1 00:00:06,040 --> 00:00:09,719 Speaker 1: Today is the last Happy Families podcast of the year. 2 00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:12,039 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for listening this year. That's all 3 00:00:12,039 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: we've got, No, I'm just kidding, there's a little bit 4 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:15,239 Speaker 1: more than that. We've got to do our usual thing. 5 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:18,239 Speaker 1: I'll do better tomorrow, but but can you believe it? 6 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:23,200 Speaker 1: Christmas next week. The countdown is really on. The anticipation 7 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:27,080 Speaker 1: is building and hopefully there's mostly good vibes wherever you 8 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:29,440 Speaker 1: are and whatever you're doing. In just a sec, Kylie 9 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 1: and I are going to share with you our highlights 10 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 1: of the year and the stuff that we've picked up 11 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:35,360 Speaker 1: this week that we think is going to help you 12 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:37,880 Speaker 1: to make Christmas and the New Year celebration and the 13 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:40,519 Speaker 1: whole break so much better and make your family so 14 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 1: much happier. That's all coming up in just a sec. Hello, 15 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Happy Families Podcast, Real parenting solutions every 16 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:52,920 Speaker 1: single day on Australia's most downloaded parenting podcast. Before we 17 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 1: talk about Old Better Tomorrow and highlights of twenty twenty 18 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:57,280 Speaker 1: five and what to look forward to in twenty twenty 19 00:00:57,320 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 1: six and so on, Kylie, I'm just going to take 20 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:03,480 Speaker 1: a moment and reflect on I mean, Older Better Tomorrow 21 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 1: was about talking about what worked this week, what didn't, 22 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:07,680 Speaker 1: how we can be better tomorrow. I want to take 23 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:10,520 Speaker 1: a moment reflect on the families who have suffered over 24 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:14,360 Speaker 1: the last week. Something has happened that is profound and 25 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:19,199 Speaker 1: in so many ways almost indescribable, and in Australia's history, 26 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 1: certainly in the time that I've been alive, other than 27 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 1: the Port Arthur Masca that happened when I was I 28 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 1: don't know, sort of finishing high school. The scenes, the carnage, 29 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:35,360 Speaker 1: the traumatic awfulness of what happened at Bondi in the 30 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 1: last week is still reverberating around our country. It's still 31 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:41,960 Speaker 1: on the front page of every paper. It's still I mean, 32 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:46,840 Speaker 1: it's going around the world as you would expect something 33 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:49,960 Speaker 1: like this to do. For an older Better Tomorrow podcast, 34 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:52,040 Speaker 1: I just want to reflect on some of the things 35 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:54,560 Speaker 1: that I've been talking about in the news, because obviously 36 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 1: I get phone calls from radio stations and press and 37 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:00,880 Speaker 1: TV stations when tragedy is a cur and people want 38 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:04,040 Speaker 1: to know what to do about it. From an older 39 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 1: about it, to my ow perspective, I want to emphasize 40 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:11,440 Speaker 1: a couple of things. Number One, as a parent, it's 41 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:14,360 Speaker 1: so vitally important that hold your kids close, that you 42 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:17,440 Speaker 1: let them know that you love them, that you cherish 43 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:19,560 Speaker 1: every moment that your present, that you're intentional. I mean, 44 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:22,519 Speaker 1: it sounds so tried, and it sounds so almost contrived, 45 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:25,959 Speaker 1: and yet when it all comes I had this conversation 46 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:30,400 Speaker 1: Kylie on the weekend just gone, and I was talking 47 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:32,240 Speaker 1: to a dad who just shrugged his sholder and said, look, 48 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:34,200 Speaker 1: I don't care anymore. I'm just over it. I'm so tired. 