1: always have these fantasies about, like I've talked about this 323 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:41,360 Speaker 1: in the podcast before, like a certain age that our 324 00:16:41,400 --> 00:16:42,840 Speaker 1: kids are going to reach where I let them actually 325 00:16:42,920 --> 00:16:45,520 Speaker 1: choose a trip like a destination and then like plant 326 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:47,760 Speaker 1: it around that. But that's like another You could do 327 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:49,760 Speaker 1: what you're saying at even a younger age, because I'm 328 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:51,440 Speaker 1: not necessarily going to trust my eight year old to 329 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:54,160 Speaker 1: plan out a whole week, but they could certainly pick 330 00:16:54,200 --> 00:16:57,920 Speaker 1: which rest stops are as you said attraction. That's cool. Yeah, 331 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:01,160 Speaker 1: Now traveling with other families, Sarah's going on a trip 332 00:17:01,800 --> 00:17:06,240 Speaker 1: upcoming cruise with another family. What are some things to 333 00:17:06,320 --> 00:17:09,480 Speaker 1: keep in mind when you're traveling with other people. Well, 334 00:17:09,480 --> 00:17:12,719 Speaker 1: I think, first off, you have to pick your vacation 335 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:19,120 Speaker 1: partners wisely, because families have different values, and everyone has 336 00:17:19,200 --> 00:17:22,359 Speaker 1: different eating and sleeping and all those kinds of issues 337 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:24,440 Speaker 1: and things that have set their family up for success 338 00:17:24,680 --> 00:17:27,800 Speaker 1: that are quite different, and you think it'll all be fine. 339 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:32,680 Speaker 1: But it's just a really good idea to discuss money, sleeping, 340 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:36,320 Speaker 1: eating arrangements prior to your trip. It sounds really nerdy, 341 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:38,480 Speaker 1: but if you can do that in advance, you'll save 342 00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:42,120 Speaker 1: yourself a lot of heartache on the trip. It's also 343 00:17:42,119 --> 00:17:45,679 Speaker 1: a good idea to plan for independence and to schedule 344 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:48,679 Speaker 1: alone time for your family every day. So I had 345 00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:51,560 Speaker 1: a girlfriend who did this, and she was smart, and 346 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:54,000 Speaker 1: she told the other people she was sharing the house 347 00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:55,840 Speaker 1: with that they were going to do that that every 348 00:17:55,880 --> 00:17:58,200 Speaker 1: morning or every afternoon. Her family was going to take 349 00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:01,119 Speaker 1: two hours to themselves. And it's good for a couple 350 00:18:01,119 --> 00:18:04,600 Speaker 1: of reasons. One, kids often can use a timeout when 351 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:07,120 Speaker 1: they're with other families. It's easy to get over stimulated. 352 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:11,240 Speaker 1: Maybe they do actually need a disciplinary timeout, and that's 353 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:13,439 Speaker 1: time when you can do that. But it's also just 354 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:17,639 Speaker 1: good to reconnect, and sometimes when you're doing a group trip, 355 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:19,720 Speaker 1: you you go with the flow, and maybe you're doing 356 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:22,760 Speaker 1: activities that you may not want to do. So when 357 00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:26,080 Speaker 1: you purposefully have this time set aside each day, you 358 00:18:26,119 --> 00:18:28,640 Speaker 1: can get those things done that you want to do 359 00:18:28,680 --> 00:18:32,080 Speaker 1: and just sort of take care of your family's needs. Yeah, 360 00:18:32,080 --> 00:18:34,440 Speaker 1: and that probably goes for trips with relatives as well, 361 00:18:34,440 --> 00:18:40,359 Speaker 1: although that's a slightly special put of traveling with other people. 362 00:18:41,119 --> 00:18:44,320 Speaker 1: What what best practices do you have for those sorts 363 00:18:44,320 --> 00:18:48,960 Speaker 1: of extended family trips? Yeah, those ones are are more challenging, 364 00:18:49,119 --> 00:18:51,160 Speaker 1: I would say, because I don't know about you guys, 365 00:18:51,240 --> 00:18:53,840 Speaker 1: but definitely in my family, I definitely revert back to 366 00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:58,680 Speaker 1: my childish behavior, even though we're all shoulder atults now. 367 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:01,440 Speaker 1: Plus you don't get to choose your family members based 368 00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:04,880 Speaker 1: on vacation compatibility, and the friends are probably carefully a 369 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:08,120 Speaker 1: curated bunch. Well, I think there's two kinds of trip 370 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:12,720 Speaker 1: with families. Definitely, those multi generational trips are just soaring 371 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:15,640 Speaker 1: in popularity, and they are fantastic because it's a great 372 00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:19,359 Speaker 1: chance for everyone to