1 00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 1: Hi. I'm Laura vander Kamp. I'm a mother of five, 2 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:14,440 Speaker 1: an author, journalist, and speaker. 3 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:19,120 Speaker 2: And I'm Sarah hart Hunger, a mother of three, practicing physician, writer, 4 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:22,280 Speaker 2: and course creator. We are two working parents who love 5 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:24,000 Speaker 2: our careers and our families. 6 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:27,360 Speaker 1: Welcome to best of both worlds. Here we talk about 7 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:30,360 Speaker 1: how real women manage work, family, and time for fun. 8 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:34,200 Speaker 1: From figuring out childcare to mapping out long term career goals. 9 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:39,320 Speaker 1: We want you to get the most out of life. 10 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:44,000 Speaker 1: Welcome to best of both worlds. This is Laura. This 11 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:47,280 Speaker 1: episode is airing in late February of twenty twenty six. 12 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:50,479 Speaker 1: I am going to be interviewing Andrea Canning, who is 13 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:55,320 Speaker 1: with Dateline Journalists. There lots of fun stories talking with her. 14 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:57,720 Speaker 1: But if I sound a little bit different, that's because 15 00:00:57,760 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 1: Sarah and I are sitting out in my office since 16 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 1: of in my recording closet, we are here on my 17 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 1: sofa together in Philadelphia. Sarah, how are you doing. I 18 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:07,080 Speaker 1: am good. 19 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:09,080 Speaker 2: I am very happy to be back. 20 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, for those who are paying attention, Sarah just 21 00:01:12,040 --> 00:01:14,120 Speaker 1: actually took a very quick trip to this part of 22 00:01:14,160 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 1: the world about what two weeks ago. 23 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:19,120 Speaker 2: Yes, so I had already planned this trip and then 24 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:21,399 Speaker 2: realized that I really wanted to make it here for 25 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:23,880 Speaker 2: my niece's sixth birthday party, as I've missed a lot 26 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:27,959 Speaker 2: of her birthdays, and so at first I went through 27 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:30,240 Speaker 2: sort of a thought process like, well, I can't go twice, 28 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 2: And then I realized that the tickets were actually quite 29 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:35,400 Speaker 2: inexpensive and that it is in fact possible to go 30 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:38,120 Speaker 2: to Philadelphia for one night and still kind of spend 31 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 2: pretty much the whole weekend there. So I actually went twice. 32 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:43,319 Speaker 2: The first time, I did not get to hant with Laura, 33 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 2: but this time I have lots more time. So we 34 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:50,800 Speaker 2: are having a podcast recording party and yeah, yeah, fun. 35 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 1: It'll be lots of fun. So yeah, I mean with travel, 36 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 1: but you could do like duration, like stay somewhere for 37 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:57,840 Speaker 1: a long time. You can also do frequency, you know, 38 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 1: and just have shorter durations. I guess you can be 39 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 1: on either team your team frequency. 40 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 2: Now, I think for family visits on very team frequency 41 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 2: because I don't know, I just feel like it adds 42 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:11,080 Speaker 2: to the closest to be there for like specific occasions, 43 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:14,520 Speaker 2: maybe a specific holiday or birthday, And there is something 44 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:16,520 Speaker 2: about just feeling like, oh, I just saw you a 45 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:17,800 Speaker 2: couple months ago or I mean a. 46 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:18,920 Speaker 1: Couple weeks couple of weeks ago. 47 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 2: Now that just like helps you feel like you're still 48 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:26,240 Speaker 2: physically part of their lives or something. So yeah, I'm 49 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:27,040 Speaker 2: team frequency. 50 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:30,440 Speaker 1: Okay, any tips for like really short trips. 51 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I definitely think the biggest thing you 52 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:34,639 Speaker 2: have to do is you have to think about the 53 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:35,200 Speaker 2: risk of the. 54 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:36,600 Speaker 1: Trip getting totally obliterated. 55 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:40,440 Speaker 2: Because Laura, you had a international trip get totally obliterated 56 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 2: once due to flight quirks. That wouldn't been an issue 57 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 2: if it was a two week trip, though since it 58 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:47,800 Speaker 2: was so short, it was a problem. So I definitely 59 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:50,280 Speaker 2: think for a super short trip you kind of need 60 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 2: to fly direct. Otherwise there's just too much of a 61 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:56,360 Speaker 2: chance of something going wrong. And for me, you have 62 00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:58,120 Speaker 2: to really think about, Okay, just makes sense to go 63 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:00,040 Speaker 2: late at night, Like if you're trying to not to 64 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:01,800 Speaker 2: get day off of work, as I was last time, 65 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:04,959 Speaker 2: I could have gone late on Friday night or very 66 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 2: early on Saturday morning. For me, I tend to choose 67 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 2: the early morning option because getting up at like three 68 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:13,519 Speaker 2: in the morning is for me less objectionable than maybe 69 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:17,440 Speaker 2: staying up until midnight. Plus, if you're staying with relatives, 70 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:19,840 Speaker 2: I didn't necessarily want to be knocking on their door 71 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:22,600 Speaker 2: late at night. In this way, I'm only annoying myself. 72 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 2: So yeah, you have to think about those things. And 73 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:28,239 Speaker 2: then I definitely think it's good to have one specific 74 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:30,079 Speaker 2: purpose if you're going for a very short. 