49 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:36,480 Speaker 1: In fact, I was talking to another dad about four 50 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:38,320 Speaker 1: weeks ago who said the same thing. He's struggling with 51 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:40,600 Speaker 1: his fourteen year old teenage daughter, and he said, that's it. 52 00:02:40,639 --> 00:02:42,600 Speaker 1: I'm sick of it. I'm tired of being angry. I'm 53 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:45,480 Speaker 1: just done, Like I don't care anymore. And as I 54 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 1: listened to both of them, and specifically on the weekend, 55 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 1: as I spoke to this friend of mine who was 56 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 1: saying that he's kind of given up and he doesn't care. 57 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 1: In some ways, I feel the same way. Like we've 58 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 1: raised six kids, we're raising our fifth fifteen year old 59 00:02:57,639 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 1: right now, we've got an eleven year old turning twenty 60 00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 1: one year old. I mean, it's a cliche, but we're 61 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 1: going through it again. I'm just kind of like, I'm 62 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 1: so over this card they just raise themselves. I'm done. 63 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 1: Although for the most part our kids have been pretty 64 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 1: amazing lately, we're a couple of little challenges. But when 65 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 1: those challenges pop up, I kind of want to slide 66 00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 1: into apthy and shrug and go, oh jeez, I'm done. 67 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 1: I don't care, do what you want. I'm over it. 68 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: I'm just over it. But then you just stop and 69 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:26,800 Speaker 1: reflect and you think about those parents who have lost 70 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:31,920 Speaker 1: or those children who have lost parents, And I kind 71 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 1: of think, what kind of entitled thing do we have 72 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:40,720 Speaker 1: that makes us think that we can say I don't 73 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 1: care whatever? And I actually bonda. I hadn't happened when 74 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:47,680 Speaker 1: I had this conversation with this guy on Sunday, but 75 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:50,640 Speaker 1: I said to him, you've got to care, because caring 76 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:56,480 Speaker 1: is actually all you've got. Our relationships are everything. If 77 00:03:56,520 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 1: you don't care, if you let go of the relationship, 78 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 1: you've lost the only stuff that matters. What do you 79 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 1: care about, like staring? If I'm playing a game and 80 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:09,400 Speaker 1: so my older better tomorrow. If I bring all this together, 81 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:12,920 Speaker 1: is just that you've got a care and caring hurts, 82 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 1: and caring means that sometimes you'll be terrified, And caring 83 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:16,840 Speaker 1: means that every now and again you're going to be 84 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:19,440 Speaker 1: really frustrated or disappointed because the kids are going to 85 00:04:19,520 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 1: let you down, or because something horrible is going to happen. 86 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:26,560 Speaker 1: But it's caring that makes us so uniquely human and 87 00:04:26,640 --> 00:04:30,120 Speaker 1: makes life so rich. So that's kind of my older 88 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:33,240 Speaker 1: better tomorrow. I just I'm heartbroken when I think about 89 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:36,280 Speaker 1: what's happened. And the second thing that I was going 90 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:38,960 Speaker 1: to say is just I wrote a post about looking 91 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 1: for the good. There's that great Fred Rogers quote where 92 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:44,480 Speaker 1: he says, look for the helpers. His mum always taught 93 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:46,159 Speaker 1: him to look for the helpers in the face of tragedy. 94 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:48,680 Speaker 1: And oh, my goodness, of the newspaper's been full of 95 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 1: stories of people who have just been extraordinary in their 96 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:56,719 Speaker 1: desire to serve. Many literally many who lost their lives 97 00:04:56,760 --> 00:05:00,760 Speaker 1: on the weekend because they tried to disarm gunman or 98 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:04,240 Speaker 1: they tried to lead the gunman to shoot in their direction. 