1 00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 1: Hi. I'm Laura Vanderkamp. I'm a mother of five, an author, journalist, 2 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:14,520 Speaker 1: and speaker. 3 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:19,240 Speaker 2: And I'm Sarah hart Hunger, a mother of three, practicing physician, writer, 4 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 2: and course creator. We are two working parents who love 5 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:24,080 Speaker 2: our careers and our families. 6 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:27,400 Speaker 1: Welcome to best of both worlds. Here we talk about 7 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 1: how real women manage work, family, and time for fun. 8 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 1: From figuring out childcare to mapping out long term career goals. 9 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 1: We want you to get the most out of life. 10 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 1: Welcome to best of both worlds. This is Laura. This 11 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:46,840 Speaker 1: episode is airing in late February of twenty twenty four. 12 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 1: We are going to be talking about planning your summer now. Now. 13 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:55,400 Speaker 1: I imagine that many people hearing this are being like, wait, Laura, Sarah, 14 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:57,920 Speaker 1: this is late February, or perhaps you are listening to 15 00:00:57,960 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 1: this later in the week and it is early March. 16 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:04,040 Speaker 1: Why are we talking summer now? Well, we will, of 17 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 1: course talk about summer during summer too, It's always a 18 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:09,320 Speaker 1: favorite topic of ours. But now is actually a really 19 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:13,360 Speaker 1: good time to think through your summer for a few reasons. 20 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:16,680 Speaker 1: I mean, one, you can view this time holistically, like 21 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 1: looking at the whole map of the summer and sort 22 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:21,160 Speaker 1: of balancing the different things you might want to spend 23 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:26,399 Speaker 1: your time doing, whether that's vacations or days off when 24 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:29,320 Speaker 1: people don't have anything, sort of staycations, the camps your 25 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 1: kids might be in. What weeks for that, so you 26 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 1: can view the whole time holistically, kind of setting your 27 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 1: budget for the summer if that's something you want to do. 28 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 1: But you're also more likely to get things you want 29 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:41,360 Speaker 1: if you think about this three to six months ahead 30 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 1: of time in terms of both vacation bookings, days off 31 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:48,800 Speaker 1: at work, camp sessions, and something that matters for a 32 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 1: lot of people listening to this podcast, you are less 33 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:54,560 Speaker 1: likely to wind up with gaps in childcare, which of 34 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:57,240 Speaker 1: course is a major stressor for a lot of people 35 00:01:57,240 --> 00:01:59,800 Speaker 1: who have younger school age kids, you know, five to 36 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 1: time ten years old school and maybe after care is 37 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:05,520 Speaker 1: your primary childcare and all of a sudden that's gone 38 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:09,040 Speaker 1: for this summer and maybe the options don't completely cover it. 39 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:11,359 Speaker 1: So we would definitely want to talk about that, and 40 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 1: you know, encourage you, if you haven't thought about your 41 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 1: summer yet, to block out some time in the next 42 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:18,519 Speaker 1: week or two to give it a thought. Yes, first, 43 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 1: in a non logistical thing. Sarah, what are you most 44 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:22,120 Speaker 1: looking forward to this summer? 45 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 2: I am most looking forward to our family trip, which 46 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 2: we try to do something every year. We're only doing 47 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:31,440 Speaker 2: like a maybe week in a day a length trip 48 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:34,560 Speaker 2: this summer, so no big two week extravaganza like we 49 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:37,760 Speaker 2: enjoyed last summer. But we are planning to hit New England, 50 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 2: which should hopefully have better weather than we have down 51 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:43,000 Speaker 2: in Florida. So super excited about that. We're going to 52 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:45,239 Speaker 2: go to New Hampshire where I spent a lot of 53 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 2: summers as a kid. That sounds like really like fancy, 54 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:50,120 Speaker 2: but it wasn't at all like my grandparents. I guess 55 00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:51,960 Speaker 2: they would run a house and my parents would take 56 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:55,640 Speaker 2: advantage of the free condo room and we would squeeze 57 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:57,359 Speaker 2: in and we'd be like sleeping on the porch and 58 00:02:57,600 --> 00:02:59,800 Speaker 2: it was lovely. There was lots of loons and lakes, 59 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:03,320 Speaker 2: little creeks and things, and so I'm excited to give 60 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:05,840 Speaker 2: my kids that experience. And then I think partly inspired 61 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 2: by you, Laura, and also shout out to Kay again, 62 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 2: who has been like we're gonna have to have her 63 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:12,520 Speaker 2: on again because we mentioned her a lot, but I 64 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 2: got her vacation itinerary and I'm definitely gonna do mean 65 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:18,840 Speaker 2: because it definitely seems like a Katie National Park is 66 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:22,600 Speaker 2: a place not to be missed. So I hope this 67 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:24,959 Speaker 2: episode gets all of you in the mood to plan, 68 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:26,920 Speaker 2: because I have to say this has hit me at 69 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:29,000 Speaker 2: a time and I'm like, ugh, I have to do this, 70 00:03:29,600 --> 00:03:32,880 Speaker 2: and it doesn't feel seasonal or fun right now. But 71 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:36,240 Speaker 2: maybe by listening to us chat about it, it will 72 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 2: get you more excited to just go ahead and pull 73 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:41,000 Speaker 2: the trigger on some of these things for the summer, 74 00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 2: because it is true, as we'll discuss, that some of 75 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:47,840 Speaker 2: this stuff can become a little bit trickier the longer 76 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 2: you wait. So we're hoping to inspire you today. 77 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, I love a Katie. Katie is amazing. If anyone 78 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:55,240 Speaker 1: hasn't gone, you should go. I have gone like four 79 00:03:55,240 --> 00:03:57,720 Speaker 1: times now because it's park you can get to in 80 00:03:57,760 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 1: a two hour flight from as opposed to heading out 81 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 1: to Yosemite, which is a bit of a more of 82 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:07,400 Speaker 1: an excursion, but it's very beautiful. Definitely check it out. 83 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 1: I love going sort of end of summer because far 84 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 1: north Maine it's starting to be fall and so it's 85 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 1: like this bonus fall even though it's still your summer vacation. 86 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:17,479 Speaker 1: So anyway, put that out there for anyone whose kids 87 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:19,599 Speaker 1: start school in September, you might want to look into 88 00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:23,280 Speaker 1: the last week of summer in Acadia. But anyway, Yeah, 89 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:25,800 Speaker 1: it's going to be a fun summer for us, I think. 