75 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:30,480 Speaker 1: Amount of time. 76 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 2: Like celebrating my niece's birthday, everything was centering around that. 77 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 2: We even made the cake. 78 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 1: Yay, yay. Yeah. I have a trip coming up in 79 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 1: a few weeks where we're going for just one night too, 80 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 1: to celebrate somebody's birthday. Yeah, same thing. You leave Saturday morning, 81 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 1: come home Sunday afternoon. You know you still have some 82 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 1: time to do the weekend stuff. I'll probably get my 83 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 1: laundry done on Sunday night, like I often do. But 84 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 1: you know, it could be nice to have a little 85 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:59,520 Speaker 1: adventure like that. So this interview has nothing to do 86 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 1: with that. When we're talking with Andrea about her journalism career, 87 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 1: she's also a mom of six, so definitely the whole 88 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:11,640 Speaker 1: best of both worlds type. She talks about how she 89 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 1: manages her life, how she built her career, in some 90 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 1: of her favorite sort of true crime journalism that she does. 91 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:22,440 Speaker 1: So very exciting to hear from her. So Sarah and 92 00:04:22,520 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 1: I are delighted to welcome Andrea Canning to best of 93 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:26,840 Speaker 1: both worlds. Andrea, welcome to the show. 94 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:28,680 Speaker 3: Hi, thank you for having me. 95 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:31,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, so excited to have you. Why don't you tell 96 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 1: our listeners a little bit about yourself. 97 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:37,120 Speaker 3: So I am a mom of six, five girls and 98 00:04:37,279 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 3: a boy who is our little friends, you know, came 99 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:44,400 Speaker 3: along kind of hail Mary at the very end, so 100 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:47,800 Speaker 3: he has five little mommies also taking care of him. 101 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 3: I'm also a correspondent syndication host for Dateline NBC, and 102 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:56,760 Speaker 3: I'm a screenwriter. I write movies for Hallmark Channel and 103 00:04:56,800 --> 00:04:59,040 Speaker 3: also for Lifetime Awesome. 104 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 1: Well, a lot of different things going on. How did 105 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:02,880 Speaker 1: you wind up in this career? 106 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 3: Well? I was really interested in advertising and kind of 107 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:09,960 Speaker 3: was one of those people took psychology, didn't know what 108 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:13,839 Speaker 3: to do, ended up shadowing and advertising agency, and was 109 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 3: exposed to a TV shoot and thought, oh, TV sounds 110 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:20,600 Speaker 3: like kind of fun. Ended up going to college for 111 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 3: radio and television, and then that led me to broadcasting 112 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:30,039 Speaker 3: and news and you know, just kind of the windy road. Yeah. 113 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 1: Did you start out somewhere smaller, work your way up. 114 00:05:33,839 --> 00:05:34,239 Speaker 1: I did. 115 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 3: I was working, and so I was in LA I 116 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 3: did an internship for Baywatch. They hired me, and then 117 00:05:40,839 --> 00:05:44,800 Speaker 3: from there I went to Extra the TV show traded 118 00:05:45,839 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 3: getting my real made for babysitting from one of the editors. 119 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 3: So I put a newsreel together and I sent that 120 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:58,440 Speaker 3: out to I think fifty markets. I got two calls. 121 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 3: I think one of them told me that I didn't 122 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:04,919 Speaker 3: have enough experience in Nebraska, and then the other one 123 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:09,880 Speaker 3: was from Mississippi. And I did just a phone interview, 124 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:13,039 Speaker 3: a ten minute phone interview. They gave me a quiz. 125 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:15,279 Speaker 3: They said if you go under ten out of twenty, 126 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:17,640 Speaker 3: then you don't get the job. And I was like, wow, okay, 127 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:19,839 Speaker 3: like this is back in the nineties, all right, like 128 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:23,640 Speaker 3: a different world today. I think I barely passed their 129 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:26,120 Speaker 3: test of events of. 130 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:27,920 Speaker 1: What wow, curd events, Okay. 131 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:30,880 Speaker 3: Current events, And they were asking me like questions about 132 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 3: politics that I have to say I was not following 133 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:37,240 Speaker 3: at the time, at that age early twenties, was not 134 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 3: interested in politics. But I did pass, thankfully, and next 135 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:43,280 Speaker 3: thing I knew, I was packing up my car and 136 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:47,240 Speaker 3: driving to Greenville, Mississippi from La So started as the 137 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 3: morning anchor there at WXVT, and so I would produce 138 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:55,520 Speaker 3: the morning show and then I would have to go 139 00:06:55,560 --> 00:06:57,400 Speaker 3: out and shoot my own story for the day that 140 00:06:57,440 --> 00:06:59,880 Speaker 3: would air later on the news. I basically never slept. 141 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, so its a long and windy path. Eventually, eventually, 142 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:06,720 Speaker 1: how did you get your break at Dateline? 143 00:07:07,120 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 3: Dateline came so I was working at ABC and I 144 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:14,040 Speaker 3: was doing mostly Good Morning America. I did the Charlie 145 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:19,040 Speaker 3: Sheen interview, which gave me, you know, some got some eyeballs, 146 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:23,280 Speaker 3: and then yeah, so then NBC was interested in. They 147 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 3: said we have an opening at Dateline and I said, wow, 148 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:28,560 Speaker 3: that really sounds like it's right up my alley. And 149 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:31,040 Speaker 3: I told them I remember telling them the first time 150 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 3: I met our executive producers, I said, you don't really 151 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:36,040 Speaker 3: know me that well, but I'll tell you this is 152 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:38,360 Speaker 3: the perfect job for me, and none of us are 153 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:39,320 Speaker 3: going to be disappointed. 