99 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 1: Some other people could get away. Look for their helpers, 100 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 1: and especially those who pay a high price so that 101 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:13,400 Speaker 1: they can help. My heart's broken, and yet at the 102 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:17,840 Speaker 1: same time, I'm so inspired by the goodness of people, 103 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:21,279 Speaker 1: and this has been a week where I just wanted 104 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:23,120 Speaker 1: to hold people close to me. So that's my older 105 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:25,400 Speaker 1: better Tomorrow. It's a little bit of a I don't know. 106 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:27,040 Speaker 1: I don't know if it's a down or an up, 107 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:29,039 Speaker 1: or maybe just a reflection on what the week was. 108 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:31,560 Speaker 1: But I felt inclined to share that that's my older 109 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:36,320 Speaker 1: better tomorrow. Not very Christmasy, not very celebratory, but I 110 00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:38,840 Speaker 1: guess with a week that has been what it is, 111 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 1: they're my older better tomorrow reflections. 112 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 2: As I've been listening to you, I was actually planning 113 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:48,159 Speaker 2: on sharing something else, but I was thinking about a 114 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:51,320 Speaker 2: conversation I had with one of our daughters on our 115 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 2: bike ride recently, and she did not struggle with this 116 00:05:56,240 --> 00:05:58,120 Speaker 2: feat at all. It wasn't hard for her. 117 00:05:58,200 --> 00:05:59,840 Speaker 1: So for those who missed the memo, we had a 118 00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:01,839 Speaker 1: week New Zealand, rode one hundred and fifty two k's 119 00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:04,840 Speaker 1: with the kids across four days on rail trails, gravel roads, 120 00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:07,680 Speaker 1: just riding a bike across New Zealand. 121 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 2: About day three, she kind of rode up next to 122 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:14,240 Speaker 2: me and she said, Mum, is this actually supposed to 123 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:16,920 Speaker 2: be hard? And she wasn't being cheeky, and she wasn't 124 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 2: kind of, you know, like saying, look at me, this 125 00:06:19,839 --> 00:06:23,520 Speaker 2: is so easy. She was really genuinely wanting to know 126 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:26,159 Speaker 2: because she'd watched her sisters or falling apart at different 127 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:28,800 Speaker 2: times along the track, and she was kind of just going, 128 00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:31,920 Speaker 2: is this supposed to be hard like or is it 129 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:34,800 Speaker 2: actually easy? And they've just been a bit soft. And 130 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 2: I said to her, I said, well, actually, I said no, 131 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:41,000 Speaker 2: in essence, no, it's not actually hard. What's hard about 132 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:43,359 Speaker 2: it is that we have to do this day in 133 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 2: day out. Firstly, there's an endurance element to it. We 134 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:50,720 Speaker 2: can ride a bike for an hour, but now we're 135 00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:53,040 Speaker 2: asking you to ride it for three or four hours, 136 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:55,080 Speaker 2: and then you're going to wake up tomorrow morning you're 137 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:56,680 Speaker 2: going to do it again, and then you're going to 138 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:58,279 Speaker 2: do it again, and you're going to be hit with 139 00:06:58,320 --> 00:07:02,799 Speaker 2: wind and rain, and I kind of I'm thinking about 140 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:06,440 Speaker 2: the conversations that you've had recently and the feeling that 141 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:10,280 Speaker 2: we specifically you and I have so many times when 142 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 2: we're hit with another challenge that our kids have kind 143 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:16,280 Speaker 2: of placed in our laps, and thinking, I don't know 144 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 2: if I've got what it takes to keep moving. 145 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:23,560 Speaker 1: Forward, and they don't stop coming, they don't seriously. 146 00:07:23,880 --> 00:07:26,880 Speaker 2: But three things stand out to me. Number One, We're 147 00:07:26,920 --> 00:07:29,400 Speaker 2: in this for the long haul. There isn't a short 148 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:35,560 Speaker 2: or a quick fix to parenting. Number Two, somehow we 149 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:39,480 Speaker 2: managed to dig deep when we set these like crazy 150 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:42,200 Speaker 2: goals like I'm going to do a triathlon, for instance, 151 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:46,640 Speaker 2: we find the energy, the excitement, the you know, the 152 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 2: drive to achieve something big because it's actually not a 153 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:55,320 Speaker 2: long game. We've got it in the moment and it's 154 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 2: it's something that energizes us and kind of, you know, 155 00:07:57,640 --> 00:08:01,000 Speaker 2: spurs us on. But the challenge for us as parents 156 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:04,560 Speaker 2: is the recognition that we actually need to dig deep 157 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:08,160 Speaker 2: when we're dealing with the day to day mundane. Our 158 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:14,600 Speaker 2: kids need us so desperately to care and we've got 159 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:19,360 Speaker 2: to find something in us to just keep plodding along 160 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 2: to let them know that they matter more than anything. 