reconnect. But also there's that built 373 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:22,080 Speaker 1: in babysitting. If you've got nieces and nephews or perhaps 374 00:19:22,080 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 1: a generous grandparent who doesn't mind it. But so often 375 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:29,919 Speaker 1: family trips are what I call duty trips, and you 376 00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:32,960 Speaker 1: have to go back to either your home or your 377 00:19:33,040 --> 00:19:36,560 Speaker 1: partner's home and for a wedding, a funeral, what have you. 378 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:39,600 Speaker 1: And they're not really a vacation, even though we are 379 00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:42,080 Speaker 1: using our vacation time and we're using our you know, 380 00:19:43,359 --> 00:19:45,719 Speaker 1: cost money to fly across the country if you have 381 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:48,760 Speaker 1: to do that, So just really think if you need 382 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:50,879 Speaker 1: to do the trip. If it's a vacation, great, But 383 00:19:50,920 --> 00:19:53,040 Speaker 1: if it's not a vacation and it is a duty trip, 384 00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:56,119 Speaker 1: call it what it is and really consider do you 385 00:19:56,280 --> 00:19:58,680 Speaker 1: need to bring everyone along? Do you need to schlup 386 00:19:58,680 --> 00:20:01,200 Speaker 1: all your kids across the country if that's the case, 387 00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:04,760 Speaker 1: and if you do, just again, as Laura mentioned, set 388 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:09,520 Speaker 1: some of those those ground rules and that schedule time 389 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:13,040 Speaker 1: for your family because obviously, especially if you're staying in 390 00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:15,520 Speaker 1: somebody else's house, they're going to have different rules and 391 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:19,800 Speaker 1: maybe don't touch this unfamiliar food. You need some time 392 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:24,760 Speaker 1: and physical space for your family to chill out. Yeah, 393 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:28,320 Speaker 1: I agree with that, and and not to be shy 394 00:20:28,359 --> 00:20:30,800 Speaker 1: about doing the time that you need as well. I mean, 395 00:20:30,840 --> 00:20:34,240 Speaker 1: I know I've I may seem funny in my extended 396 00:20:34,280 --> 00:20:37,119 Speaker 1: family trips of wanting to run every day, but I 397 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:39,400 Speaker 1: want to run every day. And I'm a much better 398 00:20:39,480 --> 00:20:42,320 Speaker 1: person to be around if I have run. So you know, 399 00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:45,080 Speaker 1: saying well, how can we make this happen? And you know, 400 00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 1: not making too big a deal out of it, but 401 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:52,720 Speaker 1: you know that's and it's hard to just coordinate everyone too. 402 00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:56,919 Speaker 1: I mean, I it's a lot of people, and you know, 403 00:20:57,000 --> 00:21:01,520 Speaker 1: every decision you probably have whatever emotional baggage has come 404 00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:06,119 Speaker 1: in from like thirty years, forty years of togatheredess. You know, 405 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:08,359 Speaker 1: it's not just like do we go to the park 406 00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:11,000 Speaker 1: or do we go to the museum. It's like and 407 00:21:11,240 --> 00:21:16,760 Speaker 1: we fought as children, so right, I won't set up 408 00:21:16,880 --> 00:21:20,760 Speaker 1: spreadsheets like Excel spreadsheets and they send them out to 409 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:24,919 Speaker 1: their whole family, And it's some of it is just 410 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:27,200 Speaker 1: for meal planning, like my family will take a day 411 00:21:27,240 --> 00:21:30,080 Speaker 1: during dinner. Your family will take a day doing dinner. 412 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:32,960 Speaker 1: But it's also to slot in those activities, so Laura 413 00:21:32,960 --> 00:21:35,560 Speaker 1: could slot in her run time there. If you do 414 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:38,360 Speaker 1: a bit of advanced research, maybe you're setting down, Oh 415 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:41,399 Speaker 1: my family is going to go to this green space 416 00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:44,119 Speaker 1: or park. Everyone's welcome to join us. So the spreadsheet 417 00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:47,040 Speaker 1: it seems very type A and perhaps it is, but 418 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:49,280 Speaker 1: if you throw it on the fridge, it gives everybody 419 00:21:49,359 --> 00:21:54,520 Speaker 1: a good indication of who's doing what when. Yeah, and 420 00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:57,160 Speaker 1: we loved your tip about you know, especially if you're 421 00:21:57,920 --> 00:22:00,440 Speaker 1: have have had more of this duty trip, like doing 422 00:22:00,480 --> 00:22:02,240 Speaker 1: something fun for you or fun for you and your 423 00:22:02,240 --> 00:22:07,000 Speaker 1: partner shortly after returning. What's up with that idea? Yeah? Yeah, 424 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:10,159 