1 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:02,960 Speaker 1: Hi. 2 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 2: This is Laura Vandercamp. I'm a mother of five, an author, journalist, 3 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:08,039 Speaker 2: and speaker. 4 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:11,559 Speaker 3: And this is Sarah Hartunger. I'm a mother of three, 5 00:00:11,720 --> 00:00:14,640 Speaker 3: a practicing physician and blogger. On the side, we are 6 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:17,440 Speaker 3: two working parents who love our careers and our families. 7 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:19,320 Speaker 1: Welcome to best of both worlds. 8 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:22,439 Speaker 2: Here we talk about how real women manage work, family, 9 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:25,800 Speaker 2: and time for fun, from figuring out childcare to mapping 10 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 2: out long term career goals. We want you to get 11 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 2: the most out of life. 12 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:35,160 Speaker 1: Welcome to best of both worlds. This is Laura. 13 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:38,120 Speaker 2: This episode is first airing in mid January of twenty 14 00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 2: twenty four. We're going to be talking about kids, stuff 15 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:45,320 Speaker 2: that lasts or that has become favorites in our families 16 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:48,040 Speaker 2: over the years, because we found you know, when you 17 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:51,199 Speaker 2: go into parenthood, you wind up buying a lot of stuff. 18 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:53,440 Speaker 2: We're getting a lot of stuff sometimes from people, and 19 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:55,280 Speaker 2: it's hard to know what's going to be a winner 20 00:00:55,320 --> 00:01:00,200 Speaker 2: and what isn't. I bought one particular pricey stroller was 21 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:02,800 Speaker 2: that hit thing of two thousand and seven, I guess, 22 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:05,319 Speaker 2: and it didn't wind up lasting as long as a 23 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:08,360 Speaker 2: cheap twenty dollars umbrella stroller that I just picked up 24 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 2: at babysarus one day. On the other hand, you know, 25 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:14,040 Speaker 2: it's great when you have stuff that lasts, but some 26 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:16,040 Speaker 2: stuff just isn't going to last, and you kind of 27 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 2: have to make your peace with it. I mean, you're 28 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:20,520 Speaker 2: probably not going to wind up with heirlooms sweatpants, So 29 00:01:20,640 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 2: that's a pretty high bar to set for yourself. But 30 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:26,640 Speaker 2: now that both of us have seen multiple kids go 31 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:30,920 Speaker 2: through early childhood, we wanted to share some thoughts on 32 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:34,280 Speaker 2: what might be worthwhile in some of our favorite items. 33 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 2: I mean, because Sarah, you're seeing a lot of stuff 34 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 2: get used again, as with your youngest versus your oldest, right. 35 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:44,160 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, there's definitely stuff that didn't make it, 36 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 3: and then there are a number of things that did, 37 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:51,360 Speaker 3: some even in almost like new condition, despite the fact 38 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 3: that you know, there may be seventy eight years between 39 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:56,280 Speaker 3: when they were first bought and now they're still being used. 40 00:01:56,280 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 3: So it's been really interesting, and some of it's not 41 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 3: been what I necessarily would have predicted, but it's always 42 00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:05,120 Speaker 3: nice to see something in the hands of a younger 43 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 3: kid that was used for many years by consecutive children. 44 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:11,239 Speaker 1: Yeah, no, it's always funny to me. 45 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:14,600 Speaker 2: I mean, because there are certain books and toys that 46 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:17,919 Speaker 2: you get and then kids don't use them, and they 47 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:20,079 Speaker 2: just sit there and I know maybe eventually they get 48 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 2: thrown out or give it away or something. But then 49 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 2: there are things that do get revisited again and again. 50 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:29,359 Speaker 2: We want to go through a few different categories. We'll 51 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 2: start with books and magazines and media. I guess we'll 52 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:35,680 Speaker 2: start books first and then we can trade off with 53 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:40,560 Speaker 2: other media and such. But some of our favorite I 54 00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:44,919 Speaker 2: think we have a subscription to baby Bug magazine, which 55 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:47,919 Speaker 2: is a little magazine from Cricket, which created is already 56 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:51,760 Speaker 2: a magazine for children, but baby Bug is actually for babies, 57 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:57,920 Speaker 2: like toddler type children. And we got a subscription in 58 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 2: early twenty fourteen. Would have been two at the time, 59 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:07,000 Speaker 2: and she loved it. Alex was into it, Okay, who's 60 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:09,440 Speaker 2: somewhat a little bit more mixed. But Henry now loves it, 61 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:11,880 Speaker 2: so he still has a subscription. I guess we've been 62 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 2: getting this thing for ten years. They've repeated some of 63 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 2: the stories, I will tell you that, but he's kept 64 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:18,920 Speaker 2: reading it. So we'll show it to a shout out 65 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:23,320 Speaker 2: for that. A couple of my boys have actually liked it. 66 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:26,240 Speaker 2: Used to be called Boy's Life. It's now called Scout 67 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:29,919 Speaker 2: Life because boy Scouts became Scouts. But it's the magazine 68 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 2: of the boy Scouts. And you might think it would 69 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 2: be like a little bit, i don't know, cheesy because 70 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 2: it's only about scouting or something, but it's not. They 71 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:40,560 Speaker 2: actually seem to get little boys in a good way. 72 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 2: Like there's lots of jokes and things like that in it, 73 00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:48,440 Speaker 2: so we've enjoyed that as well. Do a quick shout 74 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 2: out for a few books. There's a few that are 75 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 2: seasonal that we've really liked. Christmas Farm about Christmas, sugar 76 00:03:56,760 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 2: Bush Spring about Maple's syrup making in New Hampshire and Vermont, 77 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:06,560 Speaker 2: Night of the Moon, Jellies, the Summer Book, and then 78 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:11,520 Speaker 2: Fletcher and the Falling Leaves for Autumn. We have also 79 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:14,520 Speaker 2: found that kids really like books that have a bit 80 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:18,479 Speaker 2: of an edge. So a lot of children's books are 81 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:21,160 Speaker 2: kind of syrupy sweet or trying to teach a moral 82 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 2: or something like that, and we don't really like that 83 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:27,920 Speaker 2: as adults so much, and it's boring for kids as well. 84 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:33,560 Speaker 2: So a couple that we've enjoyed the Gruffalo, which is 85 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:38,680 Speaker 2: about a little mouse that conquers big animals by being scary. 86 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:41,159 Speaker 2: There's a really funny book that was originally in French 87 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:44,200 Speaker 2: called I Really Want to Eat a Child that is 88 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:48,200 Speaker 2: told from the perspective of a misbehaving crocodile, and so 89 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:53,000 Speaker 2: it's about a little crocodile throwing a fit. So if 90 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:55,279 Speaker 2: you have children who grow throw fits, you might like that. 91 00:04:56,040 --> 00:04:59,400 Speaker 2: The Dark by Lemony Snicket. Obviously Lemony Snicket has books 92 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 2: for older children as well, but that's a picture book 93 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:04,840 Speaker 2: about Laslow who is afraid of the dark and then 94 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:06,919 Speaker 2: goes to visit the dark when the dark comes to 95 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 2: visit him. And John Klassens various Books on Hats, which 96 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:16,039 Speaker 2: is about animals possibly eating each other when they have 97 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:20,800 Speaker 2: stolen each other's hats. So kids don't like to, you know, 98 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 2: have things be too sweet, so we'll go with those, 99 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:24,720 Speaker 2: how about you, Sarah. 