161 00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:28,680 Speaker 2: Because I never ever, ever thought that we would be 162 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:31,520 Speaker 2: experiencing what we've experienced this last week as a nation. 163 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:36,880 Speaker 2: That was never in my wildest dreams with Australia not 164 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:42,160 Speaker 2: be you know where we are right now, and the 165 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:44,760 Speaker 2: world just needs more tolerance. The world needs more love. 166 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:50,120 Speaker 2: The world needs more grace, patience, understanding. We need, we 167 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:52,959 Speaker 2: need to rally together, and our kids more than anything, 168 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:56,280 Speaker 2: need us to be the best we can be for them. 169 00:08:57,360 --> 00:09:01,360 Speaker 1: Tomorrow, care care, care care. After the break, we are 170 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 1: going to just wrap up the year. We'll only take 171 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:05,719 Speaker 1: a couple of minutes because our time is more or 172 00:09:05,800 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 1: less up anyway. But I think that it's been a 173 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:10,920 Speaker 1: heavy week, There's no way around it. But we do 174 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:13,440 Speaker 1: need to sort of change gears a little bit and 175 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:16,560 Speaker 1: prepare for what should be a to the degree that 176 00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:20,560 Speaker 1: we can, and hopefully we really can pull ourselves away 177 00:09:20,559 --> 00:09:24,120 Speaker 1: from the screens and the sadness and step into what 178 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:28,280 Speaker 1: we hope will be a wonderful and festive and connected 179 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:30,080 Speaker 1: week with the people that we love most. We're going 180 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:44,040 Speaker 1: to wrap up the year right after this. We're back. 181 00:09:44,080 --> 00:09:46,200 Speaker 1: It's the Happy Families podcast. If you're enjoying the podcast, 182 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:49,840 Speaker 1: please share it with your friends, neighbors, kids, whoever, so 183 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:51,439 Speaker 1: that you can make their families happier as well, or 184 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:53,960 Speaker 1: make your family happy by sharing the joy and the 185 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:57,280 Speaker 1: multiplicity of what we do here. Kylie, just really quickly 186 00:09:57,360 --> 00:10:01,079 Speaker 1: as we wrap up the podcast for the year, highlights 187 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:02,400 Speaker 1: highlights for you this year? 188 00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:05,520 Speaker 2: Well, I'm thinking, if you've been with us since the 189 00:10:05,559 --> 00:10:08,720 Speaker 2: beginning of the year, you have been through so many 190 00:10:08,880 --> 00:10:11,760 Speaker 2: ups and downs with us as a family. We have 191 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:17,600 Speaker 2: experienced so much joy, yeah, so much hardship, yeah, and 192 00:10:17,679 --> 00:10:22,640 Speaker 2: so much challenge, But challenge came so much growth. So 193 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 2: the highlights for me would be welcoming a daughter home 194 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:29,080 Speaker 2: after being away for eighteen months. 195 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:31,080 Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah, we had a daughter come back from Canada 196 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:32,959 Speaker 1: after eighty months away. That was definitely a highlight. 197 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:35,800 Speaker 2: Having two of our daughters start. 198 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:38,959 Speaker 1: UNI and one finished high school and one finished a 199 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:40,240 Speaker 1: couple of weeks ago. How good was that? 200 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:43,120 Speaker 2: Another year of homeschool down and we survived. 201 00:10:43,679 --> 00:10:46,160 Speaker 1: You know. One of my highlights was I wrote my book. 202 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 1: I wrote a book about boys. I mean, it's taken 203 00:10:47,559 --> 00:10:48,719 Speaker 1: me three and a half years, but I wrote a 204 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:50,920 Speaker 1: book about boys. It's written. Well, are you finishing it? 205 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:53,360 Speaker 1: I've not finished the book yet. Can I call it al? 206 00:10:53,679 --> 00:10:55,280 Speaker 1: I don't know. It's been a highlight. I feel so 207 00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:56,840 Speaker 1: good that it's done. But I just realized, I'm like, 208 00:10:57,440 --> 00:10:59,040 Speaker 1: I'm kind of I'm going to be working right through 209 00:10:59,040 --> 00:11:01,160 Speaker 1: the summer break, working for the next two or three 210 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:03,400 Speaker 1: weeks because the final manuscript has just come back from 211 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:05,680 Speaker 1: the publisher, so that I can make all my final changes, 212 