Speaker 1: well yeah, duty trip or even a family vacation. I mean, 425 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:13,080 Speaker 1: a family vacation is not a couple of vacation. There 426 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:15,879 Speaker 1: are two very different things. But I think especially the 427 00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:18,159 Speaker 1: first time or the first couple times you go on 428 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:20,760 Speaker 1: a family trip, you think it's going to be like 429 00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:23,280 Speaker 1: it was when you were traveling pre child, and it's 430 00:22:23,280 --> 00:22:26,639 Speaker 1: often not. So Yeah, my advice is to schedule some 431 00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:29,479 Speaker 1: kind of a date night within a week of year return, 432 00:22:29,880 --> 00:22:32,120 Speaker 1: so it could be going out for dinner, so you can, 433 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:34,240 Speaker 1: you know, do a data dump about the trip and 434 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:38,080 Speaker 1: talk about what worked, what didn't. Having a massage is 435 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:41,159 Speaker 1: a great one, especially now that there's so many mobile 436 00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:43,679 Speaker 1: massage companies that can come to your home. You know, 437 00:22:43,960 --> 00:22:47,000 Speaker 1: if you've been flying, you're probably full of notts and stress. 438 00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:50,000 Speaker 1: But it's just also a way to end the vacation. 439 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:53,800 Speaker 1: It extends it just that little bit longer. I hear 440 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:55,600 Speaker 1: you on this one. Number one, I love having a 441 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:57,760 Speaker 1: buffer day, so not going back to work the day 442 00:22:57,840 --> 00:23:00,760 Speaker 1: immediately after the trip. But I found that that date night, 443 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:04,680 Speaker 1: if possible, is really really important because there's no time 444 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:06,480 Speaker 1: that we need to reconnect more than after we've just 445 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:10,920 Speaker 1: spent sevent days, like twenty four to seven childcare. So yeah, 446 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:14,919 Speaker 1: so true. So why don't we pivot here to talking 447 00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:19,760 Speaker 1: about Canada, which is Jody's particular area of expertise. We 448 00:23:19,800 --> 00:23:22,159 Speaker 1: have a lot of international listeners as well, but I 449 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:24,760 Speaker 1: think the bulk of our listeners are in the US 450 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:28,720 Speaker 1: like we are. So why you Canada? Why? Why is 451 00:23:28,760 --> 00:23:32,399 Speaker 1: Canada a great destination for us to visit? Well, I 452 00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:37,040 Speaker 1: think it's it's familiar and so it's very I think 453 00:23:37,240 --> 00:23:40,399 Speaker 1: easy to get to. That's the first one. So most 454 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:43,480 Speaker 1: US cities have direct flights to Canada that I think 455 00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:46,879 Speaker 1: people don't realize. But it's easy travel. So with the 456 00:23:46,920 --> 00:23:50,800 Speaker 1: exception of Quebec, there's the same language. But even in 457 00:23:50,840 --> 00:23:54,480 Speaker 1: Quebec where they speak French. You'll find many are bilingual. 458 00:23:54,920 --> 00:23:58,040 Speaker 1: But there's the familiar food, there's the high health and 459 00:23:58,160 --> 00:24:00,800 Speaker 1: safety standards. So I think there's that love of comfort 460 00:24:00,840 --> 00:24:04,760 Speaker 1: which Americans like. I think certainly more Americans visit Hawaii 461 00:24:04,920 --> 00:24:09,040 Speaker 1: than they do Mexico for those reasons. But most importantly, 462 00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:12,040 Speaker 1: it's it's on super sale for you guys. With the 463 00:24:12,119 --> 00:24:15,919 Speaker 1: exchange rate between the dollars, it's thirty percent off, so 464 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:19,119 Speaker 1: you can stay at a top end hotel or you know, 465 00:24:19,160 --> 00:24:21,920 Speaker 1: you can go from a pharamonut to a four seasons 466 00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:24,800 Speaker 1: to even a Super eight. And it's in Canadian dollars, 467 00:24:24,840 --> 00:24:29,399 Speaker 1: which currently is thirty percent less than the green back. Well, 468 00:24:29,440 --> 00:24:33,600 Speaker 1: you never know. By the time this podcast airs, that'd 469 00:24:33,640 --> 00:24:37,399 Speaker 1: be pretty quick quick. But no, but I see what 470 00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:39,720 Speaker 1: you're saying right now. It's a goodbye right now. That's 471 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:42,600 Speaker 1: really yeah. And I think people don't realize how much 472 00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:45,840 Speaker 1: of how much it is on sale. Certainly, I know, Sarah, 473 00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:48,359 Speaker 1: you were in Whistler area, and they do get to go. 474 00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:52,520 Speaker 1: The American visitors. The prices are adjusted a bit accordingly, 475 00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:56,840 