100 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:28,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, So, probably one thing that has surprised me is 101 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:31,360 Speaker 3: that sometimes books that don't necessarily seem like they're targeting 102 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 3: really young kids have been a hit with like three 103 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:36,800 Speaker 3: year olds. So I will share one such series that 104 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:40,240 Speaker 3: has tended to appeal throughout my kids ages, which is 105 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 3: called Dory Phantasmagory by an author named Abbie Hanlin, and 106 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:46,720 Speaker 3: they actually just released a new one that I bought immediately, 107 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:49,080 Speaker 3: and as I was reading it to Genevieve, the other 108 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 3: two kids are like suddenly appear in her room because 109 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:53,400 Speaker 3: they want to hear it too, because it's just like 110 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:55,760 Speaker 3: so appealing, and also I think fits in that category 111 00:05:55,800 --> 00:05:58,719 Speaker 3: of like not sickeningly sweet Doris a little offbeat. She's 112 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:02,279 Speaker 3: got some very wide imagination and it is a graphic 113 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:05,440 Speaker 3: novel that's illustrated in really cute ways. So that's one 114 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:09,719 Speaker 3: that we love. Moe Williams. I mean probably if you 115 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:12,880 Speaker 3: have kids, you already know who he is. But I 116 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:15,520 Speaker 3: will say his books do tend to be read over 117 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:16,960 Speaker 3: and over and over again. 118 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:17,599 Speaker 4: In our house. 119 00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:21,440 Speaker 3: The knuffle Bunny series makes me cry every couple readings. 120 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:24,839 Speaker 3: So but really those books just really do seem to 121 00:06:24,839 --> 00:06:27,839 Speaker 3: stand the test of time. Both of my girls have 122 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:31,040 Speaker 3: been really into two series books, the Pink Delicious books 123 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:35,920 Speaker 3: and Fancy Nancy, and then the Russell Hoban Francis books 124 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:40,960 Speaker 3: like Brennan Jim for Francis, Bedtime for Francis. I love 125 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 3: them like I love them, love them. 126 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:43,360 Speaker 4: They have little songs. 127 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:46,279 Speaker 3: I've made up melodies to all of them, and they're 128 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:49,159 Speaker 3: aim towards kids. But like there's just like little Easter 129 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:51,360 Speaker 3: Like it's like almost like watching the Simpsons or something. 130 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:53,479 Speaker 3: There's like a whole layer of it that like there's 131 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:55,440 Speaker 3: a kid layer and then there's like the adult layer. 132 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 3: Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but I absolutely 133 00:06:58,080 --> 00:06:59,760 Speaker 3: love those and I have those. I have a couple 134 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 3: of them separate, and then I also have like a 135 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:02,880 Speaker 3: one you can buy it as an addition that has 136 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:04,919 Speaker 3: multiple stories in one, and that is like one of 137 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 3: our most requested books. We've done the illustrated Harry Potter 138 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 3: reading together on various occasions, and that's been a hit 139 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:15,400 Speaker 3: at times as well. 140 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:17,440 Speaker 4: But yeah, those are the books we pick up again 141 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:19,240 Speaker 4: and again and again, and I'll just say, oh yeah. 142 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:23,560 Speaker 3: Graphic novels in addition to Abby, Rena Telgemeyer is kind 143 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:26,720 Speaker 3: of like, you know, a very popular graphic novel writer. 144 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 3: She did a lot of the Babysitters Club books and 145 00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:31,080 Speaker 3: then also did a lot of standalones like Guts and 146 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 3: I Forget. There's a bunch of them, but my kids 147 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:36,120 Speaker 3: have all loved them, all three of them. At different ages. 148 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:39,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'll do a shout out for the Bad Kitty 149 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:43,920 Speaker 2: series of graphic novels. That's another one that it's not 150 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:48,240 Speaker 2: syrupy sweet Tit's about a misbehaving kitty, as you might imagine, 151 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:52,000 Speaker 2: and the various adventures they go on. We particularly enjoyed 152 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 2: the one where they won a visit to an amusement 153 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:58,560 Speaker 2: park and it was really a horrible amusement park. The 154 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 2: whole Diary of a Wimpy Kids has actually been read 155 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:05,480 Speaker 2: by multiple of my children. They collected the whole series 156 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 2: and have not fought reading that at all. I mean 157 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 2: shout out to graphic novels because of particularly kids who 158 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:14,640 Speaker 2: want complex stories but may not be quite ready for 159 00:08:14,680 --> 00:08:17,960 Speaker 2: an entire sea of words on a page. It's just 160 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:20,720 Speaker 2: a great thing. And so you know, we've tolerated all 161 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:26,040 Speaker 2: sorts of Diaper Baby and whatever Captain Underpants, but kids 162 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 2: like them. I mean, I will do a shout out though, 163 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:32,000 Speaker 2: for Magic Treehouse series. As a first chapter book series. 164 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:37,079 Speaker 2: The first few are kind of short and not that exciting, 165 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:39,640 Speaker 2: but they get She did ones that were then aimed 166 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:41,800 Speaker 2: for slightly more advanced readers. 167 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:42,800 Speaker 1: A series of them. 168 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 2: They had a different title, but now they've all been 169 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 2: folded into the same baity. So if you sort of 170 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:50,120 Speaker 2: start in the middle, you will get the longer ones 171 00:08:50,320 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 2: that are just more exciting, like the more stuff happens 172 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:58,040 Speaker 2: and you learn more in them, So shout out for those. 173 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:01,240 Speaker 1: And then also that the Guinness Book of. 174 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 2: World Records will get read by multiple kids poured through, 175 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:10,160 Speaker 2: you know, then they'll compare, like if you buy them 176 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:12,200 Speaker 2: every year, you can look back at what was the 177 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:15,280 Speaker 2: record in twenty fifteen of this and if it changed 178 00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:16,320 Speaker 2: by twenty twenty four. 179 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:19,520 Speaker 1: So that's been exciting, Sarah. 180 00:09:19,559 --> 00:09:23,320 Speaker 2: What television shows would you say have stood the test 181 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 2: of time for your kids? 182 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:29,199 Speaker 3: Yeah, so I would say Bluie gets the gold medal 183 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:32,160 Speaker 3: for this in the one that I don't find terribly grading, 184 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:34,439 Speaker 3: and a lot of kids watched it for like maybe 185 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:36,480 Speaker 3: longer than you might have expected that they would watch it. 186 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:39,640 Speaker 3: The music is really good, the accents are really good. Again, 187 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 3: there's kind of like a layer of adult humor buried 188 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:46,560 Speaker 3: in there, so that definitely gets a shout out. Thunderman's 189 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:49,840 Speaker 3: on the Disney Channel, I believe, and maybe also available 190 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:51,520 Speaker 3: on like Netflix or Amazon Prime or one of the 191 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:54,920 Speaker 3: other streaming services is also one of the things that, like, 192 00:09:55,160 --> 00:09:58,160 Speaker 3: my kids have watched every episode multiple times and they 193 00:09:58,200 --> 00:10:01,680 Speaker 3: will all watch it together, which is always amazing. And 194 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:03,880 Speaker 3: I have to say just Disney Plus in general has 195 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:06,400 Speaker 3: been so nice to have, I mean, access to every 196 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:09,400 Speaker 3: single one of those movies. There's a number of shows 197 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:14,120 Speaker 3: on there, like usually they can find something that appeals 198 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:16,079 Speaker 3: to most of them, and it's just a nice It's 199 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:18,720 Speaker 3: a nice repository to have available. So I'm glad that that. 200 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 3: You know, I don't think that existed when Annabel was 201 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:23,439 Speaker 3: a little kid, but it's been nice to add that 202 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:25,760 Speaker 3: to our toolbox as they have gotten older. 