154 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:41,880 Speaker 1: That's a convincing argument. 155 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:45,800 Speaker 3: Tenteen years later, you know, I was very I had 156 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 3: my strong convictions on that one. 157 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:49,800 Speaker 1: So, well, what is it about it that makes it 158 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:51,680 Speaker 1: such a good match for you? I mean, you cover 159 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:54,440 Speaker 1: all sorts of different fascinating stories. What are the ones 160 00:07:54,480 --> 00:07:56,040 Speaker 1: that get you most excited? 161 00:07:56,920 --> 00:07:59,120 Speaker 3: I mean, I find it just all It kind of 162 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:02,280 Speaker 3: goes back really to that psychology degree when I didn't 163 00:08:02,280 --> 00:08:04,160 Speaker 3: know what I wanted to do. I'm just very interested 164 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 3: in people and their stories and also just like the 165 00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:10,800 Speaker 3: both weird things people do and the bad things people 166 00:08:10,840 --> 00:08:13,440 Speaker 3: do and the good things people do. I mean, you 167 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:17,960 Speaker 3: get such a wide range at dateline of just all 168 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 3: of it. Right, you see the best in people and 169 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:23,720 Speaker 3: what they do in the worst circumstances, and then you 170 00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:25,640 Speaker 3: see the worst of people in prison, you know, you 171 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 3: interview killers, and then you see all the dedication from 172 00:08:30,640 --> 00:08:34,200 Speaker 3: detectives and prosecutors, and also families who don't give up 173 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:37,080 Speaker 3: on cases, who say, you know what, we're gonna make 174 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 3: somebody solve this, Like if they're not going to pay 175 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 3: attention to us, we're going to make them. And you 176 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:45,040 Speaker 3: have all these families kind of turning into like an 177 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:47,920 Speaker 3: army of sort of like armchair detectives. And sometimes you 178 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:50,560 Speaker 3: have like regular folks who like not families, but like 179 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 3: citizens who want to help solve things. And now it's 180 00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:58,239 Speaker 3: like a new world, right with social media and technology 181 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:01,160 Speaker 3: and the interest in true crime. It's never a dull 182 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:04,600 Speaker 3: moment at dateline and the stories are all interesting. 183 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:07,960 Speaker 1: Well, what's one we've worked on recently that really caught 184 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:08,440 Speaker 1: your attention? 185 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:12,280 Speaker 3: Oh, well, I just had one on Friday night, Secrets 186 00:09:12,280 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 3: in the Ashes, which is there to watch on peacock 187 00:09:16,040 --> 00:09:19,840 Speaker 3: or you can stream it. One was interesting. It was 188 00:09:19,880 --> 00:09:23,760 Speaker 3: two cases. One was in Texas, one was in Illinois, 189 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:26,400 Speaker 3: one was a long time ago. On their own, they 190 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:29,840 Speaker 3: wouldn't have become a two hour date line, but together 191 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:32,000 Speaker 3: they made a two hour dateline because there was one 192 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:34,880 Speaker 3: common denominator. There was a woman at the center of it, 193 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:36,880 Speaker 3: a mom of three girls. 194 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:38,400 Speaker 1: She was never. 195 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 3: Charged with anything in Texas. It was a homicide arson, 196 00:09:42,559 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 3: but there was speculation that she might have had something 197 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 3: to do with it. She denies that, but there's a 198 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:50,400 Speaker 3: lot of people who think she was involved in killing 199 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:53,120 Speaker 3: this woman in Texas so she could be with her husband. 200 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:57,560 Speaker 3: Then fast forward, she's in Illinois, she's running for US Senate. 201 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:02,600 Speaker 3: She opens a bake and then she reaches out to 202 00:10:02,679 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 3: an old flame from high school in Texas and says 203 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:07,920 Speaker 3: she wants to kill her husband. She wants to hire 204 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 3: somebody to do it. And so that was like it 205 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:13,480 Speaker 3: was just weird. The whole thing was weird. And then 206 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:16,760 Speaker 3: what turned it on its head was that the target, 207 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:21,079 Speaker 3: which was her husband, is fully standing by her and 208 00:10:21,120 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 3: she's saying, I love him. I was manipulated and they're 209 00:10:25,840 --> 00:10:28,120 Speaker 3: like still together as of there's a lot. 210 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:29,760 Speaker 1: Of psychology involved in that. 211 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:32,360 Speaker 3: Like I said to her, I said, because we interviewed 212 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:34,320 Speaker 3: the husband, and I said, he says, he's like, you're 213 00:10:34,520 --> 00:10:36,960 Speaker 3: you're his ride or die and you guys are together forever. 214 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:41,920 Speaker 3: She's like, oh my baby, and I'm like, oh my gosh, 215 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:44,120 Speaker 3: it is it is a story. And then like at 216 00:10:44,120 --> 00:10:46,480 Speaker 3: the very end of the show, the house fire that 217 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:51,280 Speaker 3: the husband in Texas was charged and convicted of the 218 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 3: house fire. We don't know if this woman Allison was 219 00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:56,840 Speaker 3: involved or not. 220 00:10:56,960 --> 00:10:57,800 Speaker 1: She says she wasn't. 221 00:10:57,840 --> 00:11:00,720 Speaker 3: But now, but I interviewed him in prison and he's 222 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:03,360 Speaker 3: blaming his six year old son who was trapped in 223 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:06,200 Speaker 3: the house. That's what he wanted to get off his chest. 224 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:09,079 Speaker 3: My son told me he started the fire. I said, wow, 225 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:11,600 Speaker 3: you're just a piece of you know what. 226 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:15,640 Speaker 1: Yeah. So there's so many different psychological angles there. 227 00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:18,480 Speaker 3: Oh man. There was a lot to unpack in this episode. 