Speaker 1: but in the majority of Canada you will find a 476 00:24:56,880 --> 00:25:01,160 Speaker 1: significant discount. Yeah, which is always a good thing when 477 00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:03,600 Speaker 1: it comes to uh, well, it is funny you said 478 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:06,800 Speaker 1: the international miss cities have flights to Canada. I awys laugh, 479 00:25:06,840 --> 00:25:08,960 Speaker 1: and I say, some small airport that calls itself the 480 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:12,879 Speaker 1: whatever international airport, and it's usually because they have a 481 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:17,280 Speaker 1: daily flight to Toronto, one flight. It's like, well that 482 00:25:17,359 --> 00:25:21,200 Speaker 1: we could call ourselves international and uh, you know, okay. 483 00:25:21,840 --> 00:25:23,520 Speaker 1: And the funny thing is they don't even actually have 484 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:27,120 Speaker 1: to have the infrastructure for having the international stuff then, 485 00:25:27,240 --> 00:25:30,640 Speaker 1: because the Canadians deal with the customs on their side 486 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:33,200 Speaker 1: when you get there. And then the US has stationed 487 00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:36,760 Speaker 1: customs officers in most Canadian airports so that you can 488 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:39,360 Speaker 1: clear customs on the Canadian side. So by the time 489 00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:41,400 Speaker 1: you land, you're landing is if you were landing from 490 00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:43,840 Speaker 1: a domestic flight. So you can be an international airport 491 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:46,840 Speaker 1: here without all that. So it's uh, you know, if 492 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:49,480 Speaker 1: if your local airport calls itself international, you might look 493 00:25:49,480 --> 00:25:51,760 Speaker 1: into it because there probably is one Canadian flight so 494 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:54,800 Speaker 1: you can get on that one. So give us some 495 00:25:54,840 --> 00:25:57,760 Speaker 1: of your favorite destinations. You would broken this down to 496 00:25:57,760 --> 00:25:59,760 Speaker 1: into some categories, like for people who are looking for 497 00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:03,040 Speaker 1: differings and so why don't you run through those. For US, well, 498 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:05,800 Speaker 1: that's just it. I mean there's no one size fits 499 00:26:05,840 --> 00:26:08,320 Speaker 1: all and Canada is so much like the US, is 500 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:12,440 Speaker 1: just very regional with from big cities to the varying landscapes. 501 00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:15,399 Speaker 1: So if you're looking for a city break, my top 502 00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:19,440 Speaker 1: wrecks are Vancouver, just a very beautiful, clean city where 503 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:23,199 Speaker 1: you can surf or ski, but also Ottawa, which is 504 00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:26,639 Speaker 1: the capital city of Canada and most people Ottawa's not 505 00:26:26,800 --> 00:26:31,119 Speaker 1: on most people's radar. It's between Toronto and Montreal, and 506 00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:34,920 Speaker 1: fantastic museums and lots of outdoor adventure to be had 507 00:26:34,920 --> 00:26:38,800 Speaker 1: there too, so those are Yeah, Vancouver is awesome. Will 508 00:26:38,920 --> 00:26:42,200 Speaker 1: I will testify to that beautiful, beautiful city. A lot 509 00:26:42,200 --> 00:26:46,359 Speaker 1: of outdoorsy stuff there, you know, craft beer, coffee, you 510 00:26:46,359 --> 00:26:51,119 Speaker 1: can bike or run on the water. Absolutely beautiful. How 511 00:26:51,160 --> 00:26:54,880 Speaker 1: about for our skiing listeners, where's your best ski destinations? Well, 512 00:26:54,920 --> 00:26:58,280 Speaker 1: I have to recommend my province of Alberta and Bamf 513 00:26:58,560 --> 00:27:01,600 Speaker 1: National Park. So there are ski resorts just outside the 514 00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:05,080 Speaker 1: town of Banff and in Lake Louise. And what's great 515 00:27:05,119 --> 00:27:08,080 Speaker 1: about the ski resorts in baff is that it's in 516 00:27:08,080 --> 00:27:11,400 Speaker 1: the rocky mountains, so very similar to Colorado much more 517 00:27:11,440 --> 00:27:16,080 Speaker 1: affordable than skiing in Colorado. We have champagne powder because 518 00:27:16,119 --> 00:27:19,120 Speaker 1: our climate is quite dry, so the snow is very nice. 519 00:27:19,880 --> 00:27:22,439 Speaker 1: If you've skid in Whistler or Mammoth, that's like a 520 00:27:22,480 --> 00:27:26,080 Speaker 1: more wet, heavy coastal snow, and then when you go 521 00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:28,840 Speaker 1: to this kind of champagne powder, it's just there's no comparison. 522 00:27:29,359 --> 00:27:33,000 Speaker 1: So it's fantastic. And actually in March is a great 523 00:27:33,119 --> 00:27:36,680 Speaker 1: time to come skiing during spring break because our temperatures 524 00:27:37,040 --> 00:27:38,760 Speaker 1: oh wow, yeah, a lot of people don't know that, 525 00:27:38,800 --> 00:27:42,960 Speaker 1: and our temperatures typically don't get into the deep freeze. 526 00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:45,600 Speaker 1: They're very moderate in March, but we get heaps and 527 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:48,520 Speaker 1: heaps of snow in March for the past five years. 