Episode 60 - The Questions We Shouldn’t Wait to Ask - Part 2: A Conversation With My Mom

In this episode of Three Questions, I sit down with my mom for a conversation about motherhood, marriage, identity, family, and the stories we carry from generation to generation. We talk about the invisible labor of being a mother, the pressure women feel to “do it all,” family dynamics, and why confidence sometimes looks very different on the inside than it does on the outside.

In This Episode You’ll Hear:
• Why “doing what works for your family” mattered more than following parenting advice
• How family dynamics shape confidence, boundaries, and identity
• Why it’s never too late to stay curious, learn new things, and become more yourself

This conversation made me laugh, reflect, and appreciate how much wisdom can live inside ordinary stories, especially from the people closest to us. I hope this episode encourages you to sit down and have the conversations with the people you love most sooner rather than later.

Links & Resources For This Episode:
Episode 59 - The Questions We Shouldn't Wait to Ask - Part 1: A Conversation With My Dad
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Transcript

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Welcome to Three Questions, where critical thinking is king, and my opinions and research are only here to support your learning and understanding. Hey, I'm your host, Meghann, and I am so honored you clicked on Three Questions today for yet another very special guest. You met the CEO of the Koppele family.

Now you're meeting the COO, the chief operating officer of the Koppele family, Maureen Koppele, AKA my mother. Welcome to the podcast, Mom. 

Maureen Koppele: Well, thank you for having me, Meghann. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: So this doesn't count as the three questions, but the first thing I asked Dad was, "Do you know what a podcast is?" 

Maureen Koppele: Uh, yes and no. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Uh, say more.

What does that mean, Mom? 

Maureen Koppele: I- I've heard of them, and I figure it's, you know, somebody talking about different things, but I've never really watched one. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Well, you don't watch a podcast, you listen to a podcast. 

Maureen Koppele: Oh. Well, I don't, I've never 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: listened. I mean, you can- You can watch it, 'cause this also is on YouTube.

If you didn't know that, now you know. Oh. Um, 

Maureen Koppele: I was explaining- I, I have never listened to one either then. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Well, you know, it would be nice if you listened to my podcast. 

Maureen Koppele: I will start now. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Oh, good. Wonderful. Now 

Maureen Koppele: I realize what it is. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: So I explained it to Dad. I'm like, "Dad, remember how I used to listen to talk radio Mike and Mike, Mike and Mike and The Mad Dog and Howard Stern?"

He's like, "Okay." I'm like, "It's sort of like that except, you know, I'm a lot less popular." And he's like, "Okay." So anyway. Just 

Maureen Koppele: your father. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Yes. So I was laughing when I interviewed Dad. He was, like, so serious, and, like, when you think of Dad, do you think of someone who's serious? 

Maureen Koppele: Yes. Sometimes. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Really? 

Maureen Koppele: Yeah, yeah.

Well, he can be s- very serious, but then he can be very goofy. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Yeah. 

Maureen Koppele: So yeah. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: He's an interesting combination. 

Maureen Koppele: Yeah, he is. He is. But 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: let's put a pin in Dad for a minute- Okay ... and let's talk about you. 

Maureen Koppele: Oh, God help us. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: So, Mom... Now, we talked, I talked to Dad a lot about family, and Dad is always very clear about, well, Maureen did all the heavy lifting and stuff like that, and a lot of my listeners are mothers.

Maureen Koppele: Mm-hmm. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: And what I deemed at a, at a kind of young age is being a mom is the toughest job, and I watched you do it kind of so effortlessly, and you pretty much did everything. And watching you, I realized at a young age, I see what she's doing, and nobody's saying thank you. And I look at what Dad did, and I was like, if I have to pick a job, I'd want that one- Mm

meaning Dad. So I think being a mother first is a hard job. How did you manage that? 

Maureen Koppele: At times not very well, other times I think pretty good. You and your sister turned out- Lead with the not very well. You and your sister turned out very well, so, you know, I con- I consider that, you know, the, um, uh- The plus part of it Limitless.