228 00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:21,400 Speaker 3: And then There's one moment where I was kind of 229 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:23,800 Speaker 3: wanted to get her how she would feel about like 230 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:27,560 Speaker 3: some accusations about her bakery and because they were saying 231 00:11:27,559 --> 00:11:30,120 Speaker 3: that like she was selling frozen goods, which she denied, 232 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:33,480 Speaker 3: and she said, we had killer cookies and killer brownies, 233 00:11:33,520 --> 00:11:36,480 Speaker 3: and like, all of a sudden, the editor half is 234 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:38,839 Speaker 3: good editor hat is like whoo, all of a sudden, 235 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:41,200 Speaker 3: I kind of had the smile on my face and 236 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:45,200 Speaker 3: I was like, interesting choice, and it hit her and 237 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:47,880 Speaker 3: she was like, oh, wait a second, don't take this 238 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:50,320 Speaker 3: out of context. And I'm like, well, given why we're 239 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:52,400 Speaker 3: here in prison, you know. 240 00:11:52,920 --> 00:11:55,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, So that was kind of funny. And I have 241 00:11:55,480 --> 00:11:59,160 Speaker 1: to imagine that these experiences help inform how you write 242 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:03,480 Speaker 1: scripts for places like Lifetime, Homemark, all those guesses you've 243 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:03,880 Speaker 1: written for. 244 00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:09,200 Speaker 3: Definitely, I mean there's so much personal experience and work 245 00:12:09,240 --> 00:12:11,800 Speaker 3: experience whatever you want to call it, that I can 246 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:17,360 Speaker 3: draw on from clues to human emotion, how families deal 247 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:21,120 Speaker 3: with things like all of it. Yeah, it's definitely there. 248 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:24,600 Speaker 3: And we deal with a lot of relationships too at Dateline. 249 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:29,880 Speaker 3: They're just on the opposite spectrum of Hallmark relationships. A 250 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:32,800 Speaker 3: homework as a place where you can have happiness and 251 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:37,600 Speaker 3: real love stories. Now, I mean Friday Show was a 252 00:12:37,800 --> 00:12:39,600 Speaker 3: love story, just a very. 253 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:44,040 Speaker 1: Twisted one, twisted in many ways. Yes, but this is great. 254 00:12:44,200 --> 00:12:45,679 Speaker 1: We're going to take a quick ad break and then 255 00:12:45,679 --> 00:13:00,600 Speaker 1: I'll be back with more from Andreaette Canning. Well, I 256 00:13:00,679 --> 00:13:03,920 Speaker 1: am back talking with Andrea Canning, who's a correspondent for Dateline, 257 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:07,440 Speaker 1: has had a long history in television journalism. But you 258 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:10,840 Speaker 1: are also, as you said earlier, the mom of six, 259 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:14,520 Speaker 1: which I'm sure is its own special circus aside from 260 00:13:14,520 --> 00:13:17,240 Speaker 1: the ones you are covering with Dateline. So tell us 261 00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:18,679 Speaker 1: a little bit about your family. How old are your 262 00:13:18,720 --> 00:13:19,120 Speaker 1: kids now? 263 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:23,240 Speaker 3: My oldest is sixteen, and then we have fifteen, and 264 00:13:23,280 --> 00:13:25,560 Speaker 3: then thirteen, eleven, ten and six. 265 00:13:25,880 --> 00:13:27,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, so said the one at the end really is 266 00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:31,120 Speaker 1: the baby? Then, yeah, the little prince for all of it. 267 00:13:30,920 --> 00:13:33,800 Speaker 1: So our listeners always want to know about logistics. I 268 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:35,480 Speaker 1: always say, you have a big career, you have a 269 00:13:35,520 --> 00:13:38,120 Speaker 1: big family. What does your current support system look like? 270 00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:42,040 Speaker 3: I have a nanny, Denisa. She's full time Monday to Friday. 271 00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:44,080 Speaker 3: She doesn't live with us, but she comes in during 272 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:46,800 Speaker 3: the day and then my husband only works five minutes away, 273 00:13:47,240 --> 00:13:50,400 Speaker 3: so he's always available, he's around if needed, and then 274 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:53,080 Speaker 3: of course he's home at night, and he doesn't travel 275 00:13:53,120 --> 00:13:56,160 Speaker 3: too much for work, so he's a big help. He's 276 00:13:56,160 --> 00:13:57,679 Speaker 3: like super dad. Yeah, he's great. 277 00:13:57,960 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's probably been a big help for you need 278 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:03,160 Speaker 1: to travel then for work, right, Yeah. 279 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:04,040 Speaker 3: And you know it's hard when you're on the road 280 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:06,439 Speaker 3: and you're doing long interviews and you're getting text messages 281 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:09,600 Speaker 3: like what time's the playdate this afternoon? And can I 282 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:14,240 Speaker 3: go do this sleepover? And what time is my squash practice? 283 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:17,360 Speaker 3: And I'm like, oh my gosh. Sometimes I just have 284 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:19,200 Speaker 3: to like shut it off and be like I can't 285 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:20,880 Speaker 3: right now, like you guys have to figure it out, 286 00:14:20,920 --> 00:14:23,800 Speaker 3: And then sometimes I do respond and try to help them. 287 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:25,560 Speaker 3: It kind of depends on where I'm at in the day, 288 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:29,320 Speaker 3: but it definitely is challenging. I try to set things 289 00:14:29,400 --> 00:14:32,080 Speaker 3: up as much as I can before I leave. And 290 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:34,320 Speaker 3: also my nanny can you know she's been with us 291 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:37,320 Speaker 3: for such a long time that she's a good person 292 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:41,200 Speaker 3: to fall back on for decisions because she knows the 293 00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:45,600 Speaker 3: deal at this point. So does it get frustrating at times? Absolutely? 294 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:48,400 Speaker 3: Does it get like where your head's going to explode? Absolutely, 295 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:51,120 Speaker 3: but we try to keep everything in check and just 296 00:14:51,160 --> 00:14:54,720 Speaker 3: sort of roll with it. And they're used to it 297 00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:56,880 Speaker 3: right from the time they were born. I was in 298 00:14:57,160 --> 00:15:01,040 Speaker 3: a job that had a lot of travel and was 299 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:03,520 Speaker 3: demanding and so and I always say to them too, 300 00:15:04,360 --> 00:15:06,280 Speaker 3: when they complain or whatever, I say, well, do you 301 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:08,160 Speaker 3: want me to quit my job? And it's always a 302 00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:11,200 Speaker 3: resounding no. So okay, then you don't want me to 303 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:12,880 Speaker 3: quit my job. So then we all have to work 304 00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:13,760 Speaker 3: together and live with it. 305 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:15,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, we have to figure it out. Well, how do 306 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:17,640 Speaker 1: you figure out the logistics? I mean clear is what 307 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:21,320 Speaker 1: your planning process looks like for how the family circus 308 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:22,040 Speaker 1: is run? 309 00:15:22,480 --> 00:15:24,680 Speaker 3: Well, it helps me to like I have one of 310 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:29,000 Speaker 3: those old fashioned big calendars on the desk in our kitchen. 