90 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:28,280 Speaker 1: I'm I'm looking forward to partly being able to use 91 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 1: like our yard, so we have a pool, but longtime 92 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 1: listeners know this was a historic house that we had 93 00:04:37,279 --> 00:04:41,760 Speaker 1: to do a gut renovation of and a historic pool 94 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:46,760 Speaker 1: is just old, like there's nothing redeeming about it being 95 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:48,800 Speaker 1: an old pool, I guess. So a lot of things 96 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:52,280 Speaker 1: were just kind of broken, and we got it working 97 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:54,479 Speaker 1: at the end of our first summer here in twenty 98 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 1: twenty two, and then other things broke for twenty twenty 99 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:00,360 Speaker 1: three and those needed to be fixed. But I am 100 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:04,800 Speaker 1: excited that hopefully this summer everything should be in working 101 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:06,719 Speaker 1: order with the amount of work we have put into it, 102 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:09,480 Speaker 1: so we'll be able to actually use it and it 103 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:13,080 Speaker 1: is not so historic perhaps anymore, it's like more actually working. 104 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 1: So yeah, I'm looking forward to that this summer, and 105 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:19,560 Speaker 1: especially as we get toward kind of the end of 106 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:22,799 Speaker 1: summer and it gets cooler, there's a hot tub attached 107 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:24,840 Speaker 1: to it, so that'll be a fun thing to go 108 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:27,680 Speaker 1: into and you know, extend the season a little bit 109 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:32,560 Speaker 1: as well. So, Sarah, what does your summer planning timeline 110 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:35,240 Speaker 1: look like? Like? When do you start thinking about the 111 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:36,040 Speaker 1: next summer? 112 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:39,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, so I start thinking about it when I'm doing 113 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:43,160 Speaker 2: my annual planning. I'm often starting to at least think 114 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 2: through like big ideas like are the kids going to 115 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:49,960 Speaker 2: go to sleep away camp? Or what is our family 116 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:51,800 Speaker 2: trip going to be. I've talked before about how I 117 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:54,479 Speaker 2: like having kind of some long term travel ideas on 118 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:57,640 Speaker 2: hand that are not necessarily set in stone, but at 119 00:05:57,720 --> 00:06:00,479 Speaker 2: least kind of ideas of what's coming. And there was 120 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:04,400 Speaker 2: definitely a part of Planning twenty twenty four, either the 121 00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:08,159 Speaker 2: live or the recorded versions, where we talked about like 122 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:10,640 Speaker 2: kind of picking up your big kind of anchor vacations 123 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:12,520 Speaker 2: for the year and thinking through that. And so that 124 00:06:12,680 --> 00:06:15,560 Speaker 2: is when I actually started like finalizing, like, oh, what 125 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:17,160 Speaker 2: do I what I kind of think we want to 126 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:18,640 Speaker 2: do vacation wise for the summer. 127 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:19,480 Speaker 1: So that's when it starts. 128 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 2: But I would say the concrete pieces coming into place 129 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:25,640 Speaker 2: is about Now, it obviously depends on the trip. We 130 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 2: went on an Alaska cruise last summer. 131 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:28,719 Speaker 1: That had been. 132 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 2: Really much longer process because a, I mean we actually 133 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:35,360 Speaker 2: needed to like save for it because this was a 134 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:38,040 Speaker 2: higher budget vacation than we typically take, and I wanted 135 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:40,720 Speaker 2: to spread that pain out over a little bit of time, 136 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:42,719 Speaker 2: so I would like make my little cruise payments in 137 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:46,760 Speaker 2: my savings buckets, et cetera. So that was even longer. 138 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:49,520 Speaker 2: But I would say, unless it's something super special or 139 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 2: super big, now is when I'm thinking about getting some 140 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 2: of the details nailed down in terms of the specific 141 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:58,280 Speaker 2: dates and the lodging. I also tend to do, like 142 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 2: some time type of scheduling the moment I get my 143 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 2: call schedule, because that is when I kind of know 144 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:07,560 Speaker 2: my availability for the entire next year. So that came 145 00:07:07,600 --> 00:07:10,800 Speaker 2: out last August, and that's when I kind of thought, Okay, 146 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:13,120 Speaker 2: I think we're probably gonna end up traveling in early August. 147 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 2: And it turns out I think that's going to be true. 148 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:17,160 Speaker 2: So yeah, it's kind of a long protracted process. And 149 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:20,160 Speaker 2: then of course the closer we get to these things, 150 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 2: the more specific we get. I find that lodging from 151 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:26,080 Speaker 2: a travel planning perspective tends to be the thing that 152 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 2: needs to be nailed down the earliest, particularly with more 153 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:33,400 Speaker 2: than two kids. I really feel like there's just such 154 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:36,560 Speaker 2: a difference when you're searching for a hotel room. You 155 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:38,840 Speaker 2: can have a family of four and like the world 156 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:41,320 Speaker 2: is just wide open to you. Obviously I could purchase 157 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:44,120 Speaker 2: two hotel rooms, but that doubles the price on anything, 158 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 2: so I'd rather not do that. I'd rather get some 159 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:47,840 Speaker 2: kind of a house or some kind of a family 160 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:51,120 Speaker 2: type suite, and they're just not as easy to come by. 161 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:53,480 Speaker 2: So that needs to be kind of a six months 162 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:55,040 Speaker 2: out kind of thing for us most of the time. 163 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:58,239 Speaker 1: And when does Josh need to book off his stays? 164 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:05,800 Speaker 2: That's actually really interesting he doesn't, meaning despite how I 165 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 2: wished it was done, they don't feel like they're able 166 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:11,560 Speaker 2: to set call and then plan their lives around the call. 167 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 2: They do it the other way around. And to his credit, 168 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:16,240 Speaker 2: thus far, we've been able to work it out. He 169 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:18,520 Speaker 2: was like, just plan the trip and I will make 170 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:20,480 Speaker 2: sure that I'm off. And that worked for our two 171 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:23,040 Speaker 2: week trip, and it should work for our one week 172 00:08:23,080 --> 00:08:26,000 Speaker 2: trip this summer. And it is tricky because there's only 173 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:28,040 Speaker 2: three guys in his group, so as he points out, 174 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 2: when one of them goes away, and they're all, ah, men, 175 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:34,000 Speaker 2: I'm not they are guys. And when one of them 176 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:37,200 Speaker 2: goes away, then the other two are left holding down 177 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 2: the fort, which means they're on half the time, which 178 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:41,160 Speaker 2: is a lot. But they all have families and it's 179 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:43,120 Speaker 2: important for all of them to get away, so they 180 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:43,880 Speaker 2: do this for each other. 