1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of my Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:15,200 Speaker 1: Good Morning. This is Laura, Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:20,320 Speaker 1: Today's tip is that a good weekend is one where 4 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:24,600 Speaker 1: every family member has something to look forward to. That 5 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:28,760 Speaker 1: includes the adults as well. Everyone can have their fun. 6 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:34,199 Speaker 1: I promise that there is enough time. You just have 7 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 1: to think it through. So I tend to be the 8 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:42,479 Speaker 1: weekend planner in my household. Since you are listening to 9 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:46,919 Speaker 1: this podcast, my guess is that you are too, and 10 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 1: creating a good weekend can be tough. There are always 11 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:55,120 Speaker 1: the things you have to do. There are also things 12 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 1: that certain family members might want to do, like play 13 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 1: dates or birthday part theaser, various kid activities. Then there 14 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:07,600 Speaker 1: are the adults. Believe it or not, sometimes adults want 15 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 1: to do things on their weekends. Though we tend to 16 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:13,760 Speaker 1: chuck stuff like getting together with friends when the schedule 17 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 1: gets complicated, or we expend so much energy scheduling other 18 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 1: people's things that we don't schedule our own things. Unfortunately, 19 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 1: that can be a recipe for feeling like weekends are 20 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:30,759 Speaker 1: no fun whatsoever, And honestly, they aren't that fun when 21 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:33,559 Speaker 1: all it is is carting people around and running errands. 22 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:36,679 Speaker 1: We tend to get our free time with late night 23 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:41,120 Speaker 1: screen sessions and puttering. It's not as fun as other options, 24 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:44,680 Speaker 1: but it doesn't require planning, and if we've got enough 25 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 1: going on, we assume that is the only choice. But 26 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:53,280 Speaker 1: it's seldom is. And I say this as a veteran 27 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 1: weekend planner who is dealing with five kids of various ages. 28 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 1: It does require being a to think through logistics. It 29 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 1: requires being willing to treat weekends as important and fun 30 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:11,800 Speaker 1: as important too. So spend some time a few days 31 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 1: ahead of the weekend thinking through what you'd like to do. 32 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:20,320 Speaker 1: I'd recommend doing this by Wednesday night. Indeed, you could 33 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 1: set a recurring calendar reminder for Wednesday night to think 34 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 1: this through. If your life is more complicated, you might 35 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:30,959 Speaker 1: need to start earlier. But some stuff isn't clear until 36 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:33,840 Speaker 1: midway through the week. And unless you live somewhere that 37 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:36,640 Speaker 1: the weather is always the same, this is going to 38 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 1: affect stuff too. Meeting your friend with kids the same 39 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:43,399 Speaker 1: age at that new playground is going to be more 40 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 1: fun on the day that it is sunny in sixty 41 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 1: degrees than the day when it is rainy and forty 42 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:54,400 Speaker 1: degrees best to plan around that reality. One of the 43 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 1: best ways to ensure that everyone has their fun is 44 00:02:57,040 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 1: to plot out combination adventures. Maybe you, the adult, really 45 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:05,560 Speaker 1: wants to see an art museum it happens to be 46 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 1: located near an outdoor ice skating rink that the kids 47 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:12,799 Speaker 1: would like to try. So Saturday, you spend an hour 48 00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 1: at the museum and go to the rink, and then 49 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:17,960 Speaker 1: maybe you get a late lunch afterwards at a restaurant 50 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:22,399 Speaker 1: all of you would like. Voila a combo adventure where 51 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 1: no one feels to put out because you've all gotten 52 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:29,799 Speaker 1: something to look forward to. Perhaps you can take advantage 53 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 1: of Half to do is to fit in fun as well. 54 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 1: Put the bike rack on the car and while one 55 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:38,440 Speaker 1: child has their ninety minute ballet class, the parents and 56 00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 1: the other kid or kids go bike on a trail nearby. 