1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:08,039 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:15,680 Speaker 2: Good Morning. This is Laura, Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:21,680 Speaker 2: Today's tip is to rally your family or roommates for 4 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:29,440 Speaker 2: toad time, that is time to gather outside after dinner. 5 00:00:31,440 --> 00:00:34,120 Speaker 2: This spring, my family set the norm of at least 6 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:38,240 Speaker 2: trying to go outside most nights after dinner. My little 7 00:00:38,240 --> 00:00:40,879 Speaker 2: boys in particular, that's my three year old and eight 8 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:44,600 Speaker 2: year old love playing in the yard until it gets dark. 9 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:48,920 Speaker 2: It's a good way to pass the time before bedtime. 10 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:55,800 Speaker 2: When I started talking about time outside after dinner, my 11 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:59,240 Speaker 2: eleven year old daughter gave this routine a delightful name, 12 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 2: toad time, because that's what you get with the first 13 00:01:04,240 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 2: letters of each word. After thinking about it for a 14 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:11,520 Speaker 2: while and realizing that we are repeating the word time 15 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 2: in this acronym, I think we might modify it to 16 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 2: together outside after dinner, because honestly, being out there with 17 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:26,040 Speaker 2: others is part of the appeal. Whatever your household configuration, 18 00:01:26,959 --> 00:01:32,119 Speaker 2: you might enjoy toad time too. We have all heard 19 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:37,360 Speaker 2: that being outside boosts our moods. Beyond that, I find 20 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:40,920 Speaker 2: that being outside to gather foster's connection. 21 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:45,880 Speaker 3: My kids really play with each other outside when they 22 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 3: are climbing trees, or sliding down the slide on our 23 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:53,160 Speaker 3: place set, or creating a restaurant kitchen in a log pile. 24 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:57,680 Speaker 3: When folks stay inside, they tend to head to their 25 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:01,720 Speaker 3: own rooms and do their own thing. Many times that 26 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 3: involves being on devices, But being outside creates occasions to 27 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:12,680 Speaker 3: have fun or relax together. If your household looks different 28 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:17,440 Speaker 3: than ours, your toaed time may look different too. If 29 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:20,919 Speaker 3: you have teenagers, maybe you'd like to play cards or 30 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 3: jinga or pictionary on your porch. If it's you and 31 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 3: a partner or roommates, maybe you want to have a 32 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:31,040 Speaker 3: glass of wine or a cup of tea and chat. 33 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:35,720 Speaker 3: If you have an elderly relative in your household, you 34 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:39,160 Speaker 3: could invite her to share family memories while sitting outside. 35 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 3: It can even be nice to each curl up with 36 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 3: a good book and enjoy the fresh air and each 37 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:52,160 Speaker 3: other's presence in silence. Or you can go somewhere if 38 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 3: you want, take a walk in your neighborhood, or bike 39 00:02:56,280 --> 00:03:00,639 Speaker 3: to a nearby park or ice cream shop. Visit your 40 00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:05,639 Speaker 3: neighbors because maybe they are having toad time too. One 41 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 3: of the benefits of summer is that the light lasts longer, 42 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:14,880 Speaker 3: so you get extra opportunities for adventure or leisure that 43 00:03:14,919 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 3: are hard to pull off during the winter when you 44 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:22,400 Speaker 3: are in school or at work. It doesn't have to 45 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:26,040 Speaker 3: be hard to enjoy toad time. All you have to 46 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:29,079 Speaker 3: do is put on your shoes and maybe some bugspray, 47 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 3: set aside your devices and chores for a little while, 48 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 3: and go outside. Let the toad time unfold from there. 49 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:44,160 Speaker 3: If your household tries toad time, I'd love to hear 50 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 3: how it goes. You can reach me at Laura at 51 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:54,960 Speaker 3: Laura vandercam dot com. In the meantime, this is Laura. 52 00:03:55,520 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 3: Thanks for listening, and here's to making the most of 53 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 3: our text. 54 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:09,880 Speaker 1: Hey everybody, I'd love to hear from you. You can 55 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 1: send me your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just 56 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:17,320 Speaker 1: connect with me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Before 57 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 1: Breakfast Pod that's b E the number four then Breakfast Pod. 58 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:27,040 Speaker 1: You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast 59 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:29,440 Speaker 1: Podcasts at iHeartMedia dot com. 60 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:32,000 Speaker 3: That Before Breakfast is spelled out with all the letters. 61 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:34,680 Speaker 1: Thanks so much, should I look forward to staying in touch. 62 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:44,560 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts, 63 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 1: from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever 64 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:55,560 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.