181 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, well that's good. Hopefully two of them don't choose 182 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:52,600 Speaker 1: the same weight because then that's awkward. Yeah, so for us, 183 00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 1: it's yeah, it's a rolling thing. There are multiple different 184 00:08:55,640 --> 00:08:59,040 Speaker 1: points when things need to be sort of booked. Our 185 00:08:59,120 --> 00:09:03,160 Speaker 1: particular beach house that we have rented each summer for 186 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:06,240 Speaker 1: the past several years, I need to tell the agent 187 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:10,200 Speaker 1: that we want the same weeks basically when we're there. 188 00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:13,079 Speaker 1: They booked the next summer at the end of that summer, 189 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:16,439 Speaker 1: so I just confirm with her, like, roll over the deposit, 190 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:20,400 Speaker 1: We'll take the same weeks. So that's set in early, 191 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:24,400 Speaker 1: and then some of the camps have earlier deadlines than others, 192 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:27,440 Speaker 1: at least if you want to get the more affordable rates. 193 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:32,040 Speaker 1: We're sending Alex to a new overnight camp for two 194 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:35,040 Speaker 1: weeks this summer, and they actually had if you put 195 00:09:35,040 --> 00:09:41,559 Speaker 1: the deposit down before September thirtieth, it was significantly cheaper, 196 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:44,600 Speaker 1: and so I was like, well, it's sort of to 197 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:46,520 Speaker 1: the degree that, like, if I lost the deposit, it 198 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:48,240 Speaker 1: was still going to be cheaper than the amount different, 199 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:49,880 Speaker 1: you know, So I'm like, let me just go for it. 200 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:52,080 Speaker 1: And I'm sure that's why they calculated that way to 201 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:54,839 Speaker 1: get people to lock it in. And then we had 202 00:09:54,840 --> 00:09:58,440 Speaker 1: a few others that opened over November, and again you 203 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:01,840 Speaker 1: get preferable rates if you sort sign up before January first, 204 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:04,480 Speaker 1: and if I truly think my kids are going to 205 00:10:04,559 --> 00:10:06,439 Speaker 1: do these again, I try to get it locked in, 206 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:10,320 Speaker 1: which means that the camp spreadsheet was created in the fall, 207 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:14,079 Speaker 1: but it was not mostly filled in until later. We're 208 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:17,280 Speaker 1: still working on some of the weeks and figuring out 209 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 1: what weeks are going to be left open, and for 210 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:21,240 Speaker 1: Sam in particular, I'm glad that there are several weeks 211 00:10:21,320 --> 00:10:23,400 Speaker 1: left open because he wants to do an online summer 212 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:26,120 Speaker 1: school option and so he needs to have the space 213 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:29,600 Speaker 1: available to do it. Jasper has been figuring out what 214 00:10:29,679 --> 00:10:31,640 Speaker 1: he wants to do, and so obviously I can't really 215 00:10:31,679 --> 00:10:33,880 Speaker 1: fill it in for him. He needs to figure out 216 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:35,560 Speaker 1: what he would like to do with his summer, and 217 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:38,560 Speaker 1: so that's a different process and that may happen more 218 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:42,520 Speaker 1: around now, and that's fine. I mean, obviously some camps 219 00:10:42,520 --> 00:10:45,040 Speaker 1: obviously could still be open, or if he wants to 220 00:10:45,240 --> 00:10:47,800 Speaker 1: work somewhere, then that would happen closer to the summer. 221 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:50,720 Speaker 1: So it's a rolling timeline for us. But I do 222 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:52,800 Speaker 1: think that now is the time where I'm really sort 223 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:57,240 Speaker 1: of locking it in, because that's three to six months ahead. 224 00:10:57,360 --> 00:11:00,560 Speaker 1: You still have a lot of options. So yeah, that's 225 00:11:00,559 --> 00:11:01,880 Speaker 1: why we're looking at it for that. 226 00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:04,960 Speaker 2: There's definitely a regional aspect to like when all the 227 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:07,520 Speaker 2: camp emails come and like I guess where I live, 228 00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:10,440 Speaker 2: Like every camp and program decided it was going to 229 00:11:10,440 --> 00:11:13,640 Speaker 2: be like early February, like everyone was going to send 230 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:16,040 Speaker 2: their stuff at once, which is super interesting. But being 231 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:18,200 Speaker 2: aware of that rhythm and being kind of ready to 232 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:20,720 Speaker 2: watch for it and take action and have discussed with 233 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:22,600 Speaker 2: your kids kind of their preferences so that you can 234 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:25,840 Speaker 2: act when they come in can be really helpful rather 235 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:28,520 Speaker 2: than kind of being surprised by it and then having 236 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:30,960 Speaker 2: to wait and negotiate with your kids and then having 237 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:32,640 Speaker 2: fewer options later down the road. 238 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:36,439 Speaker 1: Yeah, So if you're starting to think about this now, 239 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:38,880 Speaker 1: one of the first steps you can do is some 240 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:42,720 Speaker 1: brainstorming on your own, with your partner, with your kids, 241 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:46,360 Speaker 1: with extended family, anyone else that you might be spending 242 00:11:46,400 --> 00:11:49,480 Speaker 1: significant time with over the summer. What would you like 243 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:51,360 Speaker 1: your summer to look like? I mean, what would make 244 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:54,360 Speaker 1: it a good summer. What are some things that you've 245 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:57,400 Speaker 1: been hoping to do, and that can be day to 246 00:11:57,480 --> 00:12:00,280 Speaker 1: day little adventures. It could be camps the kids are 247 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:02,560 Speaker 1: interested in. It can be trips you want to take. 248 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 1: It can be family members you would like to see. 249 00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:07,880 Speaker 1: Just sort of a general sense of what would make 250 00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:13,600 Speaker 1: it a good summer, and then the logistics. Sarah and 251 00:12:13,640 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 1: I both create a camp spreadsheet, or it's not so 252 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:19,920 Speaker 1: much a camp spreadshet, it's a summer spreadsheet, and for 253 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:23,800 Speaker 1: us it has the weeks of summer down the left 254 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:25,880 Speaker 1: hand side, so starting when the kids are getting out 255 00:12:25,880 --> 00:12:28,000 Speaker 1: of school, and Henry gets out a little bit earlier 256 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:29,480 Speaker 1: than the others, so I have to make it a 257 00:12:29,559 --> 00:12:32,120 Speaker 1: slightly more extended and then the names of the kids 258 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:35,160 Speaker 1: across the top, and if you want. You can add 259 00:12:35,520 --> 00:12:37,480 Speaker 1: your name and your partner's name as well, if you 260 00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:39,079 Speaker 1: want to sort of block out what you guys are 261 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:41,320 Speaker 1: doing over the summer. If there's weeks you're off in 262 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:43,160 Speaker 1: particular or travel, you might want to put that in 263 00:12:44,040 --> 00:12:47,880 Speaker 1: and write down what everyone is doing and those various 264 00:12:47,920 --> 00:12:53,200 Speaker 1: weeks of summer. And the reason to do this is, 265 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:57,560 Speaker 1: I mean, you could just see very quickly. The whole 266 00:12:57,600 --> 00:12:59,960 Speaker 1: point of a spreadsheet is that it organizes a lot 267 00:13:00,160 --> 00:13:04,320 Speaker 1: of information in one spot quickly. So in this case, 268 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:06,560 Speaker 1: the spreadsheet is not being used for adding things up 269 00:13:06,679 --> 00:13:09,200 Speaker 1: or creating categories with numbers and getting a pie chart 270 00:13:09,240 --> 00:13:11,760 Speaker 1: out of it. It is just that you can see 271 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:16,320 Speaker 1: who is where when. So you are welcome to have 272 00:13:16,559 --> 00:13:19,480 Speaker 1: four kids in four different camps at a particular week, 273 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:22,040 