528 00:27:48,720 --> 00:27:52,639 Speaker 1: So definitely I would consider skiing in Alberta Lake Louis 529 00:27:52,640 --> 00:27:55,520 Speaker 1: Ski Resort or Sunshine Village. Those are the two most 530 00:27:55,520 --> 00:27:58,480 Speaker 1: popular ones. The airport for that is in my hometown 531 00:27:58,520 --> 00:28:01,119 Speaker 1: of Calgary, and so baff National Park is only an 532 00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:05,040 Speaker 1: hour's drive away. But also in the other direction. A 533 00:28:05,080 --> 00:28:08,800 Speaker 1: lot of people don't know we have this huge job 534 00:28:08,920 --> 00:28:12,800 Speaker 1: dinosaur fossils in Alberta. So many of the dinosaurs that 535 00:28:12,840 --> 00:28:16,000 Speaker 1: you do see at the top American museums have come 536 00:28:16,119 --> 00:28:19,679 Speaker 1: from my province of Alberta. And you know what, kid 537 00:28:19,760 --> 00:28:23,399 Speaker 1: around five years old isn't a major dinosaur fan. And 538 00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:26,439 Speaker 1: we have this provincial park called Dinosaur Provincial Park and 539 00:28:26,480 --> 00:28:29,760 Speaker 1: it has the most number of species, the most number 540 00:28:29,760 --> 00:28:33,560 Speaker 1: of fossils out of anywhere in the world currently. That 541 00:28:33,680 --> 00:28:36,240 Speaker 1: is awesome. And how about if you're looking for sort 542 00:28:36,280 --> 00:28:41,400 Speaker 1: of a more culture, different kind of experience on that point, 543 00:28:41,440 --> 00:28:43,360 Speaker 1: I mean, obviously what they said, a lot of Canada 544 00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:44,720 Speaker 1: is a lot like the US, but there are parts 545 00:28:44,760 --> 00:28:47,760 Speaker 1: that aren't right. So Quebec is a great example, so 546 00:28:48,400 --> 00:28:53,040 Speaker 1: French speaking province, it's so much like Europe. Cobblestone streets, 547 00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:58,720 Speaker 1: great great culinary scene, people speaking French, historic buildings, but 548 00:28:58,840 --> 00:29:02,400 Speaker 1: unlike Europe, it's much easier and closer to get to 549 00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:06,080 Speaker 1: and a lot more affordable. So lots of different places 550 00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:09,800 Speaker 1: in Quebec. You can have chic city breaks in Montreal, 551 00:29:10,640 --> 00:29:14,800 Speaker 1: very beautiful historic vacation in Quebec city. But outside all 552 00:29:14,800 --> 00:29:17,160 Speaker 1: these major cities there's so much. When it comes to 553 00:29:17,160 --> 00:29:21,400 Speaker 1: outdoor adventure, they do also have skiing. Their wonderful warm 554 00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:25,440 Speaker 1: lakes in the winter time, they have these toboggan runs, 555 00:29:25,440 --> 00:29:28,360 Speaker 1: so it's like a sled and it's essentially down a 556 00:29:28,440 --> 00:29:32,800 Speaker 1: ski slope, so imagine like a seven kilometer long sled ride. 557 00:29:32,840 --> 00:29:36,600 Speaker 1: And they have outdoor Wow, you no, super fun. I 558 00:29:36,680 --> 00:29:40,200 Speaker 1: just did it last winter and really epic, really great 559 00:29:40,240 --> 00:29:44,240 Speaker 1: for kids. And unlike other winter activities that you would 560 00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:48,120 Speaker 1: see at other resorts, they have tubing. So snow tubing 561 00:29:48,160 --> 00:29:50,920 Speaker 1: you're on these inner tubes and it's at a former 562 00:29:50,960 --> 00:29:53,840 Speaker 1: water park, so those water park slides you're actually going 563 00:29:53,880 --> 00:29:57,800 Speaker 1: down on snow tubes. That sounds awesome. Yeah, we went 564 00:29:57,840 --> 00:30:03,200 Speaker 1: to Tremblant outside Montreal a couple of times and that 565 00:30:03,360 --> 00:30:07,280 Speaker 1: was great. You know. I love the tradition of putting 566 00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:10,360 Speaker 1: maple syrup in the snow and making your own candy. 567 00:30:10,440 --> 00:30:12,360 Speaker 1: That was pretty cool. And then I was a big 568 00:30:12,400 --> 00:30:14,560 Speaker 1: fan of the outdoor hot tub in the snow. That's 569 00:30:14,680 --> 00:30:17,400 Speaker 1: just a you know, a special treat to have a 570 00:30:17,560 --> 00:30:20,840 Speaker 1: very cold nose and a very warm body, like sitting 571 00:30:20,840 --> 00:30:24,680 Speaker 1: there with my ski cap and an adult beverage in 572 00:30:24,720 --> 00:30:26,800 Speaker 1: a in a hot tub outside as the snow is 573 00:30:26,840 --> 00:30:30,920 Speaker 1: falling down. So you guys don't do that, not not 574 00:30:31,040 --> 00:30:33,120 Speaker 1: so much. I you know, I don't know it's a 575 00:30:33,160 --> 00:30:35,600 Speaker 1: big thing here. But that they do in the Midwest, 576 00:30:35,920 --> 00:30:40,560 Speaker 1: they have to. I bet you maybe Minnesota they're all 577 00:30:40,560 --> 00:30:42,600 Speaker 1: about the outdoor hot tub. That could be true, that 578 00:30:42,600 --> 00:30:45,840 Speaker 1: could be true. And so then for obviously the Vikings fans, 579 00:30:46,440 --> 00:30:48,720 Speaker 1: not Vikings as in the Minnesota Vikings, but as in 580 00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:51,640 Speaker 1: the ones who came over from Iceland. Where can we 581 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:54,120 Speaker 1: go to the historical places for that? Yeah, a lot 582 00:30:54,120 --> 00:30:56,440 Speaker 1: of people don't know that. Like half a millennium before 583 00:30:56,440 --> 00:31:01,840 Speaker 1: Columbus arrived, the Vikings made landfall in Northern Canada in Newfoundland, sorry, 584 00:31:01,880 --> 00:31:04,760 Speaker 1: Atlantic Canada, not Northern Canada, but it was in Northern 585 00:31:04,880 --> 00:31:08,600 Speaker 1: Newfoundland that they made landfall several times, about a dozen 586 00:31:08,640 --> 00:31:12,160 Speaker 1: times they came over, and yeah, their remains are there, 587 00:31:12,400 --> 00:31:18,719 Speaker 1: their their buildings, their artifacts, so really really fascinating to 588 00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:23,440 Speaker 1: see many of them have been replicated, these buildings and 589 00:31:23,680 --> 00:31:29,280 Speaker 1: they have character period actors there robing around. I didn't 590 00:31:29,400 --> 00:31:32,120 Speaker 1: expect it to be as interesting for my daughter as 591 00:31:32,120 --> 00:31:35,240 Speaker 1: it was, and she loved it and she was fascinated. 