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:09,719 Speaker 1: because then it really is sett in concrete, it's really done. 213 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:12,240 Speaker 1: I'm feeling really good about it. I've been going through 214 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:14,920 Speaker 1: the first couple of chapters and I really like this book. 215 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:17,319 Speaker 1: So it is a highlight. It's not actually done. It's 216 00:11:17,320 --> 00:11:20,360 Speaker 1: going to be published middle of the year coming up. 217 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:22,200 Speaker 1: So if you've got tween or teen boys, this is 218 00:11:22,200 --> 00:11:23,520 Speaker 1: the one that you're going to be wanting. It's going 219 00:11:23,559 --> 00:11:26,120 Speaker 1: to be such a cracking book. But yeah, I'm calling 220 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 1: that a highlight. I'm probably jumping early. I might make 221 00:11:29,040 --> 00:11:31,319 Speaker 1: it a highlight again next year. I'm going to get 222 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:32,720 Speaker 1: to for the price of one. 223 00:11:33,559 --> 00:11:36,720 Speaker 2: I think the Crowning Glory was definitely our family holiday. 224 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:42,720 Speaker 1: My fiftieth birthday bike ride across the South. Yes, yes, yeah, 225 00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:45,880 Speaker 1: taking ten people to do that was a real treat. Okay, 226 00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:49,800 Speaker 1: so our time is all but up. Is there anything 227 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:51,480 Speaker 1: that we need to sort of wrap up with as 228 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:55,960 Speaker 1: we step into the weekend just before we hit Christmas? 229 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:57,200 Speaker 1: Anything else that you want to say? 230 00:11:58,880 --> 00:12:03,439 Speaker 2: We talk about beginnings. Ending's mattering, and usually at the 231 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:07,120 Speaker 2: beginning of the year we're full of energy. It's really palmed. 232 00:12:07,200 --> 00:12:09,440 Speaker 2: We set all of these great goals and. 233 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:13,959 Speaker 1: We got this across the line. Seriously, So here's a 234 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:15,840 Speaker 1: little bit of inside baseball for you. I don't want 235 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:17,480 Speaker 1: to get into the nitty gritty of how this podcast 236 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:21,160 Speaker 1: is produced too much. But normally we record the podcast 237 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:24,840 Speaker 1: maybe two or three days ahead. Maybe maybe if I'm traveling, 238 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:27,760 Speaker 1: we might even be a week ahead. Right, So the 239 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:30,719 Speaker 1: only thing that we do close to the day consistently 240 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:32,360 Speaker 1: is I'll do better tomorrow because we want to talk 241 00:12:32,360 --> 00:12:37,360 Speaker 1: about the week that was. We never ever ever record 242 00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:40,079 Speaker 1: this close to the podcast dropping. What is it. It's 243 00:12:40,200 --> 00:12:45,800 Speaker 1: nine to thirty on Thursday, ninety eighteenth Jr. Our podcast producer. 244 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:48,320 Speaker 2: It's got his tooth picks in his eyes. 245 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:51,200 Speaker 1: As long as it's done by nine to thirty. It's 246 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:54,880 Speaker 1: now nine twenty six, so like we are crawling over 247 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:58,360 Speaker 1: the line. We've been flat strap our house, the kids 248 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:02,560 Speaker 1: just so yeah, you talk about starting the year bright 249 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:04,160 Speaker 1: eyed and bushy tawtl like we're gonna have the best 250 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:08,360 Speaker 1: year ever, and we are just like, please please make 251 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:09,280 Speaker 1: it up. 252 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:13,640 Speaker 2: But one of the things that we have been really 253 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:15,160 Speaker 2: good at doing in the past, and we haven't done 254 00:13:15,160 --> 00:13:18,920 Speaker 2: for a long time is have a quarterly gatway. Yes, 255 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:21,800 Speaker 2: and we've actually just come back from that and we've 256 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:25,120 Speaker 2: been able to kind of just reflect on some of 257 00:13:25,760 --> 00:13:28,640 Speaker 2: the goodness that's in our lives and look at the 258 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:32,400 Speaker 2: new year coming up and what we want to achieve. 259 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:35,839 Speaker 1: So for those who have missed what the quarterly getaway is. 260 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:38,520 Speaker 1: Several years ago before it kind of got really tricky 261 00:13:38,559 --> 00:13:41,240 Speaker 1: for us. We used to go away every term, like 262 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:43,560 Speaker 1: once every twelve weeks, once every three months, once every 263 00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:45,960 Speaker 1: quarter because a lot of people have a business meeting 264 00:13:45,960 --> 00:13:48,360 Speaker 1: every quarter to get focused on their business, and we 265 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:50,760 Speaker 1: kind of all strategies, Yeah, it create strategies for the 266 00:13:50,760 --> 00:13:51,200 Speaker 1: next quarter. 