1 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:09,320 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning, 2 00:00:10,640 --> 00:00:16,280 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:19,520 Speaker 1: tip is that when you are gathering with friends or 4 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:25,120 Speaker 1: extended family for an extended period of time, gather with 5 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:30,360 Speaker 1: an agenda. Even if you know everyone well, you need 6 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:35,599 Speaker 1: a loose plan. This will make the gathering better and 7 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:40,640 Speaker 1: prevent a lot of awkward planning and logistical debate during 8 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:43,640 Speaker 1: a time when you are supposed to be just enjoying 9 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:49,000 Speaker 1: each other's company. If you've got family coming to spend 10 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:51,879 Speaker 1: a week with you, you may assume that you will 11 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 1: just spend the time catching up, but you may not 12 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:58,880 Speaker 1: have an infinite amount of stuff to catch up on. 13 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:03,600 Speaker 1: People might need a break, and if you have kids, 14 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:06,840 Speaker 1: you know that getting out of the house and having 15 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:13,199 Speaker 1: some structure prevents a lot of meltdowns and bad feelings. 16 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:16,120 Speaker 1: So just as you'd have some sort of agenda for 17 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 1: a company retreat, have some plan for your get together. Personally, 18 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:27,959 Speaker 1: I'm a fan of planning one activity a day that 19 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 1: gives everyone a reason to get up and get going. 20 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 1: People make memories to gather, kids can get some energy out, 21 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:41,680 Speaker 1: and then you can all relax and reflect afterwards. This 22 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:46,080 Speaker 1: activity should be determined ahead of time. If people want 23 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:50,120 Speaker 1: to beg off, they can, or if everyone decides not 24 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:54,160 Speaker 1: to do it, fine, but with no plan you can 25 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:56,840 Speaker 1: waste the whole day trying to come up with something 26 00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 1: rather than just going doing and relaxing afterwards. If you 27 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 1: are somewhere with an obvious activity, like you're going to 28 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 1: the beach or an amusement park, that is fine, But 29 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:14,400 Speaker 1: if not, think zoo, aquarium, the local children's museum, and 30 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:17,840 Speaker 1: so forth. If you are all adults, that can be 31 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:21,120 Speaker 1: something a little different, like a group bike ride, a 32 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 1: trip to a cheese tasting place, a matinee movie, bowling, 33 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:30,080 Speaker 1: you name it. Choose something for each day. If you 34 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:35,040 Speaker 1: need reservations, make them, because showing up with twelve people 35 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:38,880 Speaker 1: at that cheese tasting place is probably not going to work. 36 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:43,000 Speaker 1: You should also have a rough sense of your meals. 37 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:47,880 Speaker 1: If you've got multiple families gathering, you can assign each 38 00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 1: family a night. They can take you all out to 39 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 1: dinner if they want, but again, with twelve people you 40 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 1: need that reservation. Finally, you want at least one or 41 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:03,240 Speaker 1: two to fallbacks for things you can do during downtime. 42 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:07,520 Speaker 1: Many extended families like to start a puzzle. As the 43 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:13,360 Speaker 1: family gathers, many hands make light work of a thousand pieces, 44 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:16,200 Speaker 1: and as you all sit around you can chat in 45 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:20,000 Speaker 1: a way that you won't with the TV on. You 46 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 1: can obviously play cards or board games too, though those 47 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:28,640 Speaker 1: have the disadvantage that you can't really come in and out. 48 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 1: That is problematic if you've got, say, parents of young 49 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 1: kids who need to put them to bed or deal 50 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 1: with their needs. If you're not into puzzles, it might 51 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 1: be something like a giant mural that you are all 52 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:47,680 Speaker 1: coloring together. You might decide for some post kid bedtime 53 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 1: activities like a bonfire in the yard or a dip 54 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:53,560 Speaker 1: in the hot tub if there is one in your 55 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:57,520 Speaker 1: vacation rental. But the point is to think this all 56 00:03:57,560 --> 00:04:03,040 Speaker 1: through no one and sustain a week long intense conversation. 57 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:08,080 Speaker 1: And even people who love each other dearly will get 58 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:12,160 Speaker 1: bored without some new inputs, or you may wind up 59 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 1: with rainy weather and really appreciate that someone has thought 60 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 1: through the activities. Boredom kills memories. Better to figure out 61 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:25,960 Speaker 1: a plan. What are your good to activities? When you 62 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 1: get together with family and friends. You can let me 63 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:35,520 Speaker 1: know at Laura at Laura Vanderkam dot com. In the meantime, 64 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 1: this is Laura. Thanks for listening and here's to making 65 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:50,919 Speaker 1: the most of our times. Hey, everybody, I'd love to 66 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 1: hear from you. You can send me your tips, your questions, 67 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 1: or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook 68 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:02,600 Speaker 1: and Instagram at before fist pod that's b E the 69 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 1: number four, then Breakfast p o D. You can also 70 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:11,040 Speaker 1: shoot me an email at Before Breakfast Podcasts at iHeartMedia 71 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 1: dot com. That Before Breakfast is spelled out with all 72 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:16,359 Speaker 1: the letters. Thanks so much. Should I look forward to 73 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 1: staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartRadio. 74 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 75 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:33,200 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.