Speaker 1: but you can see if it's going to be problematic, 274 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:26,520 Speaker 1: right like, if they're in four entirely different places different times, 275 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:29,480 Speaker 1: that's going to be some driving issues and you might 276 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:31,400 Speaker 1: want to think about that ahead of time. But then 277 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:33,199 Speaker 1: you could also say, well, maybe I don't do that, 278 00:13:33,240 --> 00:13:35,520 Speaker 1: maybe I do. You know, the weeks where two kids 279 00:13:35,559 --> 00:13:39,600 Speaker 1: are away at overnight camp, that's when it's okay for 280 00:13:39,679 --> 00:13:42,040 Speaker 1: the other kids. To have slightly different schedules because it 281 00:13:42,080 --> 00:13:44,360 Speaker 1: won't be as challenging because there's only two of them. 282 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:49,040 Speaker 1: Or maybe we'll block off for everyone the week of 283 00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:51,320 Speaker 1: July fourth. We don't have any plans for it, but 284 00:13:51,360 --> 00:13:53,840 Speaker 1: if we're all off, then maybe we could do like 285 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:58,280 Speaker 1: a beach trip or a trip to an amusement park. 286 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:00,120 Speaker 1: And it just makes it a little bit more or 287 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:04,120 Speaker 1: obvious when you should leave everyone free versus being okay 288 00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:04,920 Speaker 1: with booking things. 289 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:07,720 Speaker 2: Yes, yeah, I was actually thinking about this, so I 290 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:10,320 Speaker 2: do mine in Apple Notes. But the advantage of using 291 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:12,960 Speaker 2: something like Excel or Google Sheets is you could actually 292 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:15,760 Speaker 2: add a little financial column after each kid, and then 293 00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:19,160 Speaker 2: you could keep track of the cost if you wanted 294 00:14:19,160 --> 00:14:21,360 Speaker 2: to see how things were adding up, or see if 295 00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:24,040 Speaker 2: one kid was getting spent on exorbitantly compared to the others, 296 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:26,080 Speaker 2: or something like that. So that came to me as 297 00:14:26,080 --> 00:14:28,080 Speaker 2: I made mine, although I don't think Apple Notes allows 298 00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:30,720 Speaker 2: you to kind of add things the way Google Sheets 299 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:33,360 Speaker 2: or Excel does, So what works for now? 300 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:38,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, we were just discussing before we started recording this 301 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:41,320 Speaker 1: how expensive some camps wind up being. I mean, this 302 00:14:41,400 --> 00:14:44,320 Speaker 1: is again, I mean, among the reasons to start planning 303 00:14:44,440 --> 00:14:48,080 Speaker 1: earlier is that you might be able to comparison shop. 304 00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 1: You know, if there's three dance camps in your community 305 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:56,440 Speaker 1: and your child is not the top ballerina ever that 306 00:14:56,560 --> 00:14:59,240 Speaker 1: requires specialized things, you know, you might be able to 307 00:14:59,360 --> 00:15:02,520 Speaker 1: look and see who has slightly cheaper rates and be 308 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:05,920 Speaker 1: more likely to have that available to you. If you 309 00:15:06,160 --> 00:15:10,840 Speaker 1: are moving ahead, and I'll just a shout out, we 310 00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:13,280 Speaker 1: have found if you are looking for cheap camp options, 311 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:17,560 Speaker 1: vacation Bible schools are going to be usually about the 312 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:21,720 Speaker 1: cheapest ones around. Probably if you are not of that 313 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:24,040 Speaker 1: religious persuasion, you might not find it the best thing. 314 00:15:24,040 --> 00:15:27,200 Speaker 1: But if you are sort of one Protestant denomination, you 315 00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:29,080 Speaker 1: probably don't care. If your child goes to a Methodist 316 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:32,040 Speaker 1: camp and then a Presbyterian camp, and they're probably welcome 317 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:33,360 Speaker 1: to have them, and they tend to be very cheap, 318 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:35,840 Speaker 1: so throw that out there as an option. 319 00:15:36,320 --> 00:15:38,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, and that could even be like alternated with a 320 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:40,880 Speaker 2: more expensive camp, so you're bringing down the average cost 321 00:15:40,920 --> 00:15:41,360 Speaker 2: at least. 322 00:15:42,040 --> 00:15:45,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, they have fun, they do cool things. Ours the 323 00:15:45,360 --> 00:15:47,840 Speaker 1: older children actually go volunteer somewhere each day, so that's 324 00:15:47,880 --> 00:15:49,920 Speaker 1: kind of a cool experience for them to have. 325 00:15:50,240 --> 00:15:51,040 Speaker 2: That's really nice. 326 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 1: All right, Well, we're going to take a brief break 327 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:55,680 Speaker 1: and then we're going to come back to talk a 328 00:15:55,720 --> 00:16:10,760 Speaker 1: little bit more about childcare for the summer. Well, we 329 00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:14,040 Speaker 1: are back talking about why you should plan your summer now, 330 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:16,120 Speaker 1: various things to look at. Just going to throw in 331 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:18,320 Speaker 1: that if you do have the spreadsheet going, you can 332 00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:20,680 Speaker 1: see if things are balanced for any individual kid. If 333 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:23,320 Speaker 1: one kid has a lot and one has almost nothing, 334 00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:25,480 Speaker 1: you can sort of nudge the kid who has almost 335 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:28,040 Speaker 1: nothing to think about what they would like to do 336 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:31,240 Speaker 1: for the summer. You can ask other parents for ideas, 337 00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:34,360 Speaker 1: you know, the parents of that kid's friends, because maybe 338 00:16:34,360 --> 00:16:36,560 Speaker 1: they might be motivated to do something for a week 339 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:40,680 Speaker 1: if a best friend is going for it as well. 340 00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:42,920 Speaker 1: And then one other question to ask I mentioned you 341 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:46,440 Speaker 1: could put yourself on the spreadsheet, what does summer look 342 00:16:46,520 --> 00:16:50,160 Speaker 1: like for you? What are you looking forward to? Because 343 00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:52,480 Speaker 1: a few months lead time gives you some space to 344 00:16:52,520 --> 00:16:57,200 Speaker 1: figure this out. And maybe it's a quick trip with 345 00:16:57,280 --> 00:17:00,880 Speaker 1: your partner, or maybe you're going to meet friends somewhere, 346 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:05,000 Speaker 1: or maybe it's that you block out a few days 347 00:17:05,080 --> 00:17:07,280 Speaker 1: on your work schedule ahead of time so you can 348 00:17:07,320 --> 00:17:11,119 Speaker 1: go do little adventures for yourself as part of the 349 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:14,879 Speaker 1: self care that we talked about in our previous episode. 350 00:17:15,160 --> 00:17:17,879 Speaker 1: So a few months lead time gives you a chance 351 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:21,960 Speaker 1: to think that through. And particularly if there is a 352 00:17:21,960 --> 00:17:24,520 Speaker 1: week where say you've got three kids and two of 353 00:17:24,520 --> 00:17:26,359 Speaker 1: them are away at overnight camp and you only have one, 354 00:17:26,359 --> 00:17:28,040 Speaker 1: there might be more options for you to either do 355 00:17:28,080 --> 00:17:29,879 Speaker 1: one on one time with that kid, or to have 356 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:32,159 Speaker 1: some more time for yourself, or a time with your partner, 357 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:33,919 Speaker 1: or time that you can get together with friends. So 358 00:17:34,320 --> 00:17:36,040 Speaker 1: worth thinking about that as well. 359 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:39,719 Speaker 2: Yes, I will say for my thinking through my summer, 360 00:17:40,119 --> 00:17:42,399 Speaker 2: the thing that I always have to remember is how 361 00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:44,920 Speaker 2: disgusting our weather is and how that will get me down. 362 00:17:44,960 --> 00:17:46,840 Speaker 2: I'm serious, Like it's better for me to go in 363 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:50,600 Speaker 2: being like this is my season of like summer hooge 364 00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:53,320 Speaker 2: h y whatever, however I try to pronounce it, yes, 365 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:56,000 Speaker 2: because it is not a time to frolic in the 366 00:17:56,040 --> 00:17:58,920 Speaker 2: out of doors. It is a time in many days 367 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:00,600 Speaker 2: to just kind of like hunker down and listen to 368 00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:04,600 Speaker 2: the thunderstorms. And if I can think of activities or 369 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:07,560 Speaker 2: just like things to kind of bring out that kind 370 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:12,200 Speaker 2: of cozy feeling which seems so backwards, but like I 371 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:14,640 Speaker 2: guess I've instead of fighting it to like just reach 372 00:18:14,680 --> 00:18:17,560 Speaker 2: that place of acceptance, but try to find ways to 373 00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:19,639 Speaker 2: almost like enjoy it, like like the book Wintering, but 374 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:22,480 Speaker 2: for summer in Florida and probably a lot of other 375 00:18:22,640 --> 00:18:25,880 Speaker 2: southern states as well, or like Arizona. So I do 376 00:18:26,080 --> 00:18:30,280 Speaker 2: think some thinking ahead about how I'm going to handle 377 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:31,760 Speaker 2: that is warranted. 