203 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:28,079 Speaker 4: Yeah, I also have to say, oh, go ahead. 204 00:10:27,840 --> 00:10:29,000 Speaker 1: It could keep going, keep going. 205 00:10:29,679 --> 00:10:31,800 Speaker 3: I was just going to mention that I have been impressed. 206 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:34,560 Speaker 3: I guess this does not apply to like young young kids, 207 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:36,439 Speaker 3: and in a way that was what our initial angle 208 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:39,000 Speaker 3: of what this episode was going to be. But I 209 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:41,400 Speaker 3: just want to say that the classic like nineteen nineties 210 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 3: early aughts movies have been more of a hit with 211 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:48,160 Speaker 3: my kids than I expected. I'm talking about Mean Girls, Clueless, 212 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:52,720 Speaker 3: Bring It On, Legally Blonde. There are absolutely dated, like 213 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:55,679 Speaker 3: inappropriate jokes in some of them, but in some ways 214 00:10:55,679 --> 00:10:57,520 Speaker 3: that's actually not the worst thing because you can actually 215 00:10:57,600 --> 00:10:59,480 Speaker 3: pause it and then talk about why that joke is 216 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:01,720 Speaker 3: no longer okay, or the kid may point it out 217 00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:03,560 Speaker 3: to you that that joke is no longer okay, and 218 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:06,360 Speaker 3: so you know, in a way that can just be 219 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:09,440 Speaker 3: fodder for conversation. But at the same time, the material 220 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:12,040 Speaker 3: in them, I mean, there's a reason that we watched 221 00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:14,160 Speaker 3: them so many times and we want to watch them 222 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:15,480 Speaker 3: again as it all, and some. 223 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:18,520 Speaker 2: Were bit into movies and musicals and all the musicals 224 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:21,199 Speaker 2: of all of those. Yeah, I would say I'm just 225 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:24,040 Speaker 2: gonna mention the Backyard Agains because it's one that people 226 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:26,680 Speaker 2: may not have seen, especially if you have really young kids, 227 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:30,160 Speaker 2: because it was kind of like in two thousand, like 228 00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:33,319 Speaker 2: nineteen ninety nine to two thousand and four or something 229 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:36,640 Speaker 2: was the peak years of when the Backyard Agains were created. 230 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:39,240 Speaker 2: And so it's kind of funny if you are watching 231 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:42,160 Speaker 2: the clips on YouTube, some of them, it's very clear 232 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:44,160 Speaker 2: that it was made before a lot of the high 233 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:49,640 Speaker 2: def television became so common. But the production numbers are 234 00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:52,160 Speaker 2: really good. Like if you watch the characters dancing, they're 235 00:11:52,160 --> 00:11:54,000 Speaker 2: actually doing like actual dance steps. 236 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:55,840 Speaker 1: There's just they thought through. 237 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:59,280 Speaker 2: All sorts of things with these, and the storylines are 238 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:02,280 Speaker 2: a little bit more interesting than a lot of cartoon 239 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:06,520 Speaker 2: and they're not again trying to teach the syrupy sweet morals. 240 00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:08,880 Speaker 1: It's like the Backyard agains. 241 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:11,760 Speaker 2: These kids are having adventures, you know, discovering things and 242 00:12:11,760 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 2: playing with their friends. And so I will do a 243 00:12:14,280 --> 00:12:16,320 Speaker 2: real shout out for those, and then you know if 244 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:19,160 Speaker 2: your kids like it. There are a whole tie in 245 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:24,720 Speaker 2: series of Backyard Again books that tell similar tales, and 246 00:12:24,760 --> 00:12:27,800 Speaker 2: so we have wound up reading through those with Henry, 247 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:30,360 Speaker 2: even though I know they were passed down from my 248 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:33,719 Speaker 2: older brother who had bought them for his children who 249 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:37,240 Speaker 2: were children in two thousand when they were watching The 250 00:12:37,240 --> 00:12:40,120 Speaker 2: Backyard Again. So those have stood the test of time. 251 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:42,920 Speaker 2: So another show for older children you might want to 252 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:46,720 Speaker 2: check out is Avatar The Last Airbender. It's sort of 253 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:51,560 Speaker 2: a fantasy series about this civilization where they did air 254 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:55,800 Speaker 2: bending and water bending and worth bending and the various elements. 255 00:12:56,120 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 2: But it has held their attention for a long time. 256 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:03,880 Speaker 2: There's many shows in the series, so you can watch it. 257 00:13:03,920 --> 00:13:06,920 Speaker 2: There are some tie in books. People will go out 258 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:09,840 Speaker 2: in the backyard and start fire bending. I mean, it's 259 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:12,760 Speaker 2: just the kind of thing where people it really captures 260 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:16,599 Speaker 2: their imagination, and there are a few that are a 261 00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:19,240 Speaker 2: little bit more sort of violent than others. So again 262 00:13:19,320 --> 00:13:23,199 Speaker 2: it's kids definitely eight plus, And maybe other people have 263 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:26,960 Speaker 2: stricter standards than I do and might say it was 264 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:30,520 Speaker 2: more like ten or eleven plus, but I thought it 265 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:33,839 Speaker 2: was something that they watched enough that I would do 266 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:34,880 Speaker 2: a shout out for it. 267 00:13:35,840 --> 00:13:36,160 Speaker 3: Cool. 268 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:38,920 Speaker 2: Well, let's take a quick ad break and then we'll 269 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:41,960 Speaker 2: be back with more of our recommendations of kid things 270 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:57,000 Speaker 2: that have stood the test of time. All right, Well, 271 00:13:57,000 --> 00:14:00,560 Speaker 2: we are back talking about our favorite kid things that 272 00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:03,800 Speaker 2: have stood the test of time that my five children 273 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:07,200 Speaker 2: now have watched or played with. Sarah's got three kids 274 00:14:07,520 --> 00:14:10,600 Speaker 2: spanning the age from about twelve down to six, so 275 00:14:10,640 --> 00:14:13,920 Speaker 2: she's seen a lot of things go through different iterations 276 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:16,480 Speaker 2: as well. And so Sarah, maybe you could talk a 277 00:14:16,480 --> 00:14:19,920 Speaker 2: little bit about the toys that all three of your kids, 278 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:22,240 Speaker 2: or at least some of your kids, multiple of your 279 00:14:22,280 --> 00:14:23,880 Speaker 2: kids have played with and enjoyed. 280 00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:27,680 Speaker 3: So you will notice when we we exchange notes back 281 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:29,800 Speaker 3: and forth, I didn't put a lot there because you 282 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:32,120 Speaker 3: had mentioned so many of the toys. So I don't 283 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:34,080 Speaker 3: want to steal a lot of your thunder, but I'll 284 00:14:34,080 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 3: share a couple of them that have just absolutely I 285 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:38,400 Speaker 3: think we just have a lot of common favors, which 286 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:40,280 Speaker 3: must mean they're really good toys. 287 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:41,560 Speaker 4: Like they are really good. 288 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:44,640 Speaker 3: So Magnetiles, I mean we had those. I mean I 289 00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:47,120 Speaker 3: feel like we were just sort of starting to phase 290 00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:48,920 Speaker 3: out of them, but Genevieve, we'll still get them out 291 00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:51,240 Speaker 3: sometimes and build something and it's a super fun thing 292 00:14:51,240 --> 00:14:53,560 Speaker 3: to play with with younger cousins and stuff like that too. 293 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:58,440 Speaker 3: But magnetizs are these little magnetized clear pieces and they're 294 00:14:58,480 --> 00:15:01,040 Speaker 3: not the cheapest. But if you buy a set and 295 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:03,560 Speaker 3: then you use it for ten or so years, then 296 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:06,080 Speaker 3: you've probably gotten a good amount of value out of 297 00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:07,720 Speaker 3: that set. And it is one of those things where 298 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:09,600 Speaker 3: the more you have, the more fun they can have 299 00:15:09,640 --> 00:15:13,600 Speaker 3: with it because you can make bigger and more elaborate structures. 