311 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:33,320 Speaker 3: My husband lives by his phone and he's constantly like 312 00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:37,680 Speaker 3: texting me all these times and dates for things, and honestly, 313 00:15:37,840 --> 00:15:40,280 Speaker 3: I just delete them. I can't, like there's too many. 314 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:44,320 Speaker 3: I just I can't. So that's great for him, that 315 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:48,000 Speaker 3: keeps him in check. For me, it's that big calendar 316 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 3: in the kitchen and then just my little list in 317 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:53,880 Speaker 3: my phone of like here's what we have to do 318 00:15:53,960 --> 00:15:57,080 Speaker 3: and before I leave I'll do like a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, 319 00:15:57,080 --> 00:15:58,800 Speaker 3: and I'll just write out on a piece of paper, 320 00:15:58,920 --> 00:16:01,680 Speaker 3: put it on the kitchen, count are here's who has 321 00:16:01,720 --> 00:16:03,400 Speaker 3: this and this and this and then some things are 322 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:06,320 Speaker 3: standing dates that I don't need to a tutor session 323 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:09,240 Speaker 3: or something where like they know it's like every single 324 00:16:09,320 --> 00:16:12,560 Speaker 3: week that it's ingrained in our all of our brains. 325 00:16:13,480 --> 00:16:17,040 Speaker 3: So that helps too. But I just am a visual person. 326 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:19,400 Speaker 3: I like to see it every day when I go 327 00:16:19,440 --> 00:16:21,160 Speaker 3: down to that kitchen, I'm like, Okay, we got this, 328 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:24,080 Speaker 3: we got this, birthday party, we got so for me, 329 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:26,560 Speaker 3: that's the easiest way to do it, and I think 330 00:16:26,560 --> 00:16:30,760 Speaker 3: two for kids, having that visual as well helps. 331 00:16:30,920 --> 00:16:33,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, well just certainly, I mean so they know what's 332 00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:36,440 Speaker 1: going on as well. Yeah, did the system evolve over time? 333 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:39,200 Speaker 1: Is there any moments that were like chaotic that you 334 00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:41,360 Speaker 1: had to figure things out? Oh? 335 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:44,920 Speaker 3: I think we've had enough chaos to last a lifetime. 336 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:47,840 Speaker 3: We could probably feel enough chaos for five families at 337 00:16:47,880 --> 00:16:51,040 Speaker 3: this point. You know, there's always that chaos, and I 338 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:54,440 Speaker 3: think we all need to just give ourselves a break. 339 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:58,640 Speaker 3: That other families are going through this too. It's just 340 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:01,840 Speaker 3: not easy, right, and you know, It's funny because I 341 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:05,280 Speaker 3: remember one day one of my kids got me so mad, 342 00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:07,600 Speaker 3: like I was just like, ah, it was because you 343 00:17:07,680 --> 00:17:11,200 Speaker 3: know teenagers and tweens, they can talk back or whatever. 344 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:13,680 Speaker 3: And I think this was maybe dating back a little further, 345 00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:16,560 Speaker 3: but we had those Bermuda shutters. I was just like 346 00:17:16,640 --> 00:17:18,200 Speaker 3: hitting the shutter, you know what I mean. I was 347 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:20,800 Speaker 3: like putting the shutters down like that was my And 348 00:17:20,840 --> 00:17:22,840 Speaker 3: then I went out to dinner that night and I 349 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:25,040 Speaker 3: told my friend and she goes, oh my gosh. Earlier today, 350 00:17:25,080 --> 00:17:27,080 Speaker 3: I was trying to get one of my kids to 351 00:17:27,119 --> 00:17:30,280 Speaker 3: a tennis practice and I was banging the tennis. 352 00:17:30,080 --> 00:17:33,760 Speaker 4: Racket on the bed, like okay, So I'm not alone 353 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:36,960 Speaker 4: that we all get frustrated or yell from time to 354 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:39,879 Speaker 4: time because you think that like no one else is 355 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:41,680 Speaker 4: doing that, right, You think I'm the only one. 356 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 3: But you're not. 357 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:47,440 Speaker 1: You're not, oh, not by any means. Yeah. So, Andrew, 358 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:50,119 Speaker 1: I'm curious do you have any sort of like large 359 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:53,439 Speaker 1: family logistics kind of things that I know some people have, 360 00:17:53,480 --> 00:17:55,600 Speaker 1: like crazy laundry strategies. I mean, my family, I have 361 00:17:55,640 --> 00:17:58,280 Speaker 1: five kids. Monday is always pasted tonight because that way 362 00:17:58,280 --> 00:17:59,639 Speaker 1: nobody has to ever think about it. 363 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:01,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, we have a rule. 364 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:03,800 Speaker 1: That like in our house, you get a phone when 365 00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:06,600 Speaker 1: you are eleven. Yeah, you make your own lunch after 366 00:18:06,680 --> 00:18:11,359 Speaker 1: age eight. Oh, it is okay, we're a family rules. Yeah. 367 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:14,439 Speaker 3: Well, let's see. Fridays are always we try to go 368 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:18,040 Speaker 3: to like the local pizza place together. That's always fun 369 00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:20,480 Speaker 3: if we can. It's now that they're getting. 370 00:18:20,240 --> 00:18:23,720 Speaker 1: Older, table for eight, Yeah, it's getting more challenging. Now. 371 00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:26,879 Speaker 3: We also have like our mandatory vacations where we go. 372 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:30,280 Speaker 3: I'm from Canada, so we go once a weekend the summer, 373 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:35,320 Speaker 3: once a week for Christmas, all kids, mandatory unless something 374 00:18:35,720 --> 00:18:39,320 Speaker 3: like sometimes really cool things pop up, like one of 375 00:18:39,320 --> 00:18:41,280 Speaker 3: my daughters got invited to go to Italy to the 376 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:42,600 Speaker 3: Olympics with a friend. 