378 00:18:32,320 --> 00:18:35,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, you could borrow somebody else's Winter fun list and 379 00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:37,359 Speaker 1: put it as your summer fun list. 380 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:40,600 Speaker 2: And seriously, except for the parts about like hot beverages and. 381 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:43,080 Speaker 1: So you don't want any more hot beverages, there will 382 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:46,160 Speaker 1: be no hot beverages all summer long. It's iced coffee. 383 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:49,919 Speaker 1: Only one thing we really want people to think about. 384 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:52,280 Speaker 1: And again, a good reason to think about this now 385 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:55,119 Speaker 1: is that a lot of working parents wind up with 386 00:18:55,160 --> 00:19:00,520 Speaker 1: some sort of gap in childcare and this can surprise people, 387 00:19:00,560 --> 00:19:03,280 Speaker 1: and then they wind up with sort of stop gap solutions. 388 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:08,760 Speaker 1: And we stress on this podcast a lot that school 389 00:19:08,960 --> 00:19:13,399 Speaker 1: is not really childcare, it's partial childcare. But this is 390 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:15,480 Speaker 1: the point when you come into summer where you realize 391 00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:18,040 Speaker 1: that for a lot of states, school is one hundred 392 00:19:18,040 --> 00:19:22,120 Speaker 1: and eighty days. Your working year is probably somewhere between 393 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:24,520 Speaker 1: two hundred forty and two hundred and fifty days if 394 00:19:24,560 --> 00:19:29,600 Speaker 1: you are working full time. So that is a significant 395 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:33,840 Speaker 1: gap in the number of days. And obviously there are 396 00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:37,000 Speaker 1: a lot of childcare programs out there because there are 397 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:40,520 Speaker 1: plenty of working parents who experience this every summer. But 398 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:43,600 Speaker 1: and this is your reminder to sign up if you haven't, 399 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:46,880 Speaker 1: but they may not run the whole summer, they may 400 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:50,199 Speaker 1: not have the hours that you're working. So remember, if 401 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:51,879 Speaker 1: you're signing your kid up for a day camp that 402 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:53,959 Speaker 1: runs from nine to three thirty and you work from 403 00:19:54,040 --> 00:19:57,680 Speaker 1: eight to five, you've got to figure something out here 404 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:03,120 Speaker 1: or that it does start until say June. I don't 405 00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:04,919 Speaker 1: remember what the starts of the week. I let's say 406 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:06,639 Speaker 1: like June twenty one, and your school gets out on 407 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:09,760 Speaker 1: June twelfth, right or around here. A lot of stuff 408 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:12,440 Speaker 1: tends to end by kind of mid to late August, 409 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:15,159 Speaker 1: and our schools don't start till after Labor Day. So 410 00:20:15,359 --> 00:20:19,600 Speaker 1: there are these bridge weeks which you might be able 411 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:22,160 Speaker 1: to take them off and use those as your vacation weeks. 412 00:20:22,160 --> 00:20:24,040 Speaker 1: That would be good planning ahead if you're going to 413 00:20:24,119 --> 00:20:26,480 Speaker 1: do that, But if you don't, for instance, have that 414 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:29,080 Speaker 1: many vacation days or that many vacation days between you 415 00:20:29,119 --> 00:20:32,040 Speaker 1: and your partner, You're probably going to need some other solution. 416 00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:35,879 Speaker 1: And the further ahead you know this is happening, the 417 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:40,240 Speaker 1: more options you will have. I mean, the summer is 418 00:20:40,280 --> 00:20:42,040 Speaker 1: one of the reasons you guys still have a full 419 00:20:42,040 --> 00:20:44,080 Speaker 1: time nanny even though everyone's in school. Correct. 420 00:20:44,560 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 2: Yes, In fact, I would say in some ways she's 421 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:51,879 Speaker 2: more important from like a driving perspective, because exactly what 422 00:20:51,920 --> 00:20:53,880 Speaker 2: you said, a lot of camps start at nine o'clock. 423 00:20:54,160 --> 00:20:56,439 Speaker 2: I am already seeing my first patient at eight thirty. 424 00:20:56,480 --> 00:21:01,399 Speaker 2: That does not work. And so even though during the 425 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:03,800 Speaker 2: school year we don't need anyone in the morning, it's 426 00:21:03,920 --> 00:21:06,240 Speaker 2: very likely that several weeks in the summer we will 427 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:09,399 Speaker 2: actually need more morning childcare. On the upside, there are 428 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:12,520 Speaker 2: fewer evening activities because they'd all get readed out anyway, 429 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:16,280 Speaker 2: so it'll just kind of shift to like more normal hours. 430 00:21:16,320 --> 00:21:19,520 Speaker 2: But it's absolutely not a time of year when I'm like, oh, 431 00:21:19,640 --> 00:21:22,520 Speaker 2: I don't have a need for childcare. If anything, it's more. 432 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:26,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, it's much more. And so there are various options. Obviously, 433 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:30,920 Speaker 1: some camps have before and aftercare, which you can look 434 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:33,440 Speaker 1: into although I found you know, it's still a pricey 435 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:36,160 Speaker 1: kind of options. Well, if the camp is pricey, that's 436 00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:39,919 Speaker 1: going to be pricey too. You might look into having 437 00:21:40,080 --> 00:21:44,320 Speaker 1: a summer sitter, so whether that person's going to be 438 00:21:44,359 --> 00:21:48,000 Speaker 1: full time or maybe they just work from two thirty 439 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:52,800 Speaker 1: to six thirty every day. But again, the further ahead 440 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:54,880 Speaker 1: you're kind of looking or at least trying to think 441 00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:57,560 Speaker 1: about it, the more options you may have, and you'll 442 00:21:57,600 --> 00:21:59,639 Speaker 1: get a caregiver who's thinking about their summer ahead of 443 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:01,919 Speaker 1: time to time, and there might be some upsides to that. 444 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:06,840 Speaker 1: Looking into college students, for instance, people who are going 445 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:09,840 Speaker 1: to be home for this summer. If you have families 446 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:12,119 Speaker 1: that you know that one of their children have been 447 00:22:12,160 --> 00:22:14,199 Speaker 1: off at school and are returning, that might be a 448 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:16,680 Speaker 1: good option to look into. If those people are looking 449 00:22:16,760 --> 00:22:19,800 Speaker 1: for summer employment, part time employment or either full time employment, 450 00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:24,720 Speaker 1: or somebody who is going off to college in the 451 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:27,000 Speaker 1: fall and might be interested in earning a little bit 452 00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:29,520 Speaker 1: of money before they do, so that could be a 453 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:32,600 Speaker 1: good option too, because you might also be able to 454 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:35,520 Speaker 1: see about shifting your hours. If you are thinking about 455 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:38,240 Speaker 1: this again enough ahead of time that you might be 456 00:22:38,280 --> 00:22:40,680 Speaker 1: able to make the case at your place of employment 457 00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:44,520 Speaker 1: that maybe you normally start eight thirty, but in the summer, 458 00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:48,200 Speaker 1: perhaps you could start at nine, and that would allow 459 00:22:48,280 --> 00:22:50,480 Speaker 1: you to do a camp drop off and get there, 460 00:22:50,960 --> 00:22:53,320 Speaker 1: and then you would only have to pay for the 461 00:22:53,480 --> 00:22:56,160 Speaker 1: aftercare or hiring a cent or to pick your kids 462 00:22:56,240 --> 00:22:59,399 Speaker 1: up at camp and keep them for the afternoon until 463 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:01,880 Speaker 1: you or you and your partner can both get home 464 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:05,400 Speaker 1: from work. So again, the further ahead you do that, 465 00:23:05,760 --> 00:23:07,720 Speaker 1: the more you might be able to make that case 466 00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:10,200 Speaker 1: or change the work schedule to make that be possible. 