300 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:17,080 Speaker 3: So definitely stood the test of time for us. You 301 00:15:17,160 --> 00:15:21,040 Speaker 3: mentioned a wooden play kitchen. Agree, we have always had one. 302 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:24,720 Speaker 3: We just get like the Ikea, like nothing super fancy. 303 00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:28,800 Speaker 3: I don't think ours is anything great, but they really 304 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:31,680 Speaker 3: have enjoyed it, and Genevieve actually asked for like. 305 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:32,720 Speaker 4: Updated stuff for it. 306 00:15:32,760 --> 00:15:34,800 Speaker 3: For her, I think it was her fifth birthday, Like 307 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:37,040 Speaker 3: it wasn't that long ago that she still really was 308 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:40,400 Speaker 3: into it, so that was big. And then I'm gonna 309 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:43,680 Speaker 3: steal one more of yours, which is the Nintendo Switch. 310 00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:47,320 Speaker 3: So my kids also enjoy playing that a great deal. 311 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:49,640 Speaker 3: And there's there's some good like collaborative games that they 312 00:15:49,640 --> 00:15:52,240 Speaker 3: can do all together. They like one called Overcooked, where 313 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:54,720 Speaker 3: you're like in a busy kitchen trying to keep this 314 00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:57,240 Speaker 3: restaurant going. And then they'll do like different variations of 315 00:15:57,360 --> 00:16:00,720 Speaker 3: Mario Kart, Cameron's gotten in a Zelda, et cetera. And 316 00:16:00,760 --> 00:16:03,160 Speaker 3: then I'll say the one computer game that they've been 317 00:16:03,240 --> 00:16:06,400 Speaker 3: at for years, well, and the girls have been at 318 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:10,200 Speaker 3: this one for years. Cameron is he'll delve into it occasionally, 319 00:16:10,200 --> 00:16:11,920 Speaker 3: but he has other things that he likes more. 320 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:15,480 Speaker 4: But it's called Toka Focal World and. 321 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:21,640 Speaker 3: It's basically a very chill world building game where you're 322 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:24,600 Speaker 3: like building a house and character isn't dressing them up, 323 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:26,640 Speaker 3: and it just looks like a digital dollhouse. And I 324 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:29,200 Speaker 3: don't understand exactly what the poll is because to me, 325 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:30,440 Speaker 3: I'm like, wouldn't that get. 326 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:32,520 Speaker 4: Old doesn't seem to get old. 327 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:35,200 Speaker 3: The only downside is there are like packs you purchase 328 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:37,200 Speaker 3: to upgrade all your stuff, and so they'll be coming 329 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:39,200 Speaker 3: at you, Oh I need can I buy this ninety 330 00:16:39,280 --> 00:16:39,880 Speaker 3: nine cent thing? 331 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:44,600 Speaker 4: Whatever? But you know it's not violent. It's really chill. 332 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:46,400 Speaker 4: There's not a lot of flashing lights. 333 00:16:46,440 --> 00:16:49,920 Speaker 3: And to captivate a six year old and an almost 334 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:51,880 Speaker 3: twelve year old is pretty impressive. 335 00:16:52,160 --> 00:16:53,560 Speaker 1: Do they play that on iPads? 336 00:16:53,560 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 3: Then? Is that usually on iPads? And that's been for years, Like, 337 00:16:56,840 --> 00:16:58,560 Speaker 3: it's not like they just started this. It's been like 338 00:16:59,400 --> 00:16:59,960 Speaker 3: a long time. 339 00:17:00,280 --> 00:17:00,560 Speaker 1: Yeah. 340 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:04,760 Speaker 2: We wound up paying for the Doctor Panda app because 341 00:17:05,160 --> 00:17:07,440 Speaker 2: Henry loved it so much, and I know that other 342 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:08,959 Speaker 2: of my children have played with it too. I think 343 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:11,720 Speaker 2: Ruth and Alex both played with Doctor Panda because there's 344 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:14,359 Speaker 2: all these different worlds you can do, Like there's a 345 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:18,119 Speaker 2: Doctor Panda veggie patch, and there's a Doctor Panda restaurant 346 00:17:18,280 --> 00:17:21,080 Speaker 2: of like a pizza restaurant and a sushi restaurant, and 347 00:17:21,400 --> 00:17:28,040 Speaker 2: so you could make different things. And it's non word based, right, 348 00:17:28,080 --> 00:17:31,040 Speaker 2: it's all pictures. So a child who is preliterate can 349 00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:35,240 Speaker 2: play it, which you know, sometimes it's harder for involved 350 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:39,400 Speaker 2: games to fit with younger kids. So something that we've 351 00:17:39,400 --> 00:17:42,040 Speaker 2: done during car trips for sure. 352 00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:45,640 Speaker 1: So yeah, one of our early. 353 00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:49,960 Speaker 2: Investments, I guess on toys was the Thomas the Train 354 00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:55,560 Speaker 2: train tracks, and so Melissa and Doug makes the set 355 00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:58,760 Speaker 2: of the train tracks. You can buy those and then 356 00:17:58,800 --> 00:18:01,040 Speaker 2: the Thomas the Train. Make sure you're looking for the 357 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:03,320 Speaker 2: wooden ones. I found the plastic ones are sort of 358 00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:05,960 Speaker 2: set specific, and then they have a ton of the 359 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:08,680 Speaker 2: plastic ones, but we really like the wooden ones a 360 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:12,240 Speaker 2: lot better because they just lasted longer. But we got 361 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:17,280 Speaker 2: a little train table and multiple children have built train 362 00:18:18,280 --> 00:18:22,280 Speaker 2: track structures. Some kids got more into the engineering than others, 363 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:25,399 Speaker 2: doing multiple layers of bridges and stuff, and then some 364 00:18:25,520 --> 00:18:27,879 Speaker 2: kids were more into the collecting aspect, right because there 365 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:30,760 Speaker 2: are a ton of different Thomas trains, and so you 366 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:33,480 Speaker 2: might set up all eight that are mentioned in the 367 00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:37,040 Speaker 2: song that brings it in, or you might decide that 368 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:39,520 Speaker 2: you like the different colors, so you're gonna get Rosy 369 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:42,680 Speaker 2: or Billy or I think he's the yellow one or something. 370 00:18:42,680 --> 00:18:43,080 Speaker 4: I don't know. 371 00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:45,280 Speaker 2: But you can collect them and then people ask for 372 00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:47,040 Speaker 2: them for birthdays and add to the set. 373 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:47,840 Speaker 4: And so forth. 374 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:50,479 Speaker 2: That's the upside of the magnetiles too, because you can 375 00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:53,159 Speaker 2: get sort of a starter pack, like you get a 376 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:55,400 Speaker 2: kid a starter pack for like a third or fourth birthday, 377 00:18:55,920 --> 00:18:58,439 Speaker 2: and then various relatives could give you a set to 378 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:01,280 Speaker 2: add to it for the next several birthdays or Christmas. 379 00:19:01,960 --> 00:19:06,600 Speaker 2: Henry got a Construction Magnetiles set, and he got a 380 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:12,080 Speaker 2: Arctic Animals magnetile set for his birthday and Christmas this year, 381 00:19:12,119 --> 00:19:12,720 Speaker 2: so he could. 382 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:14,680 Speaker 4: Add that to the set that he had. 383 00:19:15,840 --> 00:19:17,560 Speaker 2: The upside of the wooden play Kitchen, as we were 384 00:19:17,560 --> 00:19:19,639 Speaker 2: talking about as well, is that then again you can 385 00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:22,280 Speaker 2: also add to it over the years, like this year 386 00:19:22,320 --> 00:19:25,080 Speaker 2: you get the Melissa and Doug spaghetti making set, or 387 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:28,679 Speaker 2: this year you get a toy mixer set, and that 388 00:19:28,720 --> 00:19:31,320 Speaker 2: can kind of add on to the play with that. 389 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:34,200 Speaker 2: I will do a shout up for giving some sort 390 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:37,919 Speaker 2: of dress up station and now there's no need to 391 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:39,760 Speaker 2: buy like a kit. I mean, that's sort of like 392 00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:42,159 Speaker 2: a little funny that people have, like a dress up 393 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:46,679 Speaker 2: kit that yourself just make either a you know, like 394 00:19:46,680 --> 00:19:50,440 Speaker 2: a big hamper, or we now have a little garment 395 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:54,600 Speaker 2: rack that you can put hangers on with the different 396 00:19:55,040 --> 00:19:57,960 Speaker 2: outfits so you can see them and then pull them 397 00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:00,800 Speaker 2: off and put on your dinosaur outfit or your capes 398 00:20:00,960 --> 00:20:03,960 Speaker 2: or your princess dress or whatever it happens to be, 399 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:07,000 Speaker 2: and that can get a ton of play. As you 400 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:12,120 Speaker 2: add onto that. Over the years, we actually used their 401 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:15,399 Speaker 2: electric cars. So this is another one you might want to, 402 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:17,760 Speaker 2: you know, maybe if you have generous grandparents, ask for 403 00:20:17,880 --> 00:20:18,640 Speaker 2: But we bought. 