377 00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:44,960 Speaker 1: I'm like, okay, yeah, yeah, you see that one. 378 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:49,560 Speaker 3: And then we do Florida because my husband's family has 379 00:18:49,560 --> 00:18:52,080 Speaker 3: a place there. And so when you have big families 380 00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:55,480 Speaker 3: and things are expensive with flights and we don't do 381 00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:59,480 Speaker 3: fancy vacations, we go to Canada and Florida and that's 382 00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:01,800 Speaker 3: just the way. It's like we're lucky, trust me. We're like, 383 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:03,560 Speaker 3: we have two great places to go, but we're not 384 00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:07,040 Speaker 3: the family traveling the world. That's not happening. We went 385 00:19:07,080 --> 00:19:10,560 Speaker 3: on our first big international trip for a friend's birthday 386 00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:12,439 Speaker 3: in June. We went to London in Paris and that 387 00:19:12,520 --> 00:19:15,120 Speaker 3: was like the first time the kids had really gone 388 00:19:15,160 --> 00:19:16,240 Speaker 3: on a big trip. 389 00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:18,920 Speaker 1: So yeah, it was fun. Yeah, well still like having 390 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:21,800 Speaker 1: the eight passports that you are then juggling. 391 00:19:22,560 --> 00:19:29,280 Speaker 3: Yes, I mean it's challenging with eight to get tables, reservations, 392 00:19:29,359 --> 00:19:31,240 Speaker 3: to get into restaurants. 393 00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:33,680 Speaker 1: To hotels. What do you do with hotels? 394 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:36,880 Speaker 3: We get to hotel rooms. We split it up four 395 00:19:36,920 --> 00:19:39,760 Speaker 3: and for and then just packing the car to go 396 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:42,920 Speaker 3: to Canada because we drive, Yeah, and that's like a 397 00:19:42,960 --> 00:19:47,399 Speaker 3: whole thing in itself. And then we finally my dad 398 00:19:47,480 --> 00:19:49,040 Speaker 3: was like, why don't you get one of those toolly 399 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:50,680 Speaker 3: things you know you can put on the top. We'd 400 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:52,879 Speaker 3: never really thought about it, and we're like, yeah, what 401 00:19:52,920 --> 00:19:54,480 Speaker 3: are we doing because we bring the cat and the 402 00:19:54,560 --> 00:19:57,720 Speaker 3: dog and in the winter especially, there's just no room 403 00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:02,639 Speaker 3: and we're all like like shoulder to shoulder, like presence 404 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:05,040 Speaker 3: and like and then so what did I do? So 405 00:20:05,119 --> 00:20:07,159 Speaker 3: we had the tooley for all of I don't know, 406 00:20:07,359 --> 00:20:09,800 Speaker 3: three weeks or something. We get back and my daughter's 407 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:12,760 Speaker 3: bugging me that this bracelet I bought her for Christmas 408 00:20:12,760 --> 00:20:15,720 Speaker 3: didn't fit, and she's like, can we go to the mall? 409 00:20:15,760 --> 00:20:17,600 Speaker 3: This is we got back Saturday night. The next day. 410 00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:20,040 Speaker 3: I was like, okay, fine, Like the last thing I 411 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:21,919 Speaker 3: really wanted to do after Christmas break was go to 412 00:20:21,960 --> 00:20:23,720 Speaker 3: the mall. But I knew it was important to her. 413 00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:26,240 Speaker 3: We get to the mall, I go into the entrance 414 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:29,439 Speaker 3: of the mall and we hear a loud crash. The 415 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:33,000 Speaker 3: tooley is on top of the car still Oh no, yes. 416 00:20:34,800 --> 00:20:39,760 Speaker 3: Now I'm trapped in the entrance to the mall completely 417 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:41,919 Speaker 3: freaking out, and I didn't know what to do. And 418 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:44,760 Speaker 3: I was like, oh my gosh, there's pipes. It's so low. Right, 419 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:46,960 Speaker 3: we've already hit the sign. Now we've like hit something else. 420 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:49,080 Speaker 3: And I'm like, what are these pipes? Like break open? 421 00:20:49,119 --> 00:20:52,200 Speaker 3: I don't know what's in there. And so this man 422 00:20:52,359 --> 00:20:54,480 Speaker 3: helped like guide us out. We just had to hear 423 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:57,439 Speaker 3: the crunch like it was just twice, and I was like, 424 00:20:58,080 --> 00:21:00,359 Speaker 3: this is seriously, like I'm going to have a panic 425 00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:03,320 Speaker 3: attack right now. And there's all these cars waiting to 426 00:21:03,359 --> 00:21:05,600 Speaker 3: get into the mall parking lot, and so he backed 427 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:10,240 Speaker 3: us out. The Tullie was totally destroyed, but the pipes 428 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:13,360 Speaker 3: were intact. We were fine and we got home and 429 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:14,320 Speaker 3: she got her bracelet. 430 00:21:14,560 --> 00:21:15,880 Speaker 1: Went well, then everything was a win. 431 00:21:16,040 --> 00:21:19,440 Speaker 3: Hey, you know it's for my like PTSD from now 432 00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:21,760 Speaker 3: going to mall parking lots and like every time I 433 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:23,240 Speaker 3: go now I'm like, oh my god. 434 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:26,760 Speaker 1: You have an excuse to avoid it. Yeah, exactly. Well, 435 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:28,200 Speaker 1: We're going to take one more quick ad break and 436 00:21:28,240 --> 00:21:42,840 Speaker 1: then I'll be back with more from Andrea Canning. Well, 437 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:45,560 Speaker 1: I am back with Andrea Canning. We've been talking about 438 00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:49,159 Speaker 1: the chaos that occasionally ensues with large families and a 439 00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:52,800 Speaker 1: complex circus of a life. So Andrea, what do you 440 00:21:52,880 --> 00:21:55,600 Speaker 1: do for fun with all this going on? Oh? 441 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:59,080 Speaker 3: For fun, well, when I can get to a movie theater. 442 00:21:59,119 --> 00:22:02,640 Speaker 3: I still love going to the movies. We go. Obviously, 443 00:22:02,720 --> 00:22:06,639 Speaker 3: our vacations are spent swimming and going to the beach 444 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:09,080 Speaker 3: and like all of that is really fun. I love 445 00:22:09,320 --> 00:22:13,399 Speaker 3: watching TV shows that are good. That's like one of 446 00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:15,520 Speaker 3: my favorite things to do is to just finally chill 447 00:22:15,560 --> 00:22:17,800 Speaker 3: out and relax, and like, if you're into a show, 448 00:22:17,840 --> 00:22:18,440 Speaker 3: it's so great. 449 00:22:19,119 --> 00:22:20,840 Speaker 1: Do you manage to get together with friends at all? 450 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:25,000 Speaker 3: Or yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely, just go out to dinner 451 00:22:25,040 --> 00:22:29,400 Speaker 3: with friends. Yeah, anytime somebody invites me, I'm there. 