1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:05,519 Speaker 1: It's the Happy Families podcast. 2 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:09,080 Speaker 2: It's the podcast for the time poor parent who just 3 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:10,480 Speaker 2: once answers. 4 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:14,160 Speaker 1: Now, Christmas can be a time of well, celebration and excitement, 5 00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:17,040 Speaker 1: of course, but also anxiety, frustration, and stress for a 6 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:19,959 Speaker 1: whole lot of parents. Joining me for a conversation about 7 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:23,479 Speaker 1: the I guess the negative, the downside, a bit of 8 00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: a down up, but it's real right about Christmas holidays, 9 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 1: kids and the just the challenges associated with kids having 10 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:34,000 Speaker 1: six weeks off school. What we're supposed to do about 11 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:37,720 Speaker 1: it is Rebecca Dredge. Rebecca is the CEO of the 12 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 1: Kiddo App, and I'm really grateful that she takes us 13 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 1: some time out of her extraordinarily busy schedule to have 14 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:46,320 Speaker 1: a chat with me right now about why Ozzie parents 15 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:50,400 Speaker 1: are feeling anxious about the school holidays. Hey, Beck, nice 16 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 1: to have you along tell me about this survey. 17 00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:55,400 Speaker 2: Thanks for having me justin. So the Kiddo App, we've 18 00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:58,040 Speaker 2: got such a big community. We've got twenty three thousand 19 00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:00,080 Speaker 2: people that use our app, so we really want to 20 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:03,480 Speaker 2: to dive in and understand, you know, what parents are feeling. 21 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:06,679 Speaker 2: We all know the school's coming to an end for 22 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:10,840 Speaker 2: some parents, it's about starting the new year, it's orientation days, 23 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 2: it's Christmas shopping, it's putting up the trees, you know. 24 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 2: So we just wanted to understand how parents actually felt. 25 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:17,600 Speaker 2: And it's quite alarming. 26 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 3: You know. 27 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 2: There's a lot of us that look forward to the 28 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 2: holidays for some quality downtime with our children. But at 29 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 2: the same time, up to a third of parents are 30 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 2: really having that anxiety about worrying what they're going to 31 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:31,319 Speaker 2: do on the school holidays, how they're going to juggle 32 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:32,919 Speaker 2: work and entertaining the kids. 33 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:34,920 Speaker 3: So, yeah, it's a lot for parents. 34 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 1: I remember some years ago when we started to have 35 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 1: to deal with this ourselves. And we've got six kids, right, 36 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 1: and three of them have now finished school, but maybe 37 00:01:44,319 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 1: ten twelve years ago we kind of went hang on 38 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:50,120 Speaker 1: school holidays is meant to be fun, except we're juggling work, 39 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: and we're juggling the financial commitments, and we're juggling now 40 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:55,360 Speaker 1: we've got to like entertain the kids, and we don't 41 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:57,240 Speaker 1: want to leave them staring at the screen all day. 42 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:01,040 Speaker 1: When you've got other commitments that are not flexible, it 43 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 1: becomes a stressful time. 44 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, it really is. 45 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 2: I mean I talk to a lot of mums, and 46 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 2: there's mums that have literally got Excel spreadsheets for the 47 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:11,280 Speaker 2: next six weeks and it's you know, husband's got these 48 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:14,000 Speaker 2: three days off, Grandma can do these two days. 49 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 3: You know this week is. 50 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:18,520 Speaker 2: You know osh at school, we've got time off then, 51 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 2: and then what are we going to do in that 52 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:20,480 Speaker 2: time off? 53 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:23,120 Speaker 3: But yeah, it is it's a real straining time. 54 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:26,359 Speaker 1: Yeah, and then you had the pressure of and we're 55 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 1: having the family Christmas party at our place in the 56 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:30,800 Speaker 1: morning from ten thirty till two. But then we've got 57 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:32,600 Speaker 1: to go to the in laws for their one from 58 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:35,800 Speaker 1: a three till seven, and we've got to do all 59 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 1: the clean up and the tidy up and the setup 60 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 1: and the backdown and the all the money that's got 61 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:45,799 Speaker 1: to be spent. I mean, it really is pretty hard core. So, Beck, 62 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:50,240 Speaker 1: when you looked at this data and five forty three 63 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 1: percent of Australian parents really do love school holidays and 64 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 1: love getting quality time with their kids. But like you said, 65 00:02:56,919 --> 00:02:58,800 Speaker 1: more than a third almost the same about thirty five 66 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:00,799 Speaker 1: percent say no, this is this is hard work. There's 67 00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:02,440 Speaker 1: anxiety around this, there's a lot to juggle. 