592 00:31:35,840 --> 00:31:38,959 Speaker 1: And Newfoundland, that sounds really cool. It's very cool. And 593 00:31:39,360 --> 00:31:43,960 Speaker 1: Newfoundland's a bit separated physically from Canada, and it was 594 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:47,520 Speaker 1: the last province to join in nineteen forty nine and 595 00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:51,920 Speaker 1: it's just a very different culture many people still is 596 00:31:51,960 --> 00:31:54,920 Speaker 1: it hard to get to No, No, there's direct flights there, 597 00:31:55,720 --> 00:31:58,600 Speaker 1: several directs. Yeah, very easy to get to, and in fact, 598 00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:04,800 Speaker 1: direct flights from Newfoundland to New York to London. And incidentally, 599 00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:06,840 Speaker 1: you know after nine to eleven, the majority of flights 600 00:32:06,840 --> 00:32:10,360 Speaker 1: went to Gander, Newfoundland and that story is told in 601 00:32:10,400 --> 00:32:13,080 Speaker 1: the Broadway show Come from Away, So if you're familiar 602 00:32:13,080 --> 00:32:15,760 Speaker 1: with Come from Away, that tells a story about Newfoundland 603 00:32:15,800 --> 00:32:20,160 Speaker 1: hospitality and they're really just a wonderful type of people. 604 00:32:20,200 --> 00:32:22,960 Speaker 1: Definitely a little bit of different Canadian culture that you 605 00:32:23,040 --> 00:32:28,120 Speaker 1: would you can't experience anywhere else. Well wonderful. So those 606 00:32:28,120 --> 00:32:30,479 Speaker 1: are some great ideas for our listeners and people are 607 00:32:30,520 --> 00:32:33,280 Speaker 1: looking for a last minute trip from March, maybe get 608 00:32:33,360 --> 00:32:37,960 Speaker 1: up there to bamf and get some get some skiing 609 00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:40,880 Speaker 1: on the champagne powder. I had not know that that 610 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:44,280 Speaker 1: phrase before, but I love it, so Jodi. We always 611 00:32:44,400 --> 00:32:46,880 Speaker 1: end each our guest segments with our love of the week. 612 00:32:47,240 --> 00:32:50,200 Speaker 1: So something that's really cool for us. Right now, Sarah 613 00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:51,920 Speaker 1: and I can start, so you can think about it 614 00:32:52,280 --> 00:32:54,400 Speaker 1: while we're going. First to Sarah, what do you have 615 00:32:54,440 --> 00:32:59,080 Speaker 1: for us this week? Mine is not on theme at all, sorry, 616 00:32:59,120 --> 00:33:01,880 Speaker 1: but I just consider round up of work pants on 617 00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:04,240 Speaker 1: my blog for anyone interested, and I will do a 618 00:33:04,280 --> 00:33:07,080 Speaker 1: shout out to what I consider the popular winners. And 619 00:33:07,680 --> 00:33:09,360 Speaker 1: I wore them yesterday and I really like them. They're 620 00:33:09,400 --> 00:33:12,640 Speaker 1: the Everleen work pant or the work pant. They come 621 00:33:12,680 --> 00:33:14,800 Speaker 1: in different lengths, they are only fifty dollars. They are 622 00:33:14,880 --> 00:33:17,360 Speaker 1: side zip, they're quite they're fitted but not tight and 623 00:33:17,440 --> 00:33:21,480 Speaker 1: that perfect kind of straddling the line there. And Everleen 624 00:33:21,560 --> 00:33:25,120 Speaker 1: does have fairly sustainable and transparent work practices compared to 625 00:33:25,160 --> 00:33:28,760 Speaker 1: some other companies. So I am soul. Yeah, my love 626 00:33:28,760 --> 00:33:32,560 Speaker 1: of the week is actually the post office, which Jody, 627 00:33:32,680 --> 00:33:34,640 Speaker 1: before we had you on, we had an opening segment 628 00:33:34,680 --> 00:33:37,600 Speaker 1: about the fun of getting kid passports. You know, we've 629 00:33:37,600 --> 00:33:39,840 Speaker 1: always gone to the post office to get our passports 630 00:33:39,920 --> 00:33:42,480 Speaker 1: or get them renewed, and I got to say, I 631 00:33:42,520 --> 00:33:46,160 Speaker 1: don't understand why people, you know, complain about the post office. 632 00:33:46,160 --> 00:33:48,280 Speaker 1: Everyone I've gone to has been amazing, and in particularly 633 00:33:48,320 --> 00:33:50,040 Speaker 1: the ones who've dealt with my kids as we've been 634 00:33:50,040 --> 00:33:53,720 Speaker 1: getting our passports renewed and things like that. Although as 635 00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:55,280 Speaker 1: we also joked about in the beginning. We always have 636 00:33:55,320 --> 00:33:57,320 Speaker 1: the families next to us wind up getting turned away 637 00:33:57,320 --> 00:33:59,640 Speaker 1: because they're missing something. So maybe it's not the same 638 00:33:59,640 --> 00:34:01,440 Speaker 1: experience for everyone. But I've been doing a lot of 639 00:34:01,440 --> 00:34:04,040 Speaker 1: stuff with the post office with mailing things related to 640 00:34:04,080 --> 00:34:06,640 Speaker 1: my book launch and it's they're great. I love my 641 00:34:06,680 --> 00:34:10,319 Speaker 1: local post office. So all right, Jodi, how about