404 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:21,680 Speaker 1: Like a tractor, an electric kid tractor, and. 405 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:23,720 Speaker 2: They love that thing, like they played from it from 406 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:25,480 Speaker 2: age you know, about two or three is when they 407 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:27,560 Speaker 2: can start riding on with their older siblings, Like a 408 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:29,720 Speaker 2: three or four year old can start learning how to 409 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:32,880 Speaker 2: drive it. But it's you know, something that a kid 410 00:20:32,920 --> 00:20:35,160 Speaker 2: can definitely play with from about age three to seven, 411 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:37,800 Speaker 2: and particularly if you have a playdate. It's a really 412 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:39,679 Speaker 2: good thing to drag out. If you have like a 413 00:20:39,720 --> 00:20:42,840 Speaker 2: two seater a Nintendo Switch, and you can buy the 414 00:20:42,920 --> 00:20:45,880 Speaker 2: like Nintendo Labo kits that add on to it. That's 415 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:48,639 Speaker 2: just if you don't mind the idea of your kids 416 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:51,080 Speaker 2: playing video games, you just don't want them surfing the 417 00:20:51,200 --> 00:20:53,879 Speaker 2: entire universe of the web something like the play The 418 00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:57,800 Speaker 2: Nintendo Switch is great because it is limited to games 419 00:20:57,800 --> 00:21:00,480 Speaker 2: for the most part, and I would just do a 420 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:07,440 Speaker 2: shout out for Lego sets and particularly Lego Friends, which 421 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:11,119 Speaker 2: Legos were sort of I mean, their legos are for anyone. 422 00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:13,120 Speaker 1: I love them growing up, but they definitely had. 423 00:21:13,040 --> 00:21:16,400 Speaker 2: A slight more of a boy toy kind of vibe 424 00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:18,240 Speaker 2: as you got older, Like it was definitely aimed at 425 00:21:18,240 --> 00:21:21,560 Speaker 2: like the Star Wars type things, you know, and then 426 00:21:22,280 --> 00:21:25,480 Speaker 2: now it's the Lego Friends have been developed in such 427 00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:28,159 Speaker 2: a way that I think it really reflects how a 428 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:30,480 Speaker 2: lot of little girls like to play, Like the characters 429 00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:32,639 Speaker 2: are developed, like you can pause in the middle of 430 00:21:32,680 --> 00:21:35,320 Speaker 2: building to have a scene set up instead of having 431 00:21:35,320 --> 00:21:38,880 Speaker 2: to race through to the end. So we've really enjoyed 432 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:41,920 Speaker 2: doing those. But you know, Legos last forever. Sam got 433 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:43,919 Speaker 2: the Lord of the Ring set for Christmas and he 434 00:21:43,960 --> 00:21:46,080 Speaker 2: has been building that and he is fourteen and it 435 00:21:46,119 --> 00:21:48,560 Speaker 2: is awesome. So it's something that can last for a 436 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:49,080 Speaker 2: long time. 437 00:21:49,640 --> 00:21:49,959 Speaker 4: I'll say. 438 00:21:50,040 --> 00:21:53,040 Speaker 3: Duplo like for the younger kids also have a fairly 439 00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:57,400 Speaker 3: long lifespan. And if your kids are at the age 440 00:21:57,440 --> 00:21:59,560 Speaker 3: where they're going to like stick something up their nose 441 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:02,159 Speaker 3: or something, then if your bigger kids are playing with Legos, 442 00:22:02,160 --> 00:22:04,040 Speaker 3: you can have build little kid play with duplos, so 443 00:22:04,119 --> 00:22:06,560 Speaker 3: they have their own thing. But I will say also 444 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:08,639 Speaker 3: like it's not like at age five all of a 445 00:22:08,640 --> 00:22:11,399 Speaker 3: sudden they hate their duplos. Like they can continue to 446 00:22:11,560 --> 00:22:13,560 Speaker 3: enjoy those past what you might think. 447 00:22:14,240 --> 00:22:16,679 Speaker 2: Yeah, and especially if you have like a younger guest visiting, 448 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:19,600 Speaker 2: the older kids will probably really get into it again 449 00:22:19,720 --> 00:22:21,960 Speaker 2: because they are fun. I mean, it's fun to build 450 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:24,320 Speaker 2: with and it's a little bit less complicated than the 451 00:22:24,359 --> 00:22:27,119 Speaker 2: small ones. You can sort of quickly put a structure together, 452 00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:31,600 Speaker 2: and they really enjoyed it. As we're transitioning into big 453 00:22:31,680 --> 00:22:33,960 Speaker 2: kid world in my house, we've actually made a choice 454 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:37,959 Speaker 2: to sort of set up some big kid areas of 455 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:42,280 Speaker 2: the house. And so in the basement there was the 456 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:44,520 Speaker 2: person who lived here before left their pool table, but 457 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:46,720 Speaker 2: it needed some work, so we actually went ahead and 458 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:50,680 Speaker 2: resurfaced it so that it is now really good for playing, 459 00:22:51,560 --> 00:22:54,640 Speaker 2: and bought a ping pong table, which is again it's 460 00:22:54,680 --> 00:22:57,280 Speaker 2: not cheap, but they're not over the top expensive. There's 461 00:22:57,280 --> 00:23:00,399 Speaker 2: definitely ones you can get or by used. There's probably 462 00:23:00,440 --> 00:23:02,080 Speaker 2: somebody moving who wants to get rid of their ping 463 00:23:02,119 --> 00:23:05,440 Speaker 2: pong table. But between the ping pong table the pool 464 00:23:05,480 --> 00:23:07,840 Speaker 2: table and the dartboard we put down in the basement. 465 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:11,480 Speaker 2: It is now like tween and teen Central, like if 466 00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:14,000 Speaker 2: you have friends over, it's something that they can go do. 467 00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:15,879 Speaker 2: And yeah, they're gonna wind up on the Xbox as well, 468 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:18,280 Speaker 2: And there's nothing wrong with the Xbox playing Fortnite, but 469 00:23:18,359 --> 00:23:21,480 Speaker 2: it gives them sort of a screen free options too. 470 00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:27,199 Speaker 2: So moving into like baby stuff, so you know, if 471 00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:29,000 Speaker 2: somebody is thinking about what they're going to buy for 472 00:23:29,040 --> 00:23:30,240 Speaker 2: their babies, Sarah, what did you like in. 473 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:33,240 Speaker 1: Terms of baby raps, like baby carriers, baby raps. 474 00:23:33,520 --> 00:23:34,560 Speaker 4: Oh, I was with you. 475 00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:38,159 Speaker 3: I was so super into Ergo, Like I I think 476 00:23:38,200 --> 00:23:39,640 Speaker 3: I might have used I know, I think I gave 477 00:23:39,640 --> 00:23:41,480 Speaker 3: it away, so I think I had two different ones. 478 00:23:41,520 --> 00:23:43,320 Speaker 3: But and then they got the Ergo three sixty. But 479 00:23:44,320 --> 00:23:47,080 Speaker 3: I know those that's not like a traditional like stretchy wrap. 480 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:49,600 Speaker 3: Those didn't work for me. My baby's got really big, 481 00:23:49,640 --> 00:23:51,840 Speaker 3: really fast, and I'm like, this is a heavy lump 482 00:23:51,840 --> 00:23:52,920 Speaker 3: in this stretchy fabric. 483 00:23:52,920 --> 00:23:53,560 Speaker 4: I can't deal. 484 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:58,720 Speaker 3: But the Ergo works from like birth to over age one. 485 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:01,960 Speaker 3: And like on every single vacation we took, there's like 486 00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:03,760 Speaker 3: a million pictures of me. If there's like a baby 487 00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:05,720 Speaker 3: under the age of one, and they're always like in 488 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:08,280 Speaker 3: the Ergo, either asleep or like happily looking around. 489 00:24:08,359 --> 00:24:11,160 Speaker 4: Like I never had a kid be upset in that thing. 490 00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:13,200 Speaker 4: It was kind of magical. 491 00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:16,040 Speaker 3: So love, love, love the Ergo, and I would buy 492 00:24:16,040 --> 00:24:19,439 Speaker 3: that for anybody having a baby that is interested in 493 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:22,760 Speaker 3: a caring option that's really really versatile and works for 494 00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:23,399 Speaker 3: a lot of people. 