57 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:45,320 Speaker 1: Ask kids if there are friends they'd like to see. 58 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 1: I try to choose certain slots of the weekend for 59 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:50,680 Speaker 1: play dates and keep track of who has gotten to 60 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 1: get together with people recently. Look for ways to fit 61 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: in adult fund too, perhaps unorthodox times. If one kid 62 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:04,000 Speaker 1: has a soccer practice near another softball practice, the parents 63 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 1: can drive each kid and then meet up for a 64 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 1: thirty minute walk together before returning to each child's event. 65 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 1: You could meet a friend during this time too, or 66 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 1: you can use the early hours if you are willing 67 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 1: to give up on the idea of sleeping in on weekends. 68 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:25,720 Speaker 1: This opens up all sorts of possibilities. Each parent can 69 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:29,479 Speaker 1: have one morning off. You could sleep, or you could 70 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 1: go meet a friend for a twenty mile bike ride. 71 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:34,599 Speaker 1: If you are disciplined about your sleep during the week 72 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:37,720 Speaker 1: and going to bed on time, the bike ride could 73 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:41,960 Speaker 1: work just fine. If you have really little kids, a 74 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:45,680 Speaker 1: few hours of childcare can help too. It can be 75 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:49,160 Speaker 1: a babysitter, or maybe your gym has childcare so you 76 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 1: can take that class you've been dying to try out. 77 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:57,360 Speaker 1: You just have to decide to do it. Anyway, come 78 00:04:57,440 --> 00:04:59,120 Speaker 1: up with a rough schedule and share it with the 79 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:02,440 Speaker 1: others in your house hold. There may be suggestions or 80 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:04,640 Speaker 1: feedback which you can take or take with a grain 81 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:07,520 Speaker 1: of salt. I tend to think that if people are 82 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:11,120 Speaker 1: relying on you planning their weekends, then they have a 83 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:15,799 Speaker 1: certain obligation to go along with what you plan. Perhaps 84 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:18,920 Speaker 1: some might disagree with this, but a party who wishes 85 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:22,960 Speaker 1: to do nothing on a weekend. Cannot foist this choice 86 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:28,159 Speaker 1: on everyone else either. There has to be compromised, and 87 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 1: no matter what happens, there will be some downtime. It's 88 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 1: just a question of how much. But one of the 89 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:39,680 Speaker 1: best ways to bring a grumbler along is to make 90 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:42,000 Speaker 1: sure that you have planned in time for him or 91 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:46,120 Speaker 1: her to have some fun too. My husband doesn't grumble 92 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:48,799 Speaker 1: about the plans I make, but even so I always 93 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:50,600 Speaker 1: make sure there is time for him to go to 94 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:54,080 Speaker 1: the gym and go for a run. He may need 95 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:57,240 Speaker 1: to be flexible on when it happens, but I do 96 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:00,760 Speaker 1: make it happen, which means he can cover for me 97 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:06,280 Speaker 1: at other times. Everyone can have their fun, and on 98 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:11,800 Speaker 1: a good weekend everyone does, so why not challenge yourself 99 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:17,280 Speaker 1: to make it happen, including some fun for you. It 100 00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:23,039 Speaker 1: takes a little creativity, but time is vast. It can work, 101 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 1: and even a few hours on a weekend can go 102 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:29,920 Speaker 1: a long way towards changing the narrative of life being 103 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:35,359 Speaker 1: a slog to life being pretty cool. That is worth 104 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:42,200 Speaker 1: some planning work in the meantime. This is Laura, Thanks 105 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:53,680 Speaker 1: for listening, and here's to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody. 106 00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 1: I'd love to hear from you. You can send me 107 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 1: your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with 108 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:04,120 Speaker 1: me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod 109 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:09,159 Speaker 1: that's b E the number four, then Breakfast p o D. 110 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:13,520 Speaker 1: You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast podcast. 111 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:16,480 Speaker 1: At i heeart media dot com that Before Breakfast is 112 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:19,280 Speaker 1: spelled out with all the letters. Thanks so much, I 113 00:07:19,320 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 1: look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a 114 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:30,680 Speaker 1: production of I heart Radio. 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