68 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:04,640 Speaker 2: What do you think. 69 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:08,360 Speaker 1: Parents when you look at what they told you, what 70 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 1: seems to be useful for parents, so that they can 71 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 1: get the balance right, so that it actually feels nice 72 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:17,520 Speaker 1: to have Christmas, even with all of the pressure that's 73 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:18,680 Speaker 1: on so many families. 74 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:24,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think, Look, it's about prioritizing what you need 75 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 2: to do, trying not to get too overwhelmed with everything. 76 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 2: If there are things that you don't need to do, 77 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 2: just say no, Like if there's just you know, if 78 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 2: there's too many commitments, say no. 79 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 1: The power of no is enormous, and so often we 80 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 1: forget that is an option. 81 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 2: Right. 82 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 1: We feel completely obligated to go to the neighborhood Christmas 83 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 1: party and the surf club or the Scout group or 84 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:48,280 Speaker 1: the church or the whatever community thing that you're involved, 85 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:49,600 Speaker 1: and you've got to go to their one as well. 86 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 1: And then there's the work one plus your partner's work one, 87 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 1: and there's like, there is so many events, there's so 88 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:57,400 Speaker 1: much to do. It's okay to say no. 89 00:03:57,760 --> 00:04:00,720 Speaker 2: It's okay to say no, and it's okay to prioritize, 90 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 2: you know, and you kiddo's there if you need a babysitter, 91 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:07,440 Speaker 2: but it is you know, outsourcing and just it can 92 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:10,720 Speaker 2: even be stressful having to ask family to babysit during 93 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 2: this time, because that's another add of pressure. Then you 94 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:15,360 Speaker 2: go like, oh, then I've got parents in law staying 95 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 2: for a night. So it is about, you know, saying 96 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 2: no limiting the amount of invites you put on your fridge. 97 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:23,560 Speaker 2: You know, your fridge doesn't have to be clutted with 98 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:26,920 Speaker 2: every single invite, with every event that's happening, and outsource 99 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 2: where possible, so us parents, you know, we don't burn out, 100 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 2: we don't all get sick, and we're not you know, 101 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 2: we need to enjoy ourselves as well and be there 102 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:37,600 Speaker 2: for our kids, not completely and utterly exhausted. 103 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:42,480 Speaker 1: I'm going to add another couple of things to this 104 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:45,040 Speaker 1: and feel free to fill in around the edges if 105 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:48,560 Speaker 1: I miss anything. But in our family, what Kylie, my 106 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 1: wife has done, is essentially pulled together the calendar and 107 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:56,400 Speaker 1: just jot down literally organize the day to day. Here's 108 00:04:56,400 --> 00:04:58,000 Speaker 1: what we're doing on this day. We're going to make 109 00:04:58,000 --> 00:04:59,760 Speaker 1: sure that we've got quality family time two or three 110 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 1: time this week. It might be a morning, it might 111 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:03,520 Speaker 1: be an evening, it could be on the weekend, but 112 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:06,560 Speaker 1: we're just putting in this stuff that really matters, and 113 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:08,160 Speaker 1: then we can fill in around it with the other 114 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:10,720 Speaker 1: stuff if it fits, but we're going to do the 115 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:14,159 Speaker 1: stuff that matters for us first. That organization. The intention 116 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 1: around that I've been so impressed with is she's done that, 117 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 1: and I love that. I love your point about booking 118 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 1: a babysitter in laws. But we just had a podcast 119 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:28,160 Speaker 1: go out last week on Thursday about the challenges that 120 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:31,200 Speaker 1: come with that. Do you have any I mean, maybe 121 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:32,600 Speaker 1: it's an opportunity to give Kitto a little bit of 122 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:34,359 Speaker 1: a plug. Tell me what Kiddo does and how that 123 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:36,160 Speaker 1: can help in that vein. 124 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:39,119 Speaker 2: Yeah, so kiddo. Look, we're an app. We're there twenty 125 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:41,400 Speaker 2: four to seven. You can download Kiddo from the app store. 