452 00:22:29,680 --> 00:22:33,239 Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm an easy invite, easy invite. You're like, I'm in, 453 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:35,480 Speaker 1: I'm in. Do you have any sort of like exercise 454 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:37,159 Speaker 1: you like to do or is that not fitting in? 455 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:40,879 Speaker 3: I don't exercise enough. I will be totally honest. My 456 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:42,920 Speaker 3: dream would be to have a personal trainer that would 457 00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:45,360 Speaker 3: come to my house. Like all the time I hear 458 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:49,480 Speaker 3: they exist, they exist, but it's not happening right now. 459 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:54,520 Speaker 3: So what I try to do is I will walk 460 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:57,560 Speaker 3: to the kids' school. So we don't have buses here, 461 00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:00,080 Speaker 3: so I will walk to school when I can, and 462 00:23:00,119 --> 00:23:02,399 Speaker 3: then I'll have my nanny come and pick all of 463 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:04,359 Speaker 3: us up, me and the kid. It's like a thirty 464 00:23:04,359 --> 00:23:07,440 Speaker 3: five minute walk. So it's just a great day. When 465 00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:10,159 Speaker 3: I'm working from home, which is a lot because I 466 00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:12,360 Speaker 3: either travel or I'm working from home, then I occasionally 467 00:23:12,400 --> 00:23:14,960 Speaker 3: go into the office. But when I'm home, it's just 468 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:17,760 Speaker 3: a perfect way to get out of the house for 469 00:23:17,760 --> 00:23:20,440 Speaker 3: thirty five minutes. Like I have a destination, I get 470 00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:23,600 Speaker 3: to pick up my kids, and I get out of 471 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:28,440 Speaker 3: the house, like to get that cardiovascular exercise, so that's 472 00:23:28,480 --> 00:23:29,200 Speaker 3: kind of my go. 473 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:32,560 Speaker 1: To And with work, are there any sort of productivity 474 00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:35,160 Speaker 1: strategies that help you get things done? 475 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:36,359 Speaker 3: Lists? 476 00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:37,000 Speaker 1: Lists? 477 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:40,480 Speaker 3: I love a good list. Isn't it so rewarding when 478 00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:42,640 Speaker 3: you love list? I love checking things off my list. 479 00:23:42,680 --> 00:23:43,199 Speaker 3: That's what I mean. 480 00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:44,240 Speaker 1: That's the that's party. 481 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:47,120 Speaker 3: We just spent the whole weekend cleaning our house and 482 00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:50,040 Speaker 3: getting rid of stuff and bags and bags, and I'm like, 483 00:23:50,520 --> 00:23:52,880 Speaker 3: every time I was throwing something in the garbage bag, 484 00:23:52,920 --> 00:23:56,160 Speaker 3: it was like super rewarding, right, Like I'm the opposite 485 00:23:56,200 --> 00:23:56,600 Speaker 3: of a hoarder. 486 00:23:56,680 --> 00:23:57,520 Speaker 1: I'm like, get rid of it. 487 00:23:58,000 --> 00:23:59,679 Speaker 3: But lists are kind of the same way. You're like 488 00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:02,160 Speaker 3: crossing it off. I did it, I did it. But again, 489 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:04,520 Speaker 3: it's that visual thing, like I need to see it 490 00:24:04,560 --> 00:24:08,080 Speaker 3: because otherwise, honest to God, I forget everything, or a 491 00:24:08,119 --> 00:24:09,720 Speaker 3: lot of us. It pops into our head, like you 492 00:24:09,760 --> 00:24:11,320 Speaker 3: wake up at two in the morning and you're just like, 493 00:24:11,359 --> 00:24:14,480 Speaker 3: oh my gosh, I forgot about that dance recital tomorrow 494 00:24:14,560 --> 00:24:17,639 Speaker 3: or something. And so having that list in front of 495 00:24:17,680 --> 00:24:20,800 Speaker 3: you or in your phone is just so incredibly helpful. 496 00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:24,320 Speaker 3: But again goes back to the paper. I'm showing my 497 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:28,920 Speaker 3: age here, but you can't beat a good like journal, notebook, 498 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:29,800 Speaker 3: piece of paper. 499 00:24:30,800 --> 00:24:32,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, well, I think it's cuzy. You get to cross 500 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:34,679 Speaker 1: it off, like it's not as satisfying to do that 501 00:24:34,720 --> 00:24:36,800 Speaker 1: on an electronic thing. You delete it, it's like it's gone, 502 00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:38,800 Speaker 1: It's like it never happened, right, you know, I was 503 00:24:38,840 --> 00:24:40,200 Speaker 1: going to cross it off. It's different. 504 00:24:40,240 --> 00:24:42,480 Speaker 3: And the reminder, just the reminder, yeah, that. 505 00:24:42,440 --> 00:24:42,880 Speaker 1: It was there. 506 00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:45,080 Speaker 3: And of course one of my kids just turned on 507 00:24:45,119 --> 00:24:45,960 Speaker 3: a really loud TV. 508 00:24:46,280 --> 00:24:47,840 Speaker 1: So it's totally fine. 509 00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:50,920 Speaker 3: I turned it off, Okay not now. 510 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:54,040 Speaker 1: Yes, Well it's a snowed ay that we were recording this, 511 00:24:54,240 --> 00:24:57,639 Speaker 1: so everyone is around and same here. Hopefully they are 512 00:24:57,760 --> 00:25:01,040 Speaker 1: being quiet or the dog not barking as well. Do 513 00:25:01,080 --> 00:25:03,800 Speaker 1: you have any advice? You know, we have people listening 514 00:25:03,840 --> 00:25:06,560 Speaker 1: to this who are building their careers or hoping maybe 515 00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:09,320 Speaker 1: to have a larger family. Is there anything you sort 516 00:25:09,320 --> 00:25:11,560 Speaker 1: of wish you'd known starting out that would have been helpful. 517 00:25:12,359 --> 00:25:14,399 Speaker 1: I mean, I would say the one thing is like 518 00:25:14,440 --> 00:25:16,840 Speaker 1: people say, like, don't sweat the small stuff, and I 519 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:19,280 Speaker 1: mean that's really wonderful in hindsight, but like when you're 520 00:25:19,320 --> 00:25:20,800 Speaker 1: in it, you. 521 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:23,080 Speaker 3: Kind of just do sweat the small stuff. And I 522 00:25:23,119 --> 00:25:26,520 Speaker 3: would say to someone it's okay to sweat the small stuff. 523 00:25:27,320 --> 00:25:31,280 Speaker 3: You're in the moment. It's hard, you know, and stuff's 524 00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:35,760 Speaker 3: gonna happen. I mean I've had complete meltdowns over milk spilling. Okay, Like, 525 00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:38,520 Speaker 3: don't cry over spilt milk. Well, I've definitely cried over 526 00:25:38,560 --> 00:25:41,920 Speaker 3: spilled milk. So I would say, like, just don't put 527 00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:45,320 Speaker 3: that pressure on yourself that you're not allowed to be 528 00:25:45,480 --> 00:25:47,680 Speaker 3: human and to have these you know, you're tired and 529 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:50,399 Speaker 3: you have all these kids. I had six girls, like 530 00:25:50,440 --> 00:25:54,600 Speaker 3: in five years. I mean, you can't be crazy over 531 00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:58,280 Speaker 3: like from that. It's hard, but like it's so rewarding. 532 00:25:58,280 --> 00:25:59,960 Speaker 3: And I the one thing I tell everyone if they're 533 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:01,800 Speaker 3: on the fence about having another child, I'm like, you 534 00:26:01,840 --> 00:26:05,320 Speaker 3: do it. You will never regret it. You will always 535 00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:07,520 Speaker 3: be happy that you did. And I one the comment 536 00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:09,600 Speaker 3: I hear over and over again from moms around here 537 00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:13,600 Speaker 3: is I wish I had more kids. So that's my 538 00:26:13,640 --> 00:26:15,800 Speaker 3: advice is have the have the other kid, have the 539 00:26:15,840 --> 00:26:17,600 Speaker 3: other kid, have two three. 