Yeah But, uh, yeah, so there were some times that I just felt like it was m- you know, me all by myself even though I really wasn't, 'cause your father was always there. But he worked a lot of long hours when you were younger, so in those times where it would be days sometimes when you wouldn't, we wouldn't have time for just the two of us, uh, you would feel very much alone even though in reality I wasn't alone.

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Yeah, but I think always everybody talks about the, the beauty of being a mom and stuff like that. Not that I want you to complain by any means- Yeah ... but, you know, is there any advice, advice you would give like a young mother who feels like she's not doing anything right? She's trying to manage 20 things, and you just feel like nothing you can do is right?

Maureen Koppele: Well, I always say my best, uh, uh, advice to anybody, like when you go to these bridal showers they always say, "Oh, write out what, a, a piece of advice for the bride to be," and I would always say, my o- I would always write, "My best advice is don't take anybody's advice. Just do what you feel is right for yourself and what works for your family, and if it works for you, even when you have bad times or not such great days, it's still working for you.

And don't let other people, don't compare your life to other people's lives. Just live your life." That's so funny. That is 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: so you, and that's what's... And I'm not saying you don't have insecurities or stuff like that. It's, it's similar to how Kimberly was when she was younger and I got as I got older, just that- Mm

innate confidence to not give a shit about what anybody thought about you, Mom. 

Maureen Koppele: And I think it has a lot to do with as you get older, 'cause even now at, in seven- my 70s, I won't say exactly, I'll say I'm in my 70s, I really don't care what anybody thinks. But- But you 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: were like that when you were younger too 

Maureen Koppele: I, I, no, I, I, I think I gave off that air a lot, but sometimes I would say, "Oh, God, what the heck did I get myself into?"

Or, "What did I," you know, "Why am I, why do I sp- feel myself spreading myself too thin?" But re- you get through it. It's nothing, you know, nothing catastrophic or anything that could be, you know, life-altering. Yeah. So, but, uh- No, 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: I think, so am I saying this right? It's like the best advice is not to take anybody's advice and do what you feel is right for you and your family.

Maureen Koppele: Exactly, and but if you have a question, it's a, then y- you know, if somebody asked me my... I always said to you girls growing up, "Don't ask me my opinion unless you really wanna hear it," right? And, um, I'm not one even now to jump into your lives and give you my opinion. I, I may say, ooh, you know? But, uh- No, 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: you actually don't.

I'll be like, "Mom, what's your opinion on this?" Like, I always noticed something about you that was super interesting. You don't gossip 

Maureen Koppele: Well, I do gossip a 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: lot. 

Maureen Koppele: No- It depends on if I'm with my really good friends. No, 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: no, but what I mean about gossip is- 

Maureen Koppele: Oh, no ... you don't really- I'm not, not destructive gossip

like if- No ... 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: if somebody would tell you something, you would keep a secret. 

Maureen Koppele: Yeah. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: You wouldn't kind of gossip. You didn't talk bad behind people's backs. No. But if somebody wronged you, you had a dead to me button- Oh, 

Maureen Koppele: yeah ... and still do. And, and, and those people knew it too. They knew it. Oh, yeah. They know it. I wouldn't have to even say it.

It would just be the look on my face. I, I, and I don't- What was that 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: look called? What did Pop-Pop call that look? 

Maureen Koppele: Um, drop dead, go to hell look. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: That's what his, my grandfather used to say about my mom's look. 

Maureen Koppele: Yeah. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: But it was so interesting. And do you know who also is exactly like that? People say you marry your father.

Brian is the same. He has a dead to me button, and he, one of his friends, like, wronged him, and Brian goes, "Nope." And it, it's so interesting, but you and Brian are very similar. Something I admire most is, like, if you don't like that person, and if there's something, they drew a line, it's like, that's it. Yeah.