267 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:52,640 Speaker 2: On the same page, our. 268 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:54,360 Speaker 1: Family kind of matters more than the business. We should 269 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:56,320 Speaker 1: do this as a couple for our family, and we 270 00:13:56,360 --> 00:13:58,200 Speaker 1: haven't done it for a couple of years. But we've 271 00:13:58,280 --> 00:14:01,880 Speaker 1: just come back from like a quarterly getaway getting ready 272 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:05,320 Speaker 1: for next year, and we wanted to have some fun. 273 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:10,040 Speaker 1: We wanted to spend time enjoying being together. Seriously, like 274 00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:12,760 Speaker 1: we do, worked very very hard. We were doing twelve 275 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:14,959 Speaker 1: hour days for the two days, and we didn't get 276 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:18,240 Speaker 1: it all done. There's so much going on. It's so exhausting. 277 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:21,640 Speaker 2: But if you're like us and you're dragging yourself to 278 00:14:21,640 --> 00:14:24,520 Speaker 2: the finish line, yeah, can I encourage you to just 279 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:28,440 Speaker 2: take a few moments together with your significant other, your partner, 280 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:31,120 Speaker 2: your love of your life, whoever it is, and just 281 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:34,560 Speaker 2: reflect on the goodness that you've experienced this year. Even 282 00:14:34,600 --> 00:14:36,920 Speaker 2: reflecting on the challenges that you've had and the growth 283 00:14:36,920 --> 00:14:40,200 Speaker 2: that's come from them is really powerful and it's such 284 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:43,560 Speaker 2: a beautiful way to finish off what has hopefully been 285 00:14:44,120 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 2: a year full of ups and downs, highs and lows, 286 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:54,000 Speaker 2: but so many great, beautiful experiences that have helped you 287 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:55,560 Speaker 2: to grow and develop. Yeah. 288 00:14:55,600 --> 00:14:58,720 Speaker 1: And if it hasn't been a great year for reasons 289 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:01,840 Speaker 1: that would be personal, or maybe you've been caught up 290 00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:04,280 Speaker 1: in the horrific events of the last week and you're 291 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:06,720 Speaker 1: kind of thinking, no, this has possibly been the worst 292 00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:08,000 Speaker 1: year of my life. I mean, we had one of 293 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:11,760 Speaker 1: those years a couple of years ago. It can still 294 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:13,360 Speaker 1: be a year of growth and a year of learning. 295 00:15:13,400 --> 00:15:16,480 Speaker 1: It can be a year of grace and a year 296 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:22,640 Speaker 1: of introspection and empathy and compassion and enlargement because of 297 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:27,080 Speaker 1: the difficulties, So hopefully it's been more of the former 298 00:15:27,160 --> 00:15:30,000 Speaker 1: and less of the latter, but either way, we just 299 00:15:30,040 --> 00:15:32,880 Speaker 1: are so grateful that you choose to spend fifteen minutes 300 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:35,640 Speaker 1: or ten minutes or even twenty minutes sometimes when we 301 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 1: go over time each day, spending that with us listening 302 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:41,800 Speaker 1: to the Happy Families Podcast. The podcast is what it 303 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:44,720 Speaker 1: is because of you, because of your interest in making 304 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:48,080 Speaker 1: your family happier. And we hope that this Christmas season, 305 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:50,120 Speaker 1: whatever you're doing, wherever you are and whoever you're with, 306 00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:53,440 Speaker 1: that it really is festive, that it really is merry, 307 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:58,280 Speaker 1: that it really is connected, and that it really is meaningful. 308 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:01,520 Speaker 1: Thanks so much for listening in twenty twenty five. We'll 309 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:04,960 Speaker 1: talk to you again in twenty twenty six when we 310 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:08,000 Speaker 1: return with the Happy Families Podcast, which is produced by 311 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:11,800 Speaker 1: Justin Rulan from Bridge Media Champion Jr. Thanks for staying 312 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:16,000 Speaker 1: up late, and Mim Hammond supervides all the research admin 313 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:17,600 Speaker 1: and another support. I'm not sure if she's going to 314 00:16:17,600 --> 00:16:20,200 Speaker 1: provide any research admin or other support for this final 315 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:23,600 Speaker 1: episode because I think Mim is done, But thank you 316 00:16:23,640 --> 00:16:26,080 Speaker 1: Mim for all you do. Have a wonderful Christmas, have 317 00:16:26,360 --> 00:16:29,480 Speaker 1: the most joyous New Year, and we'll see you in 318 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:30,320 Speaker 1: twenty twenty six,