495 00:24:24,040 --> 00:24:25,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, we definitely like the Ergo. 496 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:28,080 Speaker 2: I had borrowed it when Ruth was a baby from 497 00:24:28,200 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 2: a friend because we were making a Disney trip and 498 00:24:31,880 --> 00:24:34,040 Speaker 2: I had my two older boys and a double stroller, 499 00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:38,560 Speaker 2: which was the Phil and Ted's double decker stroller. So 500 00:24:39,280 --> 00:24:41,040 Speaker 2: shout out here if you think you will need a 501 00:24:41,040 --> 00:24:44,560 Speaker 2: double stroller, if you are having two children, if you 502 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:48,119 Speaker 2: plan to have two children, if you have you know, 503 00:24:48,240 --> 00:24:50,480 Speaker 2: a cousin who comes with you on a lot of things, 504 00:24:50,520 --> 00:24:55,320 Speaker 2: or whatever it is. The double decker version is just 505 00:24:55,560 --> 00:24:59,840 Speaker 2: so much more convenient to move around because a side 506 00:24:59,880 --> 00:25:03,080 Speaker 2: bar side double stroller is just so wide you can 507 00:25:03,119 --> 00:25:07,920 Speaker 2: wind up with like problems with doors sometimes or anywhere 508 00:25:07,960 --> 00:25:12,399 Speaker 2: that is a narrow sidewalk or whatever, whereas a double 509 00:25:12,440 --> 00:25:15,679 Speaker 2: decker stroller, I mean, granted, the smaller child's view is 510 00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:19,160 Speaker 2: not that great because they're on the bottom, but maybe 511 00:25:19,160 --> 00:25:21,680 Speaker 2: you can put a picture up for something, or talk 512 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:23,360 Speaker 2: to them, or you know, they can still look out 513 00:25:23,359 --> 00:25:25,800 Speaker 2: the side and they can see the world going by 514 00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:29,919 Speaker 2: that way. It was just so much more flexible for 515 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:33,960 Speaker 2: moving around places. But you know, did that baby in 516 00:25:34,119 --> 00:25:37,480 Speaker 2: the ergo and you know you're transporting three children without 517 00:25:37,520 --> 00:25:40,959 Speaker 2: taking up a huge footprint of space, which has a 518 00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:43,920 Speaker 2: lot going for it. We actually bought the baby Katan 519 00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:46,240 Speaker 2: for Henry and found it was good. He would sleep 520 00:25:46,320 --> 00:25:52,000 Speaker 2: basically only in that, which has benefits sending it sent 521 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:55,639 Speaker 2: its downsides, but the upside is we were passing it 522 00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:59,600 Speaker 2: around like it was a me Michael. We had a 523 00:25:59,600 --> 00:26:02,840 Speaker 2: different summer sitter then because our baby was our normal 524 00:26:02,920 --> 00:26:05,080 Speaker 2: nanny was out on maternity leave actually as well. 525 00:26:06,119 --> 00:26:09,399 Speaker 1: But yeah, the katan was passed around. Each of us 526 00:26:09,440 --> 00:26:09,879 Speaker 1: would wear it. 527 00:26:09,880 --> 00:26:11,760 Speaker 2: He would sleep on anybody in it, but that was 528 00:26:11,800 --> 00:26:13,560 Speaker 2: the only thing he would sleep in. 529 00:26:14,400 --> 00:26:16,520 Speaker 1: I would say that in. 530 00:26:16,520 --> 00:26:19,160 Speaker 2: Terms of changing supplies, you can get this from anyone, 531 00:26:19,200 --> 00:26:23,600 Speaker 2: but a portable changing pad that folds up and has 532 00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:26,680 Speaker 2: a small wipes container on it. And then we actually 533 00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:28,280 Speaker 2: the one we use was from Baby boom. And it 534 00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:30,880 Speaker 2: had a little pacifier container on the side as well, 535 00:26:31,160 --> 00:26:33,040 Speaker 2: so that you could throw an extra passy in there. 536 00:26:33,080 --> 00:26:34,879 Speaker 2: And that's just if you had a child who was 537 00:26:34,920 --> 00:26:39,040 Speaker 2: into their pacifier. Having an extra attached to it. 538 00:26:38,960 --> 00:26:39,480 Speaker 4: Is really good. 539 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:42,280 Speaker 2: But the idea is it was small enough with just 540 00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:46,160 Speaker 2: this small wipes container, small foldable portable changer, you could 541 00:26:46,160 --> 00:26:47,040 Speaker 2: just throw it in your purse. 542 00:26:47,560 --> 00:26:47,720 Speaker 1: Right. 543 00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:50,440 Speaker 2: You can put that and two diapers like in a 544 00:26:50,560 --> 00:26:52,679 Speaker 2: ziplock bag in your purse, and then you don't actually 545 00:26:52,760 --> 00:26:55,399 Speaker 2: need like a full on diaper bag maybe, which I 546 00:26:55,720 --> 00:26:57,720 Speaker 2: never really liked carrying around diaper bags. 547 00:26:57,480 --> 00:26:57,920 Speaker 1: All that much. 548 00:26:57,960 --> 00:27:01,159 Speaker 3: So I had a backpack, a regular backpack. Actually we 549 00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:03,800 Speaker 3: still use it sometimes because it's just a black backpack. 550 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:05,720 Speaker 3: And it happened to have exactly what you're saying, like 551 00:27:05,760 --> 00:27:08,080 Speaker 3: a foldable week long since gotten rid of that part 552 00:27:08,119 --> 00:27:10,280 Speaker 3: of it, but it had like just a cute matching 553 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:12,520 Speaker 3: foldable thing that went in the backpack. 554 00:27:12,560 --> 00:27:14,800 Speaker 4: And yeah, I liked being hands free. I didn't want 555 00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:16,320 Speaker 4: anything slung around my body. 556 00:27:16,359 --> 00:27:17,879 Speaker 3: I often would have the baby on the front and 557 00:27:17,880 --> 00:27:19,359 Speaker 3: then the backpack could go in the back. 558 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:22,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, balance it out. 559 00:27:22,119 --> 00:27:24,080 Speaker 2: You know, this is how we line up with back 560 00:27:24,119 --> 00:27:26,840 Speaker 2: trouble later in life. I get carding around all these 561 00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:30,800 Speaker 2: heavy babies all the time. So in terms of so 562 00:27:30,840 --> 00:27:33,920 Speaker 2: we use the event bottles and we like those, And 563 00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:37,359 Speaker 2: then I just want to say, like baby cups, like 564 00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:39,520 Speaker 2: for kids, like once they start being able to use 565 00:27:39,560 --> 00:27:43,040 Speaker 2: straws weirdly enough, and we have kept using them. Now 566 00:27:43,119 --> 00:27:47,280 Speaker 2: we still have them, the freebie cups from Sesame place 567 00:27:47,880 --> 00:27:50,440 Speaker 2: and from Chuck E Cheese, Like both of them come 568 00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:53,560 Speaker 2: with straws and lids and they can go in the 569 00:27:53,600 --> 00:27:58,720 Speaker 2: dishwasher and they have lasted perfectly fine. We have kept 570 00:27:58,840 --> 00:28:00,719 Speaker 2: using those from you know, when the kids are like 571 00:28:01,440 --> 00:28:05,040 Speaker 2: two and stop using sippy cups, through to like six, 572 00:28:05,119 --> 00:28:07,800 Speaker 2: when they can start using normal cups and not spilling 573 00:28:07,800 --> 00:28:11,399 Speaker 2: all the time. We have just used those sometimes. You 574 00:28:11,480 --> 00:28:13,399 Speaker 2: still even use them for older kids without the lids. 575 00:28:13,440 --> 00:28:16,479 Speaker 2: But it was no need to spend extra on that. 576 00:28:16,520 --> 00:28:18,280 Speaker 2: You just throw a party at Chuck E Cheese at 577 00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:19,920 Speaker 2: some point and you wind up with like ten of them, 578 00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:22,960 Speaker 2: and your dishware needs are solved for the next six years. 579 00:28:22,960 --> 00:28:25,960 Speaker 4: Apparently, there you go. We went a little fancier. 580 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:27,360 Speaker 1: I guess what did you use? 581 00:28:28,119 --> 00:28:30,800 Speaker 3: We used Zoli for these straw cups and we had 582 00:28:30,840 --> 00:28:33,560 Speaker 3: them for many many years. They're not They lasted through 583 00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:35,880 Speaker 3: like one kid each, so I'm not sure they fit 584 00:28:35,920 --> 00:28:37,959 Speaker 3: this category. Because they have a silicon straw. You can 585 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:39,720 Speaker 3: technically replace the straw, but it's hard to do and 586 00:28:39,760 --> 00:28:41,920 Speaker 3: my kids would cheo through it, but it would last 587 00:28:41,920 --> 00:28:44,440 Speaker 3: a couple of years and they were good. And the 588 00:28:44,520 --> 00:28:46,120 Speaker 3: nice thing is they didn't spill when the kid like 589 00:28:46,160 --> 00:28:49,200 Speaker 3: threw it across the room, so that was nice. And 590 00:28:49,240 --> 00:28:52,480 Speaker 3: then Pura was my favorite, like baby water bottle, because 591 00:28:52,480 --> 00:28:53,719 Speaker 3: it had like a nice thing you could like they 592 00:28:53,720 --> 00:28:55,360 Speaker 3: would like to chew on it, I don't know, and 593 00:28:55,400 --> 00:28:58,560 Speaker 3: it was metal. I like try to avoid plastic if possible, 594 00:28:58,600 --> 00:29:02,480 Speaker 3: although tho Zoli cups were pla So those were our favorites. 595 00:29:02,520 --> 00:29:04,120 Speaker 3: We actually still have a couple of Pura that we 596 00:29:04,160 --> 00:29:06,680 Speaker 3: converted into like they have different tops so water bottles. 597 00:29:06,720 --> 00:29:10,480 Speaker 3: So it's a pretty long lasting option, longesting option. 598 00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:12,560 Speaker 2: And then in terms of pumps, I'm going to do 599 00:29:12,600 --> 00:29:15,160 Speaker 2: a shout out here for the Medella pump and style. 600 00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:18,640 Speaker 2: So I bought this baby in two thousand and seven 601 00:29:18,960 --> 00:29:24,600 Speaker 2: and proceeded to use it through to twenty twenty one 602 00:29:25,160 --> 00:29:29,680 Speaker 2: with slight gaps in there. I replaced all the like 603 00:29:29,760 --> 00:29:33,200 Speaker 2: pump parts. Obviously, I rebought the tubes and rebought other 604 00:29:33,280 --> 00:29:36,160 Speaker 2: things because they you know, that's a long time to 605 00:29:36,640 --> 00:29:39,320 Speaker 2: imagine things will last in a clean condition or anything. 606 00:29:39,360 --> 00:29:42,760 Speaker 2: But it worked fine, and in fact, for Henry, I 607 00:29:42,800 --> 00:29:46,880 Speaker 2: bought one of those hands free new pump options they had. 608 00:29:47,200 --> 00:29:47,960 Speaker 1: I didn't like it. 609 00:29:48,680 --> 00:29:51,680 Speaker 2: Maybe there are people it works for, like if you 610 00:29:51,800 --> 00:29:53,959 Speaker 2: have a job where you really need your hands and 611 00:29:54,000 --> 00:29:55,920 Speaker 2: can wear it for a long time because you know 612 00:29:56,000 --> 00:29:57,560 Speaker 2: it's not necessarily going to be the quickest thing in 613 00:29:57,600 --> 00:30:00,640 Speaker 2: the world. But for me, the Medella was it's just fine, 614 00:30:00,680 --> 00:30:02,800 Speaker 2: Like it served the purpose it was supposed to serve. 615 00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:07,880 Speaker 2: And I brought that thing everywhere for a long time 616 00:30:07,960 --> 00:30:10,760 Speaker 2: and now now it's finally done with it. 617 00:30:10,800 --> 00:30:13,440 Speaker 1: But yes, it's uh, it lasted. 