you? Yeah, 642 00:34:10,320 --> 00:34:12,400 Speaker 1: this is killing me because I listened to a podcast 643 00:34:12,480 --> 00:34:14,400 Speaker 1: every week and how did I not know this question 644 00:34:14,520 --> 00:34:18,560 Speaker 1: was going to come up? So, because we're in the 645 00:34:18,600 --> 00:34:21,040 Speaker 1: middle of a bit of a cold snap here in Canada, 646 00:34:21,080 --> 00:34:24,919 Speaker 1: I have to say. It's my Surreal winter boots and 647 00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:28,839 Speaker 1: they're in their third year and they've really held up well. 648 00:34:28,960 --> 00:34:31,680 Speaker 1: And I was at a backcountry lodge over the weekend 649 00:34:31,760 --> 00:34:36,120 Speaker 1: where it got down to minus twenty fahrenheit and quite cold, 650 00:34:36,520 --> 00:34:40,080 Speaker 1: and my boots, yeah after about an hour. Sure, my 651 00:34:40,080 --> 00:34:42,000 Speaker 1: tools were cold, but to be able to be out 652 00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:45,600 Speaker 1: in the cold for that long, they were just fantastic. Yeah. 653 00:34:45,600 --> 00:34:46,960 Speaker 1: I don't think i'd want to be outside for an 654 00:34:46,960 --> 00:34:50,400 Speaker 1: hour and minus twenty four minutes. The boots did that 655 00:34:50,440 --> 00:34:52,880 Speaker 1: for you. That's that's a pretty good selling point right there. 656 00:34:53,520 --> 00:34:56,720 Speaker 1: All right, Well, this has been Jody Robbins talking about 657 00:34:57,320 --> 00:35:00,279 Speaker 1: Canada and all things family travel. So Jody, thanks much 658 00:35:00,320 --> 00:35:02,560 Speaker 1: for joining us. Well, thanks for having me. It's a pleasure. 659 00:35:03,640 --> 00:35:06,759 Speaker 1: Well I learned a lot from that. And so here 660 00:35:06,800 --> 00:35:09,799 Speaker 1: we're going to our question part of the program. This 661 00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:12,400 Speaker 1: is from our survey. Sarah sent around a great survey 662 00:35:12,440 --> 00:35:14,600 Speaker 1: and the fall we got tons of responses, very useful. 663 00:35:14,640 --> 00:35:16,120 Speaker 1: We to found out what you guys like, what you 664 00:35:16,160 --> 00:35:18,759 Speaker 1: don't like, which we're working on, I promise, And we 665 00:35:18,840 --> 00:35:20,960 Speaker 1: got a lot of great questions as well. So this 666 00:35:21,000 --> 00:35:23,120 Speaker 1: one from a listener says, I work from home and 667 00:35:23,200 --> 00:35:26,239 Speaker 1: part time, so I'd love to hear how you use 668 00:35:26,400 --> 00:35:29,919 Speaker 1: down time with kids when you're watching them but could 669 00:35:29,960 --> 00:35:32,880 Speaker 1: also be doing other things. I have a mobile one 670 00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:35,719 Speaker 1: year old at home who plays well by himself, and 671 00:35:35,760 --> 00:35:37,800 Speaker 1: I feel like I just waste time on my phone 672 00:35:37,800 --> 00:35:40,960 Speaker 1: while watching him. Focused worker reading is too hard while 673 00:35:41,040 --> 00:35:42,960 Speaker 1: keeping an eye on him. And while I know this 674 00:35:43,000 --> 00:35:45,000 Speaker 1: is just a phase, it is several hours of the day, 675 00:35:45,040 --> 00:35:47,360 Speaker 1: I feel I could be using better. All right, So 676 00:35:47,440 --> 00:35:49,839 Speaker 1: what do you think? Well, first of all, I think 677 00:35:49,840 --> 00:35:53,480 Speaker 1: that is just amazing that he plays well by himself, 678 00:35:53,600 --> 00:35:57,440 Speaker 1: because I think your one year old doesn't you know, 679 00:35:57,560 --> 00:36:01,080 Speaker 1: actually she's probably one of the more into dependent ones 680 00:36:01,080 --> 00:36:03,840 Speaker 1: of the three, but it's varied and it depends on 681 00:36:03,840 --> 00:36:07,200 Speaker 1: the day. And the fact that she's already got that 682 00:36:07,239 --> 00:36:09,160 Speaker 1: with her first kid is impressive because actually I think 683 00:36:09,200 --> 00:36:11,360 Speaker 1: that I think that the more kids you have, the 684 00:36:11,400 --> 00:36:13,319 Speaker 1: more likely you are to kind of let them learn 685 00:36:13,360 --> 00:36:15,560 Speaker 1: to play by themselves or they're forced to, Whereas when 686 00:36:15,560 --> 00:36:18,120 Speaker 1: it's your first kid, that's a little different. Maybe it's 687 00:36:18,160 --> 00:36:21,000 Speaker 1: not her first kid anyway, so I digress. But my 688 00:36:21,080 --> 00:36:24,759 Speaker 1: ideas are podcasts always a fun way to, you know, 689 00:36:24,840 --> 00:36:27,840 Speaker 1: learn something. You could be listening to us just a suggestion. 690 00:36:28,640 --> 00:36:31,000 Speaker 1: You could do some organizing projects, so like maybe now 691 00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:33,560 Speaker 1: is that perfect time to like go through the spice 692 00:36:33,640 --> 00:36:35,959 Speaker 1: drawer and get rid of old things or whatever, because 693 00:36:35,960 --> 00:36:37,640 Speaker 1: you don't really need your full attention for that. You 694 00:36:37,640 --> 00:36:39,920 Speaker 1: can still have an eye on your child. I love 695 00:36:40,000 --> 00:36:42,800 Speaker 1: to do face time with my family when the kids 696 00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:44,560 Speaker 1: are kind of playing, because then I'm talking and they 697 00:36:44,560 --> 00:36:46,520 Speaker 1: can be watching the kid, but then I'm also connecting 698 00:36:46,560 --> 00:36:49,640 Speaker 1: with others. You could read something really light on a kindle. 