540 00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:19,879 Speaker 1: Yeah, Well, especially as they get older, it's fun to 541 00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:22,199 Speaker 1: have all these people around. I mean, that's my favorite 542 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:24,359 Speaker 1: part is having all these older kids around my table 543 00:26:24,400 --> 00:26:26,520 Speaker 1: and chatting with them, and it is that's why I come. 544 00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:29,439 Speaker 3: That's why I'm already scared of Like my sixteen year 545 00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:31,560 Speaker 3: old's going to be leaving soon, and I don't want 546 00:26:31,640 --> 00:26:34,640 Speaker 3: anyone to leave. And then I was counting, like when 547 00:26:34,640 --> 00:26:36,920 Speaker 3: my ten year old. I was like, wow, I barely 548 00:26:37,520 --> 00:26:39,320 Speaker 3: if you really look at the years, I don't even 549 00:26:39,400 --> 00:26:41,240 Speaker 3: have that much time left with my ten year old. 550 00:26:41,480 --> 00:26:44,920 Speaker 3: I mean, she's going to be in high school before 551 00:26:44,960 --> 00:26:47,560 Speaker 3: I know it. Like, it's just so scary. We all 552 00:26:47,600 --> 00:26:51,920 Speaker 3: know as parents, how fast this goes by. Yeah, and 553 00:26:52,280 --> 00:26:55,200 Speaker 3: the more years that go by, the faster it goes. Yes, 554 00:26:55,840 --> 00:26:58,320 Speaker 3: when they're younger, everything is a little bit on slow 555 00:26:58,400 --> 00:27:01,800 Speaker 3: motion and then it just like a runaway train. 556 00:27:02,680 --> 00:27:04,840 Speaker 1: Well maybe they'll go to school somewhere close and then 557 00:27:04,880 --> 00:27:07,959 Speaker 1: you can still be, you know, around all the time. So, Andrew, 558 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:11,119 Speaker 1: we always end with a love of the week. So 559 00:27:11,520 --> 00:27:16,880 Speaker 1: something that is helpful or exciting or fun. Now I'm 560 00:27:16,880 --> 00:27:19,280 Speaker 1: going to say kids that are old enough to shovel Snow, 561 00:27:21,040 --> 00:27:24,840 Speaker 1: this has been a nice addition to my life. And 562 00:27:25,080 --> 00:27:29,360 Speaker 1: I you know, I have a lot of boys, but anyway, they'reful, 563 00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:32,359 Speaker 1: some of them. So yeah, that was nice when we 564 00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:34,480 Speaker 1: had so much snow too, and not be the only 565 00:27:34,560 --> 00:27:36,560 Speaker 1: person me and my husband out there doing it. How 566 00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:36,919 Speaker 1: about you? 567 00:27:37,359 --> 00:27:40,840 Speaker 3: Amazing? Yeah, and we know chores are so good for kids. 568 00:27:41,920 --> 00:27:44,520 Speaker 3: I would say today, how about my thirteen year old daughter, 569 00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:47,360 Speaker 3: Kiki gets a big shout out. I came home from 570 00:27:47,359 --> 00:27:50,840 Speaker 3: picking up my other daughter and her friends from a sleepover, 571 00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:54,080 Speaker 3: and I walked in and the mud room was completely 572 00:27:54,119 --> 00:27:56,879 Speaker 3: cleaned and she just did it on her own, without 573 00:27:56,920 --> 00:27:59,840 Speaker 3: anyone asking her to do it. I was shocked and please, 574 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:02,439 Speaker 3: and I said, you get the gold star for today. 575 00:28:03,359 --> 00:28:06,320 Speaker 1: That is awesome. Like when the kids cleanliness instinct kicks 576 00:28:06,359 --> 00:28:10,320 Speaker 1: hand and they don't want to have this clutter, It's awesome. 577 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:12,800 Speaker 1: It is awesome, awesome. Well, Andrea, thank you so much 578 00:28:12,800 --> 00:28:14,400 Speaker 1: for joining us. Where can people find you? 579 00:28:15,280 --> 00:28:18,840 Speaker 3: I'm on Instagram just Andrea Canning, very easy to find. 580 00:28:19,320 --> 00:28:22,720 Speaker 1: Absolutely, Andreatte, thanks for joining us and we will be 581 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:25,800 Speaker 1: back with our Q and A in just a moment. Well, 582 00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:28,240 Speaker 1: we were back. That was fun hearing from Andrea Canning 583 00:28:28,280 --> 00:28:31,680 Speaker 1: about all things dateline and her life working and raising 584 00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:37,480 Speaker 1: six children. So today's question is what about birthday celebration 585 00:28:37,760 --> 00:28:42,000 Speaker 1: ideas for a tween that doesn't want a traditional party, 586 00:28:42,080 --> 00:28:44,960 Speaker 1: so you kind of slightly aging out of the bouncy 587 00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:48,840 Speaker 1: house era for birthday parties. What are some fun things 588 00:28:48,880 --> 00:28:51,160 Speaker 1: to do, Sara, You've had a few of these lately. Yeah, 589 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:51,840 Speaker 1: we've had a couple. 590 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:55,160 Speaker 2: I feel like my kids are just exiting the traditional 591 00:28:55,280 --> 00:28:58,880 Speaker 2: party phase. I think like a group of friends doing 592 00:28:58,920 --> 00:29:00,800 Speaker 2: some kind of outing together can just be a sub 593 00:29:00,840 --> 00:29:02,680 Speaker 2: and you're not calling it a party, but maybe you're 594 00:29:02,720 --> 00:29:05,560 Speaker 2: still celebrating the kid's birthday. One of my kids is 595 00:29:05,560 --> 00:29:08,480 Speaker 2: actually doing like a little mini beach trip, kind of 596 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:10,960 Speaker 2: a I guess extravagant birthday present in a way, but 597 00:29:11,080 --> 00:29:12,600 Speaker 2: I mean it's a family trip too, so it'll be 598 00:29:12,600 --> 00:29:15,920 Speaker 2: super fun with a couple of other families around her birthday. 599 00:29:16,160 --> 00:29:18,080 Speaker 2: You could do a day at a theme park, especially 600 00:29:18,120 --> 00:29:21,360 Speaker 2: if you happen to live relatively near them, or even 601 00:29:21,520 --> 00:29:25,000 Speaker 2: just like movies and dinner together with a couple of friends. 602 00:29:25,040 --> 00:29:27,200 Speaker 2: And again, it's like the activities can be similar, but 603 00:29:27,280 --> 00:29:28,880 Speaker 2: you're scaling it down and making it a little bit 604 00:29:28,880 --> 00:29:31,320 Speaker 2: more personal and you're not calling it a birthday party. 605 00:29:31,680 --> 00:29:35,800 Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, and I mean always the friends sleepover ideas 606 00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:38,160 Speaker 1: is something that you're probably not doing that often, and 607 00:29:38,840 --> 00:29:41,120 Speaker 1: a sleepover just means more than one person, So it 608 00:29:41,120 --> 00:29:43,400 Speaker 1: could even just be two friends and that would be fine. 609 00:29:43,440 --> 00:29:45,440 Speaker 1: Like if somebody has sort of a smaller friend group 610 00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:48,040 Speaker 1: and doesn't want to coordinate ten people and you don't 611 00:29:48,040 --> 00:29:50,320 Speaker 1: want ten people in your house. You know, having two 612 00:29:50,320 --> 00:29:52,000 Speaker 1: friends over to spend the night can still be a 613 00:29:52,040 --> 00:29:55,680 Speaker 1: birthday party, especially if you have a cake or you know, 614 00:29:55,760 --> 00:29:59,000 Speaker 1: have something festive that they enjoy eating. We've done that 615 00:29:59,040 --> 00:30:02,440 Speaker 1: with a couple of my now, so yeah they like that. Yeah, 616 00:30:02,520 --> 00:30:06,360 Speaker 1: I mean I would like that exactly, exactly. Well, this 617 00:30:06,440 --> 00:30:09,680 Speaker 1: has been best of both worlds. I was interviewing Andrea 618 00:30:09,720 --> 00:30:12,600 Speaker 1: Canning from Dateline. We will be back next week with 619 00:30:12,720 --> 00:30:15,040 Speaker 1: more on making work and life fit together. 620 00:30:17,040 --> 00:30:19,840 Speaker 2: Thanks for listening. You can find me Sarah at the 621 00:30:19,840 --> 00:30:24,200 Speaker 2: shoebox dot com or at the Underscore Shoebox on Instagram, 622 00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:25,000 Speaker 2: and you. 623 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:29,200 Speaker 5: Can find me Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. This 624 00:30:29,240 --> 00:30:32,520 Speaker 5: has been the best of both worlds podcasts. Please join 625 00:30:32,600 --> 00:30:35,400 Speaker 5: us next time for more on making work and life 626 00:30:35,440 --> 00:30:36,120 Speaker 5: work together.