618 00:30:14,280 --> 00:30:16,920 Speaker 3: I think technology still has work to do in this arena. 619 00:30:17,280 --> 00:30:18,880 Speaker 3: I mean I didn't think any of them were that great. 620 00:30:19,120 --> 00:30:21,040 Speaker 3: None of them were as good as a baby, Like none 621 00:30:21,080 --> 00:30:23,280 Speaker 3: of them are for me anyway, Well you say, of course, 622 00:30:23,280 --> 00:30:24,800 Speaker 3: I mean for some people they're better than a baby, 623 00:30:24,800 --> 00:30:26,240 Speaker 3: and they have trouble with the baby, and they're great 624 00:30:26,280 --> 00:30:29,960 Speaker 3: with the pump. For me, like, I kept upgrading or 625 00:30:30,160 --> 00:30:32,440 Speaker 3: changing it to feel like this one's gonna be awesome, 626 00:30:32,440 --> 00:30:34,680 Speaker 3: and then like, yeah, they all kind of worked, but 627 00:30:34,720 --> 00:30:37,000 Speaker 3: they all were kind of torture. So I had the 628 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:40,120 Speaker 3: Pump and Style, a hospital grade Medela, which I don't 629 00:30:40,120 --> 00:30:42,280 Speaker 3: think was in retrospect much better than the Pump and 630 00:30:42,320 --> 00:30:45,040 Speaker 3: Style and was like a rental and very expensive, and 631 00:30:45,080 --> 00:30:48,080 Speaker 3: then a Spectra, which I feel like was the pump 632 00:30:48,160 --> 00:30:50,480 Speaker 3: DuJour in like the late what do you call the 633 00:30:50,480 --> 00:30:53,600 Speaker 3: twenty tens, the late twenty tens, And now I feel 634 00:30:53,640 --> 00:30:55,680 Speaker 3: like there's all these hands free ones that people like. 635 00:30:55,760 --> 00:30:58,520 Speaker 3: So actually I do feel like I'm not qualified anymore 636 00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:01,400 Speaker 3: to weigh in here, and I'm just someone tell us 637 00:31:01,440 --> 00:31:05,320 Speaker 3: that there's something awesome available now, because I would just 638 00:31:05,400 --> 00:31:07,360 Speaker 3: hope that that's coming down the pike. 639 00:31:07,960 --> 00:31:11,520 Speaker 2: And we had a disagreement over the diaper Genie, so 640 00:31:11,600 --> 00:31:13,440 Speaker 2: this is another thing people off and buy when they 641 00:31:13,440 --> 00:31:16,360 Speaker 2: first have a kid. We just it didn't seem to 642 00:31:16,400 --> 00:31:18,560 Speaker 2: really contain the smell for us, and then it just 643 00:31:18,600 --> 00:31:20,560 Speaker 2: be you know, one more thing to think about, like 644 00:31:20,600 --> 00:31:22,920 Speaker 2: when you have a kid and you're there with the diaper, 645 00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:24,719 Speaker 2: like having to twist it into there as opposed to 646 00:31:24,720 --> 00:31:27,160 Speaker 2: just like throwing it in a trash can and then 647 00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:29,920 Speaker 2: taking the trash out frequently. That tends to be what 648 00:31:29,960 --> 00:31:32,400 Speaker 2: we wound up doing. When you're a busy household, you're 649 00:31:32,400 --> 00:31:34,600 Speaker 2: taking out the trash pretty much every day anyway, so 650 00:31:34,640 --> 00:31:36,720 Speaker 2: it's not lingering in there all that long. 651 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:40,440 Speaker 4: So you know, that was our experience. I love that thing. 652 00:31:40,640 --> 00:31:42,280 Speaker 4: We kept it. 653 00:31:42,560 --> 00:31:45,680 Speaker 3: We use it for all the kids. Yeah, I felt 654 00:31:45,720 --> 00:31:48,120 Speaker 3: like it did eliminate the smell. And I guess in 655 00:31:48,160 --> 00:31:50,360 Speaker 3: like kids rooms and stuff, I don't usually pick out 656 00:31:50,400 --> 00:31:52,000 Speaker 3: the trash every day. We take out like the kitchen 657 00:31:52,040 --> 00:31:54,760 Speaker 3: trash every day. But it was able to contain things 658 00:31:54,760 --> 00:31:56,960 Speaker 3: for usually several days in a row. I mean, I 659 00:31:56,960 --> 00:31:58,560 Speaker 3: did hate when you get to the end and you're like, 660 00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:01,480 Speaker 3: goddamn it, like it's this is the worst diaper and 661 00:32:01,520 --> 00:32:04,920 Speaker 3: now like I have to, you know, empty it just 662 00:32:04,920 --> 00:32:06,640 Speaker 3: when this baby is like crying and sitting on the 663 00:32:06,640 --> 00:32:09,640 Speaker 3: thing whatever. So it had its downsides, but we actually, 664 00:32:09,760 --> 00:32:11,960 Speaker 3: we actually did get a lot of use out of 665 00:32:11,960 --> 00:32:12,880 Speaker 3: our diaper. Genie. 666 00:32:13,120 --> 00:32:15,320 Speaker 4: We did not have a snow. Did you have a snow? 667 00:32:15,960 --> 00:32:19,080 Speaker 2: I bought the snow for Henry because you know, why not. 668 00:32:19,200 --> 00:32:21,440 Speaker 2: It was the hip thing, right, like going to try 669 00:32:21,480 --> 00:32:21,800 Speaker 2: it out. 670 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:24,840 Speaker 1: It was okay, I don't know. 671 00:32:24,960 --> 00:32:28,560 Speaker 2: I mean it was there were occasional times when I 672 00:32:28,560 --> 00:32:30,959 Speaker 2: think it maybe soothed him a little bit. But remember 673 00:32:31,000 --> 00:32:32,680 Speaker 2: this is the kid who only wanted to nap in 674 00:32:32,720 --> 00:32:37,080 Speaker 2: the guiton, so it was just not going to be 675 00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:40,400 Speaker 2: the equivalent of napping on a human being no matter 676 00:32:40,560 --> 00:32:41,200 Speaker 2: what you do. 677 00:32:41,280 --> 00:32:42,960 Speaker 1: And so I. 678 00:32:42,920 --> 00:32:47,240 Speaker 2: Mean it was fine, but I don't know if I 679 00:32:47,280 --> 00:32:49,520 Speaker 2: would call it a miraculous. 680 00:32:49,480 --> 00:32:52,120 Speaker 4: Sort of thing. So not a magical solution. Not a 681 00:32:52,120 --> 00:32:52,920 Speaker 4: magical solution. 682 00:32:53,200 --> 00:32:54,840 Speaker 3: Well good, it makes me feel better that I never 683 00:32:55,120 --> 00:32:55,480 Speaker 3: tried it. 684 00:32:55,680 --> 00:32:59,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, why do we go ahead to clothes? Can 685 00:32:59,480 --> 00:33:02,600 Speaker 1: we move on to close? I mean, just a real 686 00:33:02,680 --> 00:33:03,640 Speaker 1: quick thing here. 687 00:33:03,680 --> 00:33:06,400 Speaker 2: I mean, one of the first things you realize as 688 00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:08,320 Speaker 2: a new parent is that your kid grows out of 689 00:33:08,360 --> 00:33:11,959 Speaker 2: those newborn and zero to three month things like fast, 690 00:33:13,720 --> 00:33:16,400 Speaker 2: probably probably in less than three months, which is not 691 00:33:16,480 --> 00:33:19,720 Speaker 2: a long time anyway. So you know, you can wind 692 00:33:19,800 --> 00:33:21,520 Speaker 2: up with a lot of zero to three clothes if 693 00:33:21,560 --> 00:33:23,440 Speaker 2: you're thinking like, oh, that's the first size I should buy, 694 00:33:23,480 --> 00:33:25,280 Speaker 2: and then you know you might not even wear some 695 00:33:25,400 --> 00:33:27,360 Speaker 2: of it because it just you know, your kids in 696 00:33:27,360 --> 00:33:30,320 Speaker 2: pajamas all the time or who knows, just onesies if 697 00:33:30,360 --> 00:33:34,200 Speaker 2: it's warm. But then so you can ask for bigger 698 00:33:34,240 --> 00:33:37,240 Speaker 2: clothes for people you know, or just get a few 699 00:33:37,280 --> 00:33:38,960 Speaker 2: hand me downs of the zero to three size and 700 00:33:39,040 --> 00:33:41,960 Speaker 2: like something cute for a photo, but then you don't 701 00:33:41,960 --> 00:33:43,640 Speaker 2: have to worry about it that much and pass them 702 00:33:43,680 --> 00:33:44,680 Speaker 2: on when you're done as well. 703 00:33:45,320 --> 00:33:47,880 Speaker 3: That's true secondhand for zero to three, especially if you 704 00:33:47,960 --> 00:33:49,800 Speaker 3: want to get some like higher end things. Often they're 705 00:33:49,840 --> 00:33:53,200 Speaker 3: like unused because people do get so many as gifts 706 00:33:53,240 --> 00:33:54,960 Speaker 3: that then they use thirty percent of them and the 707 00:33:54,960 --> 00:33:57,440 Speaker 3: rest of them go on eBay or Poshmark or whatever. 708 00:33:57,560 --> 00:34:00,360 Speaker 3: So that that is a great place to say about 709 00:34:00,440 --> 00:34:02,560 Speaker 3: I do feel like I have like fond attachments to 710 00:34:02,560 --> 00:34:04,560 Speaker 3: some of my kids newborn outfits and zero to three, 711 00:34:04,720 --> 00:34:06,280 Speaker 3: not that I have them physically, like I don't keep 712 00:34:06,320 --> 00:34:09,040 Speaker 3: that stuff, but I like the pictures and like those 713 00:34:09,040 --> 00:34:11,040 Speaker 3: are going to be the pictures you look at again 714 00:34:11,080 --> 00:34:13,400 Speaker 3: and again and again during those very special like first 715 00:34:13,400 --> 00:34:16,480 Speaker 3: month periods, And so I'm kind of glad that we 716 00:34:16,520 --> 00:34:18,319 Speaker 3: did have a few really nice things. But I agree 717 00:34:18,360 --> 00:34:21,360 Speaker 3: you do not need high volume whatsoever. So maybe just 718 00:34:21,400 --> 00:34:26,520 Speaker 3: a couple of really cute, memorable outfits and again looking secondhand, 719 00:34:26,520 --> 00:34:28,840 Speaker 3: maybe great for that age range. 720 00:34:29,280 --> 00:34:30,520 Speaker 1: What brands have you found? 721 00:34:30,560 --> 00:34:32,799 Speaker 2: Yeah? Have you because I know you've used some for 722 00:34:32,840 --> 00:34:35,840 Speaker 2: both of your girls. Oh yeah, Oh my gosh. The 723 00:34:35,920 --> 00:34:38,759 Speaker 2: number of Mini Boden and Tea collection items that have 724 00:34:38,920 --> 00:34:42,239 Speaker 2: made it from Annabel to Genevieve is actually a high 725 00:34:42,280 --> 00:34:47,040 Speaker 2: high percentage. Dresses, even legging, sometimes sweatpants, jean shorts, like 726 00:34:47,080 --> 00:34:51,040 Speaker 2: sweater everything, so those tend to last more than the 727 00:34:51,160 --> 00:34:54,360 Speaker 2: target stuff that gets like stretched out and just doesn't 728 00:34:54,520 --> 00:34:56,759 Speaker 2: seem to make it, or maybe it's trendier. I don't 729 00:34:56,800 --> 00:34:58,959 Speaker 2: know what it is, but their stuff really does seem 730 00:34:58,960 --> 00:35:02,080 Speaker 2: to last. I love Gap for like really durable basics 731 00:35:02,080 --> 00:35:05,520 Speaker 2: like pajamas and swim and that kind of stuff. And 732 00:35:05,719 --> 00:35:08,400 Speaker 2: I would say Land's end is like a very if 733 00:35:08,440 --> 00:35:11,000 Speaker 2: we need something utilitarian like a fleece or a school 734 00:35:11,080 --> 00:35:12,920 Speaker 2: uniform stuff, I feel like they have good stuff at 735 00:35:12,920 --> 00:35:16,759 Speaker 2: really nice prices. And for shoes, Natives and Crocs and 736 00:35:16,800 --> 00:35:19,520 Speaker 2: then Nike Flex Runners. I don't know how many of 737 00:35:19,520 --> 00:35:22,080 Speaker 2: those I've bought. They're actually not the most durable shoes 738 00:35:22,719 --> 00:35:23,600 Speaker 2: or I have very. 739 00:35:23,480 --> 00:35:24,760 Speaker 1: Rough well kids shoes. 