467 00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:14,679 Speaker 2: Well, I'm more excited about planning summer than I was 468 00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:16,879 Speaker 2: before we started recording this episode, So I feel like 469 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:20,199 Speaker 2: we have at least inspired me, so hopefully've inspired some 470 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:21,000 Speaker 2: listeners as well. 471 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:23,080 Speaker 1: I know I was just thinking through I'm like, Okay, 472 00:23:23,280 --> 00:23:25,960 Speaker 1: I've got to nudge a certain child to do something, 473 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:28,359 Speaker 1: a fil out an application that's going to have to happen. 474 00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:30,800 Speaker 1: What else do I need to do? I haven't really 475 00:23:30,840 --> 00:23:33,719 Speaker 1: thought though much about Henry some of his camps. I mean, 476 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:36,200 Speaker 1: he'd be doing more like half day camp type things, 477 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:39,520 Speaker 1: and I'm sure some are more competitive, but I also 478 00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:41,679 Speaker 1: feel like it doesn't matter as much. I mean, for 479 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:44,359 Speaker 1: little kids. It's all kind of like they're gonna go, 480 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:47,720 Speaker 1: They're gonna play. Yep, we'll sing some songs that can't 481 00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:48,280 Speaker 1: be sack. 482 00:23:48,920 --> 00:23:52,080 Speaker 2: Choosing the camps I find has been getting exponentially harder 483 00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:56,480 Speaker 2: every year, the more specific my kid's interests are, the 484 00:23:56,480 --> 00:23:58,560 Speaker 2: more they may have certain friends they want to be 485 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:01,399 Speaker 2: with or not, because it really did used to be 486 00:24:01,560 --> 00:24:03,840 Speaker 2: very kind of simple and like there would be some 487 00:24:04,520 --> 00:24:07,919 Speaker 2: really obvious options and they just be like, okay, And 488 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:12,080 Speaker 2: now it's definitely it's just more complicated, and that's okay. 489 00:24:12,119 --> 00:24:14,399 Speaker 2: I mean, I guess it's great that they have so 490 00:24:14,520 --> 00:24:17,000 Speaker 2: many cool things to choose from, and that these specialty 491 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:21,600 Speaker 2: camps exist at every single location and price point that 492 00:24:21,680 --> 00:24:22,919 Speaker 2: one could imagine. 493 00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:25,760 Speaker 1: It can be a wee bit overwhelming. I mean, that's 494 00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:29,919 Speaker 1: a the satisficer thing comes in and I am happy 495 00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:31,560 Speaker 1: to have that because I'm like, if you like this 496 00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:33,760 Speaker 1: camp last year, you'll probably like it again this year. 497 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:36,199 Speaker 1: So how about you just choose a class you know 498 00:24:36,280 --> 00:24:39,160 Speaker 1: you're going to like, and then we'll go with it 499 00:24:39,280 --> 00:24:41,199 Speaker 1: and it might not be perfect, but then there are 500 00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:43,919 Speaker 1: other fun things happening in the summer, like going to 501 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:46,680 Speaker 1: the beach ure you know, having a week where we're 502 00:24:46,720 --> 00:24:49,000 Speaker 1: not in camp and people can go to an amusement 503 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:51,080 Speaker 1: park or do something else like that, So you know, 504 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:52,439 Speaker 1: I think it'll be a good time. The kids are 505 00:24:52,440 --> 00:24:54,640 Speaker 1: also just happy to have the summer off. 506 00:24:54,680 --> 00:24:57,160 Speaker 2: So yes, yes, they're happy not to be in school 507 00:24:57,200 --> 00:24:59,600 Speaker 2: no matter, no matter what they're doing. I'll also say, 508 00:24:59,640 --> 00:25:01,840 Speaker 2: like the people who have their kids in sleep away 509 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:04,280 Speaker 2: where they automatically kind of are excited to go back 510 00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:06,399 Speaker 2: and see the same people every year. That must be 511 00:25:06,440 --> 00:25:09,440 Speaker 2: so awesome. So you guys are lucky if. 512 00:25:09,359 --> 00:25:12,439 Speaker 1: You've figured that out, you've unlocked that next level of 513 00:25:12,480 --> 00:25:17,880 Speaker 1: the summer planning. Well, let's move on to the question 514 00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:19,880 Speaker 1: that we have for the week. So Sarah, you want 515 00:25:19,920 --> 00:25:22,040 Speaker 1: to read this one? Sure? 516 00:25:22,840 --> 00:25:24,800 Speaker 2: So this one comes from I'm going to call her 517 00:25:25,160 --> 00:25:29,359 Speaker 2: s and she writes that she is thinking about buying 518 00:25:29,400 --> 00:25:32,120 Speaker 2: a house in the next year she and her husband, 519 00:25:32,560 --> 00:25:35,320 Speaker 2: and one of their big areas of anxiety about making 520 00:25:35,359 --> 00:25:37,840 Speaker 2: this change is how to manage the new burden of 521 00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:41,520 Speaker 2: household maintenance and repairs. She says they hear a lot 522 00:25:41,560 --> 00:25:44,320 Speaker 2: from homeowner friends that something is always breaking. 523 00:25:44,600 --> 00:25:45,840 Speaker 1: You did talk about your pool. 524 00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:48,479 Speaker 2: Today, Laura, so there you go. Needs cleaning or repair 525 00:25:48,640 --> 00:25:52,760 Speaker 2: requires a carpenter, et cetera. And how do you, as 526 00:25:52,800 --> 00:25:55,159 Speaker 2: two people who are very protective and thoughtful about how 527 00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:58,080 Speaker 2: you use your time, how do you manage this? What 528 00:25:58,119 --> 00:25:59,680 Speaker 2: are your thoughts on this? How do you deal with 529 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:03,960 Speaker 2: the inevitable but unexpected appliance breaking or roof repair? And 530 00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:07,679 Speaker 2: is there aspects of this that can be easily outsourced, 531 00:26:07,680 --> 00:26:09,920 Speaker 2: like having a great go to handyman. 532 00:26:10,520 --> 00:26:16,280 Speaker 1: So Laura, yeah, yes, it turns out that houses can 533 00:26:16,320 --> 00:26:19,200 Speaker 1: be a lot of work. I think, as with anything, 534 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:22,720 Speaker 1: people's experiences are going to be mixed, and you can 535 00:26:22,840 --> 00:26:26,880 Speaker 1: make some smart moves to minimize some of the bigger headaches. 536 00:26:27,240 --> 00:26:31,320 Speaker 1: I mean one, as potential home buyers here, make sure 537 00:26:31,359 --> 00:26:34,600 Speaker 1: you do a thorough inspection before you buy the house. 538 00:26:34,640 --> 00:26:36,240 Speaker 1: I mean I heard in some of the sort of 539 00:26:36,520 --> 00:26:39,520 Speaker 1: hot markets people were like waving the inspection just I 540 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:41,520 Speaker 1: would say, don't even buy in that market then, like, 541 00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:46,159 Speaker 1: just don't buy the house because there's always something that's wrong. 542 00:26:46,920 --> 00:26:50,520 Speaker 1: Just these buildings are complicated things that have HVAC systems 543 00:26:50,560 --> 00:26:53,760 Speaker 1: and plumbing and electricity and so something is going to 544 00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:55,840 Speaker 1: be off and you want to go in with your 545 00:26:55,840 --> 00:26:58,879 Speaker 1: eyes open, so you know, kind of the time and 546 00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:01,600 Speaker 1: dollar amountated with what you're going to have to fix 547 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:05,200 Speaker 1: as opposed to having it all be a complete surprise. 548 00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:10,800 Speaker 1: Buying new construction obviously is one way to somewhat minimize 549 00:27:10,800 --> 00:27:12,959 Speaker 1: the number of things that are going to break immediately, 550 00:27:13,160 --> 00:27:17,399 Speaker 1: because hopefully, if you have a reputable builder, they are 551 00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:20,439 Speaker 1: not going to build things that are going to immediately break. 