699 00:36:50,520 --> 00:36:53,600 Speaker 1: You could do a cooking project, and you know, maybe 700 00:36:53,719 --> 00:36:55,520 Speaker 1: especially if you can kind of see where they are 701 00:36:55,560 --> 00:36:58,120 Speaker 1: from your kitchen, and I guess I would also say 702 00:36:58,120 --> 00:37:00,759 Speaker 1: that it's okay to sometimes just watch them stories if 703 00:37:00,760 --> 00:37:03,799 Speaker 1: you're enjoying that and let yourself enjoy it. Yeah, you 704 00:37:03,800 --> 00:37:05,840 Speaker 1: could do the analog version of that too, like paging 705 00:37:05,840 --> 00:37:09,520 Speaker 1: through magazines that you know, sometimes you can get through 706 00:37:09,560 --> 00:37:12,520 Speaker 1: an article in something, or you know it might not 707 00:37:12,560 --> 00:37:14,520 Speaker 1: be for brows through the pictures in real simple, browse 708 00:37:14,560 --> 00:37:16,919 Speaker 1: through the pictures in real simple. It's just something fun 709 00:37:16,920 --> 00:37:18,799 Speaker 1: like that. And you know, magazines are actually really good 710 00:37:18,920 --> 00:37:21,600 Speaker 1: cheap entertainment. I mean, most of the subscriptions you can 711 00:37:21,719 --> 00:37:24,000 Speaker 1: get for about a dollar an issue if you get 712 00:37:24,040 --> 00:37:26,200 Speaker 1: sort of the rolling or specials or whatever, if you 713 00:37:26,239 --> 00:37:28,480 Speaker 1: if you look for deals, or you might even be 714 00:37:28,480 --> 00:37:30,520 Speaker 1: able to use like frequent flyer miles for it if 715 00:37:30,520 --> 00:37:31,960 Speaker 1: you don't have enough for a trip, but you can 716 00:37:32,000 --> 00:37:35,600 Speaker 1: cash them in for magazines or something. But it's just such, 717 00:37:35,719 --> 00:37:38,399 Speaker 1: it's cheap entertainment, and yes it's fluffy, but it might 718 00:37:38,480 --> 00:37:42,440 Speaker 1: be mildly more interesting and uplifting, like you're looking at 719 00:37:42,480 --> 00:37:46,760 Speaker 1: good photography, hopefully reading professional writing, versus like on Twitter 720 00:37:46,800 --> 00:37:49,880 Speaker 1: where you're looking at people calling each other names, so 721 00:37:50,280 --> 00:37:53,439 Speaker 1: you know, it might feel slightly more edifying. With this time. 722 00:37:53,760 --> 00:37:55,960 Speaker 1: I was gonna say, you could get some exercise in, 723 00:37:56,520 --> 00:37:59,279 Speaker 1: you know, like if you're inside, like push up set ups, 724 00:37:59,320 --> 00:38:02,239 Speaker 1: do a few of those plank poses. Just you know, 725 00:38:02,400 --> 00:38:04,000 Speaker 1: you could go outside to you some of this time. 726 00:38:04,040 --> 00:38:06,920 Speaker 1: And like just stroller walks I always thought were like 727 00:38:07,000 --> 00:38:09,359 Speaker 1: the best thing ever with mobile one year olds because 728 00:38:09,360 --> 00:38:11,920 Speaker 1: they're strapped in so you can sort of zone out 729 00:38:12,000 --> 00:38:14,400 Speaker 1: during this time while you're you're doing something you know, 730 00:38:14,680 --> 00:38:18,000 Speaker 1: good for yourself and feeling energized with the fresh air. 731 00:38:18,040 --> 00:38:19,800 Speaker 1: And so you could do a stroller walk in the 732 00:38:19,840 --> 00:38:22,399 Speaker 1: mall or something if you're in a place where it's 733 00:38:22,480 --> 00:38:25,239 Speaker 1: snowing and sleeping and all that, or you know, come 734 00:38:25,320 --> 00:38:27,759 Speaker 1: up with a hobby like crossword puzzles. I mean that's 735 00:38:27,760 --> 00:38:29,720 Speaker 1: something you could do in like little bits of time 736 00:38:30,480 --> 00:38:33,040 Speaker 1: or adult coloring. Adult coloring, yeah, you know, do some 737 00:38:33,200 --> 00:38:35,439 Speaker 1: art with that. And you know, again, yes, it's gonna 738 00:38:35,440 --> 00:38:36,880 Speaker 1: be brainless, and it needs to be something that you 739 00:38:36,920 --> 00:38:39,680 Speaker 1: can look up from every like minute to check if 740 00:38:39,719 --> 00:38:42,560 Speaker 1: if the kids, you know, decided to suddenly go grab 741 00:38:42,560 --> 00:38:44,440 Speaker 1: a fork and sticket in the like pocket. But like 742 00:38:45,040 --> 00:38:49,160 Speaker 1: you know, it's uh, I totally get this, And I 743 00:38:49,560 --> 00:38:51,480 Speaker 1: struggled with this as why I don't think I ever 744 00:38:51,520 --> 00:38:55,640 Speaker 1: came up with a good thing to do, but you know, 745 00:38:55,680 --> 00:39:00,160 Speaker 1: I still don't. I will sit watching Alex play downstairs, 746 00:39:00,160 --> 00:39:02,520 Speaker 1: and I wound up getting him all these blocks because 747 00:39:02,560 --> 00:39:05,560 Speaker 1: I actually like building blocks. Same thing with puzzles. I 748 00:39:05,600 --> 00:39:07,840 Speaker 1: like kind of like puzzles. So it's then mildly entertaining 749 00:39:07,840 --> 00:39:09,520 Speaker 1: for me. And then he'll either do it or won't 750 00:39:09,520 --> 00:39:11,720 Speaker 1: do it with me, and he knocks over my block towers, 751 00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:16,560 Speaker 1: which I'm sometimes sad about. But you know, if you 752 00:39:16,640 --> 00:39:19,160 Speaker 1: enjoy coloring, like you know, coloring with the kid is 753 00:39:19,160 --> 00:39:22,880 Speaker 1: is great. But yeah, the magazines are often good too. Awesome. 754 00:39:23,360 --> 00:39:25,480 Speaker 1: All right, Well, this has been best of both worlds. 755 00:39:25,520 --> 00:39:28,480 Speaker 1: We've been talking with Jodie Robbins about travel, family travel, 756 00:39:28,520 --> 00:39:31,399 Speaker 1: and Canada visiting Canada. So we'll be back next week 757 00:39:31,440 --> 00:39:37,160 Speaker 1: with more on making work and life fit together. Thanks 758 00:39:37,160 --> 00:39:40,160 Speaker 1: for listening. You can find me Sarah at the shoebox 759 00:39:40,200 --> 00:39:44,040 Speaker 1: dot com or at the Underscore shoe Box on Instagram, 760 00:39:44,480 --> 00:39:48,360 Speaker 1: and you can find me Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. 761 00:39:48,880 --> 00:39:52,080 Speaker 1: This has been the best of both worlds podcasts. Please 762 00:39:52,160 --> 00:39:54,719 Speaker 1: join us next time for more on making work and 763 00:39:54,840 --> 00:39:55,960 Speaker 1: life work together,