126 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 2: You simply input the time and date you need a 127 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:48,359 Speaker 2: babysitter for nanny, and we'll show you who's available. So 128 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:51,000 Speaker 2: there's no having to go backwards and forwards to being 129 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:54,280 Speaker 2: asked someone can help and then be rejected. You simply 130 00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:57,359 Speaker 2: log on, input your time and date. You can preview 131 00:05:57,680 --> 00:05:59,560 Speaker 2: profiles and book in the app. You can do this 132 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 2: at ten thirty at night if you know it's the 133 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:03,920 Speaker 2: last thing on your mind and you're oh, I need 134 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 2: to organize care for that Friday night. 135 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:09,160 Speaker 3: You can sit there and you know, doesn't matter if 136 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:09,919 Speaker 3: it's ten thirty night. 137 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:11,599 Speaker 2: You can do that and that request will go across 138 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:13,279 Speaker 2: to that babysitter and that wake up and they can 139 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 2: you know, confirm it for you. But it's just a 140 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 2: great go to, a great resource to just quietly go 141 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:23,000 Speaker 2: and book some care if that's what you need to 142 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:25,680 Speaker 2: get through the next few weeks to get through to Christmas. 143 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:28,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, yep, sounds great. And we'll link to the Kiddo 144 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:31,559 Speaker 1: app in our show notes for this. One last question 145 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:34,279 Speaker 1: for you, how are you going to deal with the 146 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:37,720 Speaker 1: stress and the challenge. I mean, you're running a business, 147 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:40,320 Speaker 1: You've got all of your commitments across Christmas. How are 148 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:41,400 Speaker 1: you going to get through it yourself? 149 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:44,640 Speaker 2: Quite literally, I have prioritized normally, you know, I do 150 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:46,640 Speaker 2: a big Christmas event. This year, I've just said, you 151 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 2: know what, I can't do it. We've had a big 152 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:51,080 Speaker 2: year at Kiddo, We've gone national. I just can't do 153 00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:53,120 Speaker 2: too many things. You've got to look after your health. 154 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:54,919 Speaker 2: You've got to look after number one. You've got to 155 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:59,560 Speaker 2: be in great shape for your kids. Yeah. So it's prioritizing. 156 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 2: I've booked some babysitters, so I've got that peace of 157 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:04,839 Speaker 2: mind knowing. Yep, I've got that extra set of hands 158 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:07,240 Speaker 2: when I need them. And I'm just going to glide 159 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:08,719 Speaker 2: into Christmas Day and really enjoy it. 160 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 1: I love that word. I'm going to glide into Christmas Day. 161 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 1: That has just become my brand new goal. Fingers crossed, 162 00:07:15,720 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 1: fingers cross we can all glide through the next week, 163 00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:18,880 Speaker 1: gide and all. 164 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:20,960 Speaker 2: Have a cheers Christmas morning. Go and we made it 165 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:21,800 Speaker 2: and we feel good. 166 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:26,600 Speaker 1: Yeah sounds great. Rebecca Dredge, CEO of kiddoapp dot com 167 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:29,200 Speaker 1: dot A, you really appreciate your sharing what you found 168 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 1: from your community of twenty three thousand parents about Christmas 169 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:35,840 Speaker 1: holiday anxiety. Thanks for joining me on the Happy Family Podcast. 170 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:37,760 Speaker 3: Thanks for having me. Merry Christmas. 171 00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:40,160 Speaker 1: Merry Christmas to you too. The Happy Families podcast is 172 00:07:40,160 --> 00:07:42,840 Speaker 1: produced by Justin Rulan from Bridge Media. Craig Bruce is 173 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:45,480 Speaker 1: our executive producer, and as always, if you'd like more 174 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:47,400 Speaker 1: info about what we've talked about, check the show notes 175 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:50,440 Speaker 1: for today's episode and visit us at Happy Families dot 176 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:51,000 Speaker 1: com AU