552 00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:23,280 Speaker 1: And I'll throw out here the idea of buying a 553 00:27:23,280 --> 00:27:28,480 Speaker 1: smaller house just because the less stuff there is, the 554 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:31,879 Speaker 1: less stuff that will break. You know, we're talking to 555 00:27:31,920 --> 00:27:33,520 Speaker 1: somebody recently who had a huge storm and had a 556 00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:36,480 Speaker 1: number of windows had a problem with leaking, and the 557 00:27:36,520 --> 00:27:38,600 Speaker 1: more windows that were the more windows that had to 558 00:27:38,600 --> 00:27:41,840 Speaker 1: be replaced, right, So the bigger the house, Like, various 559 00:27:41,840 --> 00:27:43,960 Speaker 1: people had different experiences with this. If you have like 560 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:46,680 Speaker 1: three windows on that side of your house versus thirteen 561 00:27:46,720 --> 00:27:48,399 Speaker 1: windows on that side, you're going to have a different 562 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:51,280 Speaker 1: bill for how much is going to be the storm 563 00:27:51,320 --> 00:27:54,560 Speaker 1: damage from this particular thing. So anyway, you might want 564 00:27:54,560 --> 00:27:58,760 Speaker 1: to know that we certainly did a thorough inspection. That's 565 00:27:58,760 --> 00:28:01,320 Speaker 1: one of the reasons we did like gut renovation of this, 566 00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:06,000 Speaker 1: and we knew that going in you can have a 567 00:28:06,040 --> 00:28:09,080 Speaker 1: couple of contractors that you call all the time. Certainly 568 00:28:09,119 --> 00:28:11,160 Speaker 1: by this point in our process, we have a few 569 00:28:11,200 --> 00:28:13,560 Speaker 1: that we really like, and so whenever something goes wrong 570 00:28:13,640 --> 00:28:17,879 Speaker 1: we call them. We also have our house manager. I mean, 571 00:28:17,920 --> 00:28:21,000 Speaker 1: one of the reasons we wound up doing this situation 572 00:28:21,119 --> 00:28:23,200 Speaker 1: is we have somebody for a couple hours a week 573 00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:26,680 Speaker 1: who can do household related stuff, not all of its 574 00:28:26,720 --> 00:28:29,280 Speaker 1: contractor related, but when we are doing some sort of 575 00:28:29,359 --> 00:28:34,440 Speaker 1: bigger contractor project, she can manage that right She's getting 576 00:28:34,480 --> 00:28:37,199 Speaker 1: the bids, she's talking through it with them, and so 577 00:28:37,400 --> 00:28:40,600 Speaker 1: it's less of something that's pulling my husband and me 578 00:28:40,760 --> 00:28:42,840 Speaker 1: away from work. And I realized that is not something 579 00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:44,959 Speaker 1: that a lot of people would do, but in our 580 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:47,880 Speaker 1: particular case it made sense. I would say that you 581 00:28:47,920 --> 00:28:51,880 Speaker 1: can also I'm not sure how handy you or your 582 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:55,440 Speaker 1: husband are, but that might be a skill that is 583 00:28:55,480 --> 00:28:59,360 Speaker 1: worth developing, not only so you can do simple fixes 584 00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:02,960 Speaker 1: yourself or with the help of YouTube, or at least 585 00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:06,360 Speaker 1: recognize when something is simple or when it's complicated and 586 00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:08,800 Speaker 1: you need to call a professional repair person. So having 587 00:29:08,840 --> 00:29:12,400 Speaker 1: that level of expertise, and some people were lucky and 588 00:29:12,440 --> 00:29:15,400 Speaker 1: they grew up with it. My husband, for whatever. I mean, 589 00:29:15,400 --> 00:29:17,200 Speaker 1: he and his dad like fixed stuff and like so 590 00:29:17,280 --> 00:29:20,640 Speaker 1: he has a whole sense of the h FAC system 591 00:29:20,640 --> 00:29:22,320 Speaker 1: and what he can see when something's going wrong and 592 00:29:22,360 --> 00:29:24,080 Speaker 1: when something you know, when you need to call somebody 593 00:29:24,160 --> 00:29:26,840 Speaker 1: or with that, but neither you or your husband had that. 594 00:29:26,880 --> 00:29:30,440 Speaker 1: You might want to educate yourself. There's probably a fair 595 00:29:30,520 --> 00:29:32,760 Speaker 1: number of books and YouTube videos you could watch for 596 00:29:32,840 --> 00:29:36,600 Speaker 1: like the most common household repairs and get yourself to 597 00:29:36,640 --> 00:29:38,640 Speaker 1: that level and you'll have a little bit more confidence 598 00:29:38,640 --> 00:29:38,920 Speaker 1: with it. 599 00:29:40,360 --> 00:29:43,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, and this stuff always stresses me out. It's like, 600 00:29:43,160 --> 00:29:45,480 Speaker 2: by least this did my answer, he just stresses you out, 601 00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:47,840 Speaker 2: Sarah a little. I mean, this is why I loved renting. 602 00:29:47,960 --> 00:29:50,560 Speaker 2: I loved it not being my problem. And this is 603 00:29:50,600 --> 00:29:54,240 Speaker 2: also why this is a piece of our household management 604 00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:55,800 Speaker 2: that my husband does most of. 605 00:29:55,880 --> 00:29:56,800 Speaker 1: And I think that's fair. 606 00:29:56,920 --> 00:29:58,920 Speaker 2: There's a lot that I do most of, and so 607 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:02,160 Speaker 2: if I'm going to to get totally stressed out and 608 00:30:02,200 --> 00:30:06,160 Speaker 2: overwhelmed by it, then that's a great thing to just 609 00:30:06,200 --> 00:30:09,360 Speaker 2: have vertical ownership and have basically on his plate. I mean, 610 00:30:10,800 --> 00:30:12,880 Speaker 2: for example, I do all the tax stuff that is 611 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:15,240 Speaker 2: like its own huge headache. It doesn't stress it stresses 612 00:30:15,280 --> 00:30:18,120 Speaker 2: me out, but not to this degree. And if something breaks, 613 00:30:18,160 --> 00:30:20,000 Speaker 2: like I'm texting him, I'm like, I need your help 614 00:30:20,040 --> 00:30:23,240 Speaker 2: because partly because he does have that sense, partly because unfortunately, 615 00:30:23,280 --> 00:30:25,400 Speaker 2: I've found that my interactions with service people tend to 616 00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:29,720 Speaker 2: be extremely sexist. Yeah, and I don't really want to 617 00:30:29,720 --> 00:30:32,080 Speaker 2: get like swindled, and he I think he's less likely 618 00:30:32,280 --> 00:30:36,920 Speaker 2: to be taken advantage of, which again I recognize, like 619 00:30:37,160 --> 00:30:39,560 Speaker 2: not everybody who's gonna have that, like male partner who 620 00:30:39,600 --> 00:30:43,240 Speaker 2: speaks hardware ease. But if someone does in the house 621 00:30:43,320 --> 00:30:46,680 Speaker 2: then or even if it's like a friend to right, 622 00:30:47,000 --> 00:30:49,600 Speaker 2: a neighbor, absolutely and who knows, you know, you could 623 00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:51,960 Speaker 2: sort of swap something else like Okay, you help them 624 00:30:52,000 --> 00:30:54,440 Speaker 2: with you drive their kids to whatever, and they help 625 00:30:54,480 --> 00:30:57,000 Speaker 2: you when stuff breaks. So I will say, like educate 626 00:30:57,040 --> 00:30:59,880 Speaker 2: yourself or find someone decent at this to lean on, 627 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:03,400 Speaker 2: and if it's really not your thing, keep things simple. 628 00:31:03,480 --> 00:31:04,720 Speaker 2: So you mentioned the size of the house, but I 629 00:31:04,760 --> 00:31:08,160 Speaker 2: also feel like the overall fanciness of the house matters 630 00:31:08,200 --> 00:31:11,760 Speaker 2: as well as well as like how much in disrepair 631 00:31:11,880 --> 00:31:13,880 Speaker 2: is it? So for us, both houses we bought were 632 00:31:13,920 --> 00:31:16,640 Speaker 2: in this interesting sweet spot for us, which is like 633 00:31:17,080 --> 00:31:19,920 Speaker 2: not totally new and fancy, because then we couldn't afford 634 00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:21,560 Speaker 2: it comfortably and we don't like to spend a ton 635 00:31:21,600 --> 00:31:23,760 Speaker 2: of money on housing. But also like not falling apart 636 00:31:23,920 --> 00:31:25,880 Speaker 2: because we don't feel like it, Like we don't want 637 00:31:25,920 --> 00:31:28,480 Speaker 2: to deal with doing a bunch of stuff. So that's 638 00:31:28,560 --> 00:31:30,080 Speaker 2: kind of what we bought, like houses that have been 639 00:31:30,120 --> 00:31:33,120 Speaker 2: renovated like ten to fifteen years ago. So is everything updated, No, 640 00:31:33,320 --> 00:31:36,520 Speaker 2: but is everything falling apart? Not really, so you may 641 00:31:36,600 --> 00:31:38,160 Speaker 2: want to want to think about that. And also like 642 00:31:38,760 --> 00:31:40,960 Speaker 2: we toured a house actually it's like across the street, 643 00:31:41,040 --> 00:31:43,120 Speaker 2: and it was beautiful. Slightly bigger than our house square 644 00:31:43,120 --> 00:31:45,120 Speaker 2: footage wise, but not not a big difference. But it 645 00:31:45,240 --> 00:31:48,440 Speaker 2: had so many do hickeys, Like they were like in 646 00:31:48,520 --> 00:31:50,480 Speaker 2: this remote does this, and then this the pool lights 647 00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:51,000 Speaker 2: and we were. 648 00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:52,920 Speaker 1: Like, oh my god, and when that remote breaks, you 649 00:31:52,920 --> 00:31:54,720 Speaker 1: won't be able to use anything. It'll be great. 