740 00:35:24,800 --> 00:35:26,120 Speaker 2: I mean, I think it's a that would be a 741 00:35:26,200 --> 00:35:28,879 Speaker 2: high bar if you could like last and pass those down. 742 00:35:28,880 --> 00:35:30,640 Speaker 1: I mean, kids wear them, they get dirty, they. 743 00:35:30,840 --> 00:35:31,799 Speaker 4: They're passed down. 744 00:35:31,880 --> 00:35:33,319 Speaker 1: No, no, no, I've just bought a lot of them. 745 00:35:33,400 --> 00:35:35,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a brand. Yeah, We've done a lot of 746 00:35:35,440 --> 00:35:37,480 Speaker 2: Nike Flex Runners too. I mean, because they slip on 747 00:35:37,600 --> 00:35:40,080 Speaker 2: and kids like not having to tie. I mean, I'm 748 00:35:40,200 --> 00:35:42,240 Speaker 2: I feel like tying maybe like a skill that children 749 00:35:42,320 --> 00:35:44,759 Speaker 2: don't even learn anymore. I mean because I mean we've 750 00:35:44,760 --> 00:35:46,600 Speaker 2: done like kissick shoes as well for some of the 751 00:35:46,640 --> 00:35:50,439 Speaker 2: kids that you just slip them on this maybe throw 752 00:35:50,480 --> 00:35:52,520 Speaker 2: them for a loop when they're finally like needing athletic 753 00:35:52,640 --> 00:35:56,279 Speaker 2: shoes or dressed shoes, like, wait, I have to tie this? 754 00:35:57,000 --> 00:35:59,920 Speaker 2: How does that even work? There'd be lots of bunny 755 00:36:00,360 --> 00:36:04,360 Speaker 2: or something in adults. I would say that just a 756 00:36:04,400 --> 00:36:08,680 Speaker 2: couple of things that we have used a lot. We 757 00:36:08,800 --> 00:36:13,800 Speaker 2: have this one baby bigosh snowsuit that's like an eighteen 758 00:36:13,840 --> 00:36:18,880 Speaker 2: month snowsuit and literally my older brother's kids wore it. 759 00:36:19,520 --> 00:36:23,319 Speaker 2: My kids all wore it. It has just lasted this 760 00:36:23,440 --> 00:36:28,440 Speaker 2: whole time. We also have this Lllbean full body fleece 761 00:36:28,920 --> 00:36:31,920 Speaker 2: that is again it's about an eighteen month size, and 762 00:36:31,960 --> 00:36:34,200 Speaker 2: the kids could wear it because it's you know, it 763 00:36:34,239 --> 00:36:35,840 Speaker 2: doesn't need to be a certain size necessarily. 764 00:36:35,840 --> 00:36:37,040 Speaker 1: They wore it from about the time. 765 00:36:36,880 --> 00:36:38,879 Speaker 2: There were nine months to two years, more or less 766 00:36:39,080 --> 00:36:41,239 Speaker 2: if you get the eighteen month size, but it's a. 767 00:36:41,160 --> 00:36:44,920 Speaker 1: Full body fleece and we called it the Snoogie. 768 00:36:45,440 --> 00:36:48,400 Speaker 2: And little children obviously you can't put blankets in the 769 00:36:48,440 --> 00:36:50,839 Speaker 2: crib with them because it's a hazard. So they need 770 00:36:50,880 --> 00:36:54,560 Speaker 2: warm stuff on them, and you know it's hard to 771 00:36:54,600 --> 00:36:57,880 Speaker 2: make the house warm for comfortable for them and the 772 00:36:57,920 --> 00:37:00,200 Speaker 2: adults sleeper or whatever. So you know, you put them 773 00:37:00,200 --> 00:37:03,359 Speaker 2: in pajamas and then put the snoogie over it when 774 00:37:03,400 --> 00:37:07,400 Speaker 2: you are in the winter months, and it helped them 775 00:37:07,480 --> 00:37:10,879 Speaker 2: sleep better because they were nice and cozy. So big 776 00:37:10,920 --> 00:37:12,680 Speaker 2: shout out to that. And again it's one of those 777 00:37:12,680 --> 00:37:14,719 Speaker 2: things that my older brother's kids wore like. I have 778 00:37:14,800 --> 00:37:18,480 Speaker 2: this distinct memory of my niece, who would have been 779 00:37:19,239 --> 00:37:22,319 Speaker 2: twenty months old, coming to say goodbye to me when 780 00:37:22,360 --> 00:37:25,240 Speaker 2: I got on the bus to go to the airport 781 00:37:25,239 --> 00:37:27,920 Speaker 2: to go to Australia for several months her study abroad. 782 00:37:28,680 --> 00:37:32,439 Speaker 2: She was in this fleece and my brother joked about 783 00:37:32,480 --> 00:37:34,520 Speaker 2: it being sort of elf gear because it's got a 784 00:37:34,520 --> 00:37:36,960 Speaker 2: pointed hat and now my babies of all warn them 785 00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:38,600 Speaker 2: Like I had a baby wearing this in like twenty 786 00:37:38,640 --> 00:37:41,359 Speaker 2: twenty one. So this thing went from the year two 787 00:37:41,400 --> 00:37:45,640 Speaker 2: thousand to the year to twenty twenty one with not 788 00:37:45,719 --> 00:37:49,040 Speaker 2: continuous use obviously, but a lot of use during that time. 789 00:37:49,120 --> 00:37:54,799 Speaker 2: So shout out to Elbean for doing that. And that's 790 00:37:54,840 --> 00:37:59,200 Speaker 2: truly stuff that lasts. Shout out to the name Snoogie Snoogie. 791 00:37:59,640 --> 00:38:03,719 Speaker 2: Well know, my kids were all snooky bear too. I 792 00:38:03,719 --> 00:38:07,760 Speaker 2: call them snooky bears. They're in they're snoogies, So. 793 00:38:08,680 --> 00:38:09,120 Speaker 4: I love it. 794 00:38:09,160 --> 00:38:13,239 Speaker 2: Those the nicknames wind up lasting too, which is a 795 00:38:13,280 --> 00:38:16,360 Speaker 2: funny thing. And then so real quick, just a shout 796 00:38:16,360 --> 00:38:20,840 Speaker 2: out for some food items. Obviously food doesn't last, but 797 00:38:21,520 --> 00:38:23,520 Speaker 2: things we've wind up using a lot of if you 798 00:38:23,560 --> 00:38:26,360 Speaker 2: happen to have highly selective eaters, I'll just do a 799 00:38:26,360 --> 00:38:29,960 Speaker 2: shout out here that Kirkland makes a brand of pouch. 800 00:38:30,320 --> 00:38:34,440 Speaker 2: This costcos brand pouch apple sauce that has veggies in it, 801 00:38:34,520 --> 00:38:38,359 Speaker 2: like spinach puree, carrot pure If there's no other way 802 00:38:38,360 --> 00:38:40,640 Speaker 2: you're getting veggies into the kid, that's one way to 803 00:38:40,680 --> 00:38:43,319 Speaker 2: do it. And Stonyfield Yogurt also has a brand in 804 00:38:43,400 --> 00:38:48,200 Speaker 2: pouches that has a beat berry flavor, which is fine 805 00:38:48,239 --> 00:38:51,040 Speaker 2: for kids who like berry flavored yogurt. And they also 806 00:38:51,080 --> 00:38:53,600 Speaker 2: have a peach mango spinach one where spinach pure is 807 00:38:53,600 --> 00:38:56,080 Speaker 2: again it's like the second or third ingredient, so there 808 00:38:56,160 --> 00:38:58,040 Speaker 2: is some in there if you're not getting it into 809 00:38:58,040 --> 00:38:58,840 Speaker 2: them anyway. 810 00:38:59,160 --> 00:39:01,040 Speaker 3: Both of those so many many times, you're right, those 811 00:39:01,080 --> 00:39:01,680 Speaker 3: are classics. 812 00:39:01,760 --> 00:39:03,319 Speaker 1: That is the way to do it, Sarah. You have 813 00:39:03,600 --> 00:39:05,920 Speaker 1: some lunch stuff that you guys use, and. 814 00:39:05,840 --> 00:39:07,680 Speaker 3: They've been mentioned on the podcast before, and then I 815 00:39:07,719 --> 00:39:09,919 Speaker 3: always get a million emails because like they're like, wait, 816 00:39:09,920 --> 00:39:17,880 Speaker 3: what but we've had our metal metal boxes for sorry. 817 00:39:17,120 --> 00:39:20,919 Speaker 1: I interrupted yet, Okay, all right, it's coming. Okay. 818 00:39:20,920 --> 00:39:24,839 Speaker 3: They're called lunch bots b ot st as in tree, 819 00:39:25,040 --> 00:39:27,759 Speaker 3: so not lunch box lunch bots. You can get them 820 00:39:27,760 --> 00:39:30,080 Speaker 3: on Amazon. I think they have their own website as well, 821 00:39:30,840 --> 00:39:33,920 Speaker 3: and they're metal lunch containers. And I think we got 822 00:39:33,920 --> 00:39:36,080 Speaker 3: them when anibubble was like in preschool, and we still 823 00:39:36,480 --> 00:39:39,759 Speaker 3: have them, like many of them, and just year after 824 00:39:39,880 --> 00:39:41,680 Speaker 3: year they just go in the dishwasher. They don't rust, 825 00:39:41,719 --> 00:39:43,560 Speaker 3: they don't stay, and they don't collect food. They just 826 00:39:43,920 --> 00:39:46,680 Speaker 3: last and last. The only problem with them now is 827 00:39:46,680 --> 00:39:49,520 Speaker 3: that my kids are eating more than they fit, and 828 00:39:49,600 --> 00:39:52,360 Speaker 3: so we still use them. We just pack additional items, 829 00:39:52,360 --> 00:39:54,560 Speaker 3: so lunch bots with all kinds of snacks in it 830 00:39:54,560 --> 00:39:57,040 Speaker 3: plus a sandwich instead of like that being the main lunch. 831 00:39:57,560 --> 00:40:00,560 Speaker 3: But they're just they're great, and we use neopre lunch sacks. 832 00:40:00,560 --> 00:40:02,279 Speaker 3: I've we've talked about that before because I like my 833 00:40:02,400 --> 00:40:04,480 Speaker 3: lunch pouches to be able to go in the laundry, 834 00:40:05,040 --> 00:40:08,439 Speaker 3: washer and dryer because my kids are very messy and 835 00:40:08,719 --> 00:40:10,880 Speaker 3: this helps awesome. 836 00:40:11,400 --> 00:40:12,960 Speaker 2: Well, this has kind of been an all love of 837 00:40:13,000 --> 00:40:14,920 Speaker 2: the Week episode, so I guess we don't have a 838 00:40:15,000 --> 00:40:16,400 Speaker 2: separate love of the week. 839 00:40:17,080 --> 00:40:18,000 Speaker 1: Do we have a question? 840 00:40:18,719 --> 00:40:20,439 Speaker 3: I thought we did, but I don't see it here, 841 00:40:20,520 --> 00:40:22,640 Speaker 3: So I think we can just call it because we're 842 00:40:22,680 --> 00:40:25,920 Speaker 3: at forty minutes and it alone or by now you 843 00:40:25,960 --> 00:40:28,120 Speaker 3: want to check off this episode and move on with 844 00:40:28,160 --> 00:40:28,640 Speaker 3: your day, We. 845 00:40:28,760 --> 00:40:30,560 Speaker 2: Move on with your day exactly. You're at work now, 846 00:40:30,600 --> 00:40:33,399 Speaker 2: you've major forty minute commute. You're done, all right, Well, 847 00:40:33,440 --> 00:40:35,880 Speaker 2: this has been best of both worlds. We've been talking 848 00:40:36,200 --> 00:40:39,319 Speaker 2: lots of our favorite kid products and things that have 849 00:40:39,520 --> 00:40:42,160 Speaker 2: lasted over the years. You know, if you have a 850 00:40:42,160 --> 00:40:44,840 Speaker 2: specific question about any of these or If you have 851 00:40:44,920 --> 00:40:47,279 Speaker 2: a recommendation of something that has lasted for you, feel 852 00:40:47,280 --> 00:40:51,200 Speaker 2: free to email me. It's Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. 853 00:40:51,200 --> 00:40:52,719 Speaker 2: I would love to hear about it, or you can 854 00:40:52,760 --> 00:40:56,480 Speaker 2: post on either of our blogs. I'm Laura vandercam dot com. 855 00:40:56,600 --> 00:41:00,800 Speaker 2: Sarah is the shoe Box, so thche s h U 856 00:41:01,360 --> 00:41:03,680 Speaker 2: b o X dot com. We would love to hear 857 00:41:03,719 --> 00:41:07,040 Speaker 2: your recommendations because probably there's some other helpful product out 858 00:41:07,040 --> 00:41:08,920 Speaker 2: there that we didn't make it through even with eight 859 00:41:09,000 --> 00:41:11,160 Speaker 2: children between us, so we'd love to learn about that. 860 00:41:11,640 --> 00:41:13,440 Speaker 2: In the meantime, we will be back next week with 861 00:41:13,520 --> 00:41:15,640 Speaker 2: more on making work and life fit together. 862 00:41:17,719 --> 00:41:18,560 Speaker 4: Thanks for listening. 863 00:41:18,800 --> 00:41:21,880 Speaker 3: You can find me Sarah at the shoebox dot com 864 00:41:22,000 --> 00:41:25,719 Speaker 3: or at the Underscore Shoebox on Instagram, and you. 865 00:41:25,600 --> 00:41:29,879 Speaker 2: Can find me Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. This 866 00:41:29,920 --> 00:41:33,200 Speaker 2: has been the best of both worlds podcasts. Please join 867 00:41:33,280 --> 00:41:36,000 Speaker 2: us next time for more on making work and life 868 00:41:36,120 --> 00:41:36,800 Speaker 2: work together.