And you don't waste the energy or the time trying to, like, worry about it- 

Maureen Koppele: No, I- ... which 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: I think all of us could do more of. Like, 

Maureen Koppele: let things go. But I, I, I think, you know, I would try to do it... It wouldn't be, like, a first time thing with somebody with me. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: No. 

Maureen Koppele: But if somebody- It's not crazy ... if I felt somebody wo- wronged me one time too many or, uh, did something to my children or my husband, I, I think I would quicker to cut them off if they hurt my child or hurt my husband.

So- 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: I can, I can list off I think it's, like, four names of people that you have real strong opinions about. I mean, I won't name- Yeah ... the 

Maureen Koppele: names here. And we won't name names. No. We'll, we'll- No, 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: no, but it's not something, it's not like it's a long list of people ... 

Maureen Koppele: protect the 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: innocent. Protect the innocent. 

Maureen Koppele: The not so innocent.

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Okay, and my mom can do this thing. She will be at a wedding with a table of people, and if you're, if she is not speaking to you, she just pretends you don't exist. 

Maureen Koppele: Yeah. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: She will look just right through you, not in a mean way, but she's like, "I just pret- it's somebody I don't know." 

Maureen Koppele: Yeah, I do. I act like there's somebody, y- you just happen to be somebody at the same party that you always go to parties where you don't know everybody, so I always consider that person somebody I don't know because this way I don't put anybody, I don't...

'Cause the last thing you wanna do is just because you have an issue with somebody, you don't wanna make everybody around you feel uncomfortable. And I, I know there were times- I mean- ... I've done that to my family where I've made them feel... So I, in my, as I've gotten older, I think I've learned- But I think it's because we-

to deal with 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: it better ... we kind of cared more about what people thought, so we were like, "Ah." Yeah. Where you were like, "Eh." 

Maureen Koppele: Yeah 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: And why I say I didn't want to be a mom is, and I just wanna be clear about that, it's just I want all mothers to hear this. You're doing a great job. Yeah. I see all my friends, my sister, it's like never you do

Everything you do is not enough. It is enough. Right. And if your kid is mad at you or hates you a little bit, you're probably doing it 

Maureen Koppele: right. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: You're doing something, 

Maureen Koppele: you're doing something right then, yes, yes. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: We were terrified of you when we were a kid. 

Maureen Koppele: Well, it's a family trait. I was terrified of my mother.

But my mother also had a very good sense of humor, and she could be a lot of fun when, you know, when the spirit moved her. Don't touch the mic. Can you hear me? 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Yeah. Try not to touch the mic. Oh, I'm sorry. You're gonna make my sound guy crazy. That's okay. I'm sorry. Mom, this is real life. Oh, okay. Dogs bark, shit happens.

It's fine. But, uh- But Dad told ... I made Dad call ... Uh, he was talking about how he met you. 

Maureen Koppele: Oh. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: And, um, how I i- I ... He was like, "Oh, we dated for a little bit." I go, "A little bit?" And five years, and I go, "What did Mom-Mom say to you?" "Oh, that although he's Jewish, he's got polo." And I go, "That's not what she said," and I

The shitter, get off the pot. Off 

Maureen Koppele: the pot. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: And you- Yes, 

Maureen Koppele: my, my mother was very direct. But 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: what was interesting is back then you were raised Irish Catholic, Dad was Jewish. It was not as common for interfaith marriages. Mm. And that's just the same thing. I mean, you shared with me stories that priests would yell at you and made you cry- Oh, yeah

because they wouldn't marry you. And for you to have the strength and the confidence to be like, "I don't care. I love- Right ... this man." Right. And so against all odds, you and Dad created, like, a really awesome family- Yeah ... if I do say so myself. 

Maureen Koppele: And I ... Listen, I knew a lot of girls, especially with bringing sh- you kids up in Franklin Lakes, that did have interfaith marriages, and a lot of them converted to Judaism, and I wouldn't.

And my, I ... Y- your grandmother, Nanny, asked me if I would convert if Gary asked me to, and I just said to her, "Ga- Gary wouldn't ask me to convert." And, "But if he did ask you," I said, "It's a moot question. He wouldn't ask me, just like I would never ask him to convert to Catholicism," because it was part of each of our lives.

It's not necessary. Yeah, and it- It was not necessary for you guys. Yeah, and I wasn't going to, you know, force somebody, "If you love me, you love me be- being Catholic, Irish Catholic." I loved him the way he was, a Jewish guy, you know? Polish Jewish. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: And you guys, what was interesting is you guys raised us in a house where it was, like, not weird to have different religions and different beliefs, and you, like- Right

kind of taught us both ways, and- 

Maureen Koppele: Right ... 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: it almost made me, like, I get so weirded out when people have- you know, are racist or antisemitic or are an- Right ... 'cause I'm just like, what? Like, people are different. That's what makes us so cool. Right. It's like if we were all the same, that would be so boring. Right.

So we just grew up in a house where it was normal to be different. Right. Where I didn't think that was weird until I got older. Like, I didn't know you had to pick one religion. One 

Maureen Koppele: religion. Yeah. And you really don't. I mean- 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: No, you're right. 

Maureen Koppele: Trust your sister didn't. Yeah, and 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: listen, and Kim is bringing up her kids Catholic.

Maureen Koppele: Catholic. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: And I don't really go to church at all anymore. I think- Right ... we all have kind of found our own way. Right. But I don't wanna make this about religion. 

Maureen Koppele: No, no, no. So, like- No, no ... and 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: that's okay, but it's important to share, Mom. 

Maureen Koppele: Yeah, 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: yeah. So now going back to that, why I said I, I kind of didn't want to be a mom is it's like you did every- like when I say you did everything, I mean, y- you did, did cook all that much.

I mean, you did everything else. No. I mean, because when we were younger, but we ate out a lot. Yeah. 

Maureen Koppele: No, you, we did. It's just like- We ate out a lot. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Everything was, we like thought there was like a magician, like everything was always set. I don't think people realize how much moms do behind the scenes. Yes.

So, like, it, it's just so interesting of, I think women my generation, you grew up in a generation where you didn't have as many opportunities as me. 

Maureen Koppele: Right. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: So education was really important to you for Kim and I. Definitely. Is that why? 

Maureen Koppele: Well- 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Like, you were really like, "You're going to college. You're getting a master's degree."

Like, that was really important 

Maureen Koppele: to you. Yeah, it was because it's something I think I squandered. I went to- Tell me more ... well, because, well, my parents really felt education was very important, too, but they didn't have the money to put us through college. I'm one of seven. So, um, my parents said, "If you wanna go to college, you're gonna have to figure out a way to pay for it," because they couldn't.

And so I went to a, a two-year college. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Mm-hmm. 

Maureen Koppele: And, um, so I got my degree there, but, um, it just- 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: But don't you think you would've been be- I feel like while I know you could've done business, like you're good at like, you can ... Okay, hello. My mom, she can change a chandelier. She knows how to do electric work.

She can build shelves. I almost feel like you would've been like so much better going to school to like be an electrician or an engineer or something like that. 

Maureen Koppele: I agree. But again, when I was in school, girls didn't take shop- 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Yeah ... 

Maureen Koppele: or you know, and my brother took those classes. And I look back and I always say, "Boy, I wish I took shop," like woodworking.

I would love to build cabinets and stuff. I try Eh, I do a little bit of- Which 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: you do 'cause my father-in-law, he loves when you're his assistant. You're a good assistant. 

Maureen Koppele: Oh, yeah, I'm a good assistant 'cause, uh, I, I don't know enough about it 'cause I really didn't get the training, but I did take some adult education courses when you kids were little.

Yeah. You've, you've always 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: been curious. You always- 

Maureen Koppele: Yeah ... 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: take courses. I mean- Yeah ... you're doing archery now. 

Maureen Koppele: Yeah, well. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: I'm a little concerned you're gonna... Dad, you know, Dad can't hear. I'm afraid you're gonna go in the garage, pull the bow and 

Maureen Koppele: sh- No, no, no. He, he knows to knock before he comes through the garage door.

But 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: I think that's where my curiosity of learning comes in because although- Hmm ... you didn't... Like, listen, Mom, I know a lot of highly educated people. I see some of these people who have a doctorate- Hmm ... that I'm working with, and I'm like- 

Maureen Koppele: Yeah ... 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: um, so although you didn't have an advanced degree, you were always being curious.

You were doing sewing and quilting, and I think that's, I think, the lesson I wanna take, and my o- my students that are older than me, that you're never too old to learn something. 

Maureen Koppele: Yeah. Well, I, I, I think, you know, I, I didn't go on after the two years, and that's so- And Mom? What? 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Mom? 

Maureen Koppele: Yes? 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Stop bouncing- Oh ... the computer.

Maureen Koppele: I'm sorry. I'm 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: trying not to. Now you guys know. No, but both my dad, my dad paces when he talks. My mom can't sit still. Like, chickens don't make ducks. Right. So you know what I do, Mom? Is I put my hands on the chair so I can't touch the computer. 

Maureen Koppele: I keep going like this, so. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: That's okay. You're okay. Okay. And you know what?

Joe, my, my sound editor and stuff, the... We'll, we'll give him more work. He loves doing that. Okay. So, no. 

Maureen Koppele: Oh, okay. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: But I'm teasing you. Go ahead. 

Maureen Koppele: So what was... I forgot what I was saying now, 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: so yeah. I don't know. What were we talking about? We were talking about continuous learning, um, doing things- 

Maureen Koppele: Oh, that I didn't go on to four years, and looking back, I feel like I squandered that time.

I should have gone on. I don't know what I would have gone on to study, but, um... So I didn't want you girls to not do that, to, like, not, to, to stop at any point and say, "Well, it's just easier to go to work and stuff. I don't wanna study anymore." And, uh, so that's why I pushed Kimberly to get her master's, and she ended up going back for education, and she's, has a great career in what she's doing.

And you- 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Yeah ... 

Maureen Koppele: have k- 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: you 

Maureen Koppele: know- Kim 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: is great. Kim runs a, a daycare and school. My sister is the opposite of me. Like, she is so organized. It's, like, amazing. Hmm. So she, like, runs a school. She's good at, like, running things, and, like- Right ... da, da, da. 

Maureen Koppele: And organizing. Like me with organizing- Yeah ... I'm like, you know what?

And you are, too. You, you- Uh, I'm good at find- ... you're not giving yourself enough credit. You, you work best- Well, thank you, but I'm a little bit like you ... under 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: pressure. I'm a little bit like you, we're organized chaos. 

Maureen Koppele: Yes, yes, and you work better under pressure than your sister does. She likes to get things done early.

You like to, um... That's kind of like me, procrastinate until you have to get it done, and then you do it. And, uh- You know, so and you, you went on and got your master's and that now you're working on your doctorate, which I'm very proud of. I really... That's something that really is important to me. And, uh, you know, so I'm a happy little camper.

And I think, 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: but I think it's funny 'cause I know I've always wanted to make you and Dad proud, and I think getting the doc- Oh, you always have ... Well, thank you, Mom, but getting the doctorate sooner, I think it would've been for the wrong reasons. Like, I know I'm, like, at the exact right place, and Dad was talking about timing and opportunities.

I feel like this is the right time, and at the time when Kim was getting her master's, it wasn't the right time. Right. And I'm just gonna share a story that you might not like, but it says a lot ab- it kind of- Oh ... explains you. When Kim wanted to stop her master's, you were really upset. 

Maureen Koppele: Yes. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: And Kim said, "I want to be a stay-at-home mom like you," and you were mad.

Right. And I said to you, "Mom, take that as a compliment. You did it so well." She see how, she saw how you did it. She saw how we always had support. She wanted to provide that for her kids. And she does. And so you were like... And she does. She's such a good mom. Yeah. But I think for you at the time, you were like, "What?"

But do you now see that it was a compliment? 

Maureen Koppele: Yes, and I, e- even when she said it, after the initial thing- 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Of course ... 

Maureen Koppele: uh, well, because I was just going by I feel like I gave up because I really didn't know what, what I wanted to do. So, uh, I didn't want her to do that. And just to me, I felt like she was, at that moment, I felt like she was, I'm gonna use the word settling.

Oh. I don't mean it that way, but I 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: mean- But she had the choice. Right. You, something, uh, one thing I always admired about you is we grew up very differently. Um, I hope it's okay that I say when you were younger, your family lived in the projects. You didn't have a lot- Right, right ... but you always, it was always family first.

Maureen Koppele: Right. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: And something I always admire of you is you never forgot where you came from. You never changed as a person. Well, 

Maureen Koppele: you can't forget. Y- y- when you forget where you come from- 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Well, Mom, 

Maureen Koppele: a 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: lot 

Maureen Koppele: of 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: people 

Maureen Koppele: do ... I know, but that's when you get yourself into trouble. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: But that's something that I always admired about you.

Yeah. And I'm gonna ask you a question. I want you to be totally honest. Oh, God, help me. Like, did you really, did you really love being a mom? I know you loved us, and that does not take away what you loved of us, but... 

Maureen Koppele: I loved being a mom. I did. I didn't love the day-to-day drudgery. I didn't like the cooking meals all the time.

But not, yeah. Um, you know I was not good at giving baths when you were babies. Dad would do 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: that, and then he put us to bed. 

Maureen Koppele: Right, because so- I would, I was always- You were with us 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: all day, enough ... 

Maureen Koppele: I always said I was good all day long. Don't mess with me at night or too early in the morning. I, I would get tired, and I, I would lose my patience then.

But I w- I thought For the most part. I had a lot of patience during the day. I 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: don't remember- 

Maureen Koppele: But as it went- ... you 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: losing your patience. I remember you yelling at us when we misbehaved. 

Maureen Koppele: Oh, 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: yeah, yeah. Like, remember, I always tell this story. People think it's so funny. Mom, d- you never hit us, but you would sometimes grab the arm and pull us in.

Do you re- Yes ... I remember this so vividly. You pulled me in and said, "" and were, like, yelling at me. And I said to you, 'cause you were spitting on me- ... that I want the news, not the weather. And that's the only time you hit me. But oh my God, could you imagine- Yeah ... a kid saying that to a parent? Yeah. I deserve that.

Maureen Koppele: Yeah. Well, see- 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: I don't know how you didn't hit me more. 

Maureen Koppele: No, no. I, no, I would never h- I, I didn't like- No ... the idea 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: of hitting a kid But 

Maureen Koppele: I 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: was, I had a sharp tongue, like Anthony did- Well- ... when he was a kid. 

Maureen Koppele: Yeah. Well, so, you know, listen, we've all done it. I've did it to my mother when I was a kid. You know, we all have moments.

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Yeah. I think I got away with it. Even my students say I get away with saying a lot 'cause my s- p- my humor. Right. But I think I g- I, yeah, Kim didn't get away- And that's- ... with as much as I did. 

Maureen Koppele: Well, Kimberly was a little sneakier than you. Daddy said 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: the same thing. Kim, Kim listens to, you know- ... you know that Kim listens to every episode of the podcast?

Maureen Koppele: Yes, I do. I do. But I, I said that for Kimberly for, 'cause I love- She knows ... she, but it's in a good way. She was always similar. She was never, she was never hurtful or anything. She just- No ... she just knew how to play us a little bit better