650 00:31:54,800 --> 00:31:56,360 Speaker 2: Some of this stuff was even already broken. I'm like, 651 00:31:56,520 --> 00:31:58,640 Speaker 2: I do not want to deal with this, like house 652 00:31:58,720 --> 00:32:00,920 Speaker 2: that someone tried to make into like superhouse like ten 653 00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:03,800 Speaker 2: years ago, and like it was just and instead we 654 00:32:03,840 --> 00:32:06,640 Speaker 2: picked a house that was just like simpler, and I 655 00:32:06,720 --> 00:32:08,960 Speaker 2: think that has actually served us pretty well. And my 656 00:32:09,080 --> 00:32:13,000 Speaker 2: final point is to satisfice if it stresses you out. Like, yeah, 657 00:32:13,080 --> 00:32:15,800 Speaker 2: certain things are important, like you need safe electricity and 658 00:32:15,840 --> 00:32:18,760 Speaker 2: stuff like that, but like you know, let's say a 659 00:32:19,000 --> 00:32:21,000 Speaker 2: thing falls off your bathroom wall and you only have 660 00:32:21,080 --> 00:32:24,480 Speaker 2: one towel hook like that can go for a while. Yeah, 661 00:32:25,680 --> 00:32:27,840 Speaker 2: you don't have to do everything all at once. Now, 662 00:32:27,840 --> 00:32:29,640 Speaker 2: if they all end up falling off, as me or 663 00:32:29,720 --> 00:32:31,160 Speaker 2: may not be the case in our house, then it 664 00:32:31,240 --> 00:32:32,920 Speaker 2: becomes more of an issue, but then it's more efficient 665 00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:34,160 Speaker 2: because you can get them all fixed it once. 666 00:32:34,600 --> 00:32:36,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's true, that's true. I think also from a 667 00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:39,840 Speaker 1: time perspective, this is one of those things where again, 668 00:32:40,480 --> 00:32:42,720 Speaker 1: the amount of time you devote to something is not 669 00:32:42,880 --> 00:32:44,680 Speaker 1: going to be set, and there are certain things that 670 00:32:44,760 --> 00:32:46,920 Speaker 1: could expand to fill all the available space. I mean, 671 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:49,360 Speaker 1: you could decide to renovate the whole house and have 672 00:32:49,440 --> 00:32:51,320 Speaker 1: it fill all your time, or you could decide to 673 00:32:51,800 --> 00:32:53,800 Speaker 1: do all the things for it. But you also don't 674 00:32:53,880 --> 00:32:56,960 Speaker 1: have to do that, and it might help to decide 675 00:32:57,160 --> 00:33:00,520 Speaker 1: that on any given weekend you're going to carve out 676 00:33:00,560 --> 00:33:04,000 Speaker 1: a certain amount of time for home maintenance or repair 677 00:33:04,200 --> 00:33:07,280 Speaker 1: or cleaning or whatever else you intend to do. But 678 00:33:07,400 --> 00:33:10,320 Speaker 1: it's like, Okay, we have this two hour block for 679 00:33:10,440 --> 00:33:14,000 Speaker 1: all things home related. If it doesn't happen during that time, 680 00:33:14,120 --> 00:33:16,760 Speaker 1: it wasn't that important. Or I'm going to assign myself 681 00:33:17,320 --> 00:33:20,480 Speaker 1: this task for the weekend, you know, of like finding 682 00:33:20,600 --> 00:33:23,640 Speaker 1: this specialist light bulb somewhere and installing it. You know 683 00:33:23,720 --> 00:33:25,800 Speaker 1: that that's gonna be that thing for this weekend. But 684 00:33:25,880 --> 00:33:27,560 Speaker 1: I'm not going to tackle all the other things, right 685 00:33:27,560 --> 00:33:30,000 Speaker 1: because i want to enjoy my weekend. I'm carving out 686 00:33:30,440 --> 00:33:32,640 Speaker 1: this amount of time and the rest of the time, 687 00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:34,840 Speaker 1: I am not going to think about it. I'm not 688 00:33:34,960 --> 00:33:36,960 Speaker 1: going to be doing that all the time. I'm only 689 00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:38,600 Speaker 1: going to be doing during this window. So I think 690 00:33:38,640 --> 00:33:40,480 Speaker 1: that's a way you can kind of keep it under control. 691 00:33:40,960 --> 00:33:41,080 Speaker 2: Now. 692 00:33:41,080 --> 00:33:43,120 Speaker 1: Obviously, if you're like, you know, hot water heater breaks 693 00:33:43,120 --> 00:33:44,720 Speaker 1: and there's water all over your basement, you're gonna have 694 00:33:44,720 --> 00:33:47,880 Speaker 1: to spend more time on it, but that you'd be 695 00:33:47,960 --> 00:33:50,520 Speaker 1: dealing with all of it if you were renting too. 696 00:33:50,560 --> 00:33:52,360 Speaker 1: I mean, your landlord would be responsible for it, but 697 00:33:52,360 --> 00:33:54,200 Speaker 1: you'd still be the one with water all over your room. 698 00:33:54,320 --> 00:33:58,040 Speaker 1: So that's things can happen either way. 699 00:33:59,040 --> 00:34:01,320 Speaker 2: By the way, if you do have an emergency and 700 00:34:01,400 --> 00:34:04,320 Speaker 2: you need someone. My favorite way of finding people is 701 00:34:04,360 --> 00:34:06,640 Speaker 2: the community What's Up group? I mean sometimes communities are 702 00:34:06,680 --> 00:34:09,920 Speaker 2: on Facebook or whatever, but I'm super glad that exists 703 00:34:09,960 --> 00:34:11,920 Speaker 2: because anytime I've been like I need an h back, 704 00:34:12,000 --> 00:34:14,560 Speaker 2: then you know, I can ask people to you know, 705 00:34:14,680 --> 00:34:16,760 Speaker 2: respond privately, and they can tell me like their actual 706 00:34:16,840 --> 00:34:19,480 Speaker 2: experience with XYZ company. And if your neighbors had a 707 00:34:19,480 --> 00:34:23,960 Speaker 2: good experience, you probably will too. So crowdsourcing for service 708 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:26,440 Speaker 2: people has been like a game changer for me, and 709 00:34:26,520 --> 00:34:28,160 Speaker 2: that might have been harder to do before the age 710 00:34:28,200 --> 00:34:31,360 Speaker 2: of having a community what's Up group or Facebook. 711 00:34:31,840 --> 00:34:35,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, well, hey, social media for the win. There. So 712 00:34:35,239 --> 00:34:37,279 Speaker 1: our love of the week, I'm going to go with 713 00:34:37,880 --> 00:34:41,200 Speaker 1: potted plants. I have been putting some in my office 714 00:34:41,400 --> 00:34:44,719 Speaker 1: in my bedroom, and they can be fake. You know, 715 00:34:45,120 --> 00:34:46,759 Speaker 1: fake is like the best of both worlds. They look 716 00:34:46,760 --> 00:34:50,360 Speaker 1: pretty realistic these days, but then they don't require actual maintenance. 717 00:34:50,400 --> 00:34:51,920 Speaker 1: I mean you have to dust them, I guess at 718 00:34:51,960 --> 00:34:54,840 Speaker 1: some point, but you still get the greenery that you 719 00:34:54,880 --> 00:34:56,319 Speaker 1: don't have to take care of it. But you can 720 00:34:56,360 --> 00:34:59,040 Speaker 1: have real plants too. There are several that aren't pretty easy. 721 00:34:59,080 --> 00:35:02,360 Speaker 1: I mean, you have like succulentser like some ones that 722 00:35:02,440 --> 00:35:05,160 Speaker 1: are like known for being very minimal in terms of care, 723 00:35:05,280 --> 00:35:07,040 Speaker 1: like you water them like once a month or something, 724 00:35:07,160 --> 00:35:11,399 Speaker 1: but having a little greenery in your relaxing spaces makes 725 00:35:11,480 --> 00:35:15,440 Speaker 1: them feel more Like humans love greenery. It's one of 726 00:35:15,480 --> 00:35:17,799 Speaker 1: those things. So if you want to feel a little 727 00:35:17,840 --> 00:35:19,880 Speaker 1: bit more fulfilled as you're in your bedroom or in 728 00:35:19,960 --> 00:35:21,440 Speaker 1: your office, put a plant in. 729 00:35:22,680 --> 00:35:24,520 Speaker 2: I should put one in my closet where I record. 730 00:35:24,600 --> 00:35:27,920 Speaker 2: I think fake would be best, but it might add something. 731 00:35:29,160 --> 00:35:32,640 Speaker 2: My love of the week is totally not as natural, 732 00:35:33,120 --> 00:35:39,919 Speaker 2: So I enjoy this Alpha h Liquid gold Rose Limited Edition. 733 00:35:40,239 --> 00:35:41,640 Speaker 1: It's like, what is it? 734 00:35:42,760 --> 00:35:44,880 Speaker 2: I think it's like an alpha yid. Yeah, it's alphahydroxy 735 00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:47,080 Speaker 2: acid products. So I don't use it every day. 736 00:35:47,640 --> 00:35:48,880 Speaker 1: Or this is a face care thing. 737 00:35:48,960 --> 00:35:50,040 Speaker 2: This is not like a face care. 738 00:35:50,040 --> 00:35:52,000 Speaker 1: I'm holding it up for what is it? Is it food? 739 00:35:52,200 --> 00:35:55,600 Speaker 1: Is it a home repair project? This is a cosmetic product. 740 00:35:55,719 --> 00:35:57,960 Speaker 2: And what I love about it is when I put 741 00:35:58,000 --> 00:36:00,520 Speaker 2: it on, it feels like it just totally I reifies 742 00:36:00,600 --> 00:36:02,680 Speaker 2: my skin and like I see stuff on the pad 743 00:36:02,760 --> 00:36:04,680 Speaker 2: and I'm like, wow, it must be like really getting 744 00:36:04,719 --> 00:36:07,600 Speaker 2: everything out and I feel like I wake up the 745 00:36:07,640 --> 00:36:09,720 Speaker 2: next day in my skin is like noticeably a little brighter. 746 00:36:09,800 --> 00:36:13,600 Speaker 2: So alpha h liquid gold alpha hydroxy acid. 747 00:36:14,239 --> 00:36:16,920 Speaker 1: You heard it here, first heard it here first? All right? 748 00:36:17,520 --> 00:36:19,239 Speaker 1: Was that in the Allure Beauty box? Or how did 749 00:36:19,280 --> 00:36:20,160 Speaker 1: you get this product? 750 00:36:20,360 --> 00:36:21,799 Speaker 2: I think the first time I used it was from 751 00:36:21,840 --> 00:36:23,120 Speaker 2: the Allure Meati box. You got it? 752 00:36:23,160 --> 00:36:25,560 Speaker 1: There you go? We were't how both subscribe to it? 753 00:36:25,680 --> 00:36:29,440 Speaker 1: To fun little way to get trial cosmetic products. All right, 754 00:36:29,520 --> 00:36:31,319 Speaker 1: Well this has been best of both worlds. We've been 755 00:36:31,360 --> 00:36:34,200 Speaker 1: talking all things summer, how to plan your summer now 756 00:36:34,320 --> 00:36:36,080 Speaker 1: and why you should be thinking about summer three to 757 00:36:36,160 --> 00:36:38,279 Speaker 1: six months ahead of time, just so you can view 758 00:36:38,280 --> 00:36:43,319 Speaker 1: the whole summer holistically. Get the best vacation spots, book 759 00:36:43,360 --> 00:36:45,799 Speaker 1: your hotel rooms, make sure you get camps that you want, 760 00:36:45,880 --> 00:36:47,640 Speaker 1: and also make sure that you don't have any gaps 761 00:36:47,680 --> 00:36:50,480 Speaker 1: in childcare that you aren't aware of, so that summer 762 00:36:50,600 --> 00:36:53,680 Speaker 1: is a much less stressful experience as a working parent. 763 00:36:54,239 --> 00:36:56,319 Speaker 1: We will be back next week with more on making 764 00:36:56,400 --> 00:36:57,640 Speaker 1: work and life fit together. 765 00:36:59,680 --> 00:37:02,360 Speaker 2: Thanks thanks for listening. You can find me Sarah at 766 00:37:02,400 --> 00:37:06,720 Speaker 2: the shoebox dot com or at the Underscore Shoebox on Instagram, 767 00:37:07,320 --> 00:37:07,560 Speaker 2: and you. 768 00:37:07,600 --> 00:37:11,759 Speaker 1: Can find me Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. This 769 00:37:11,920 --> 00:37:15,200 Speaker 1: has been the best of both worlds podcasts. Please join 770 00:37:15,280 --> 00:37:17,960 Speaker 1: us next time for more on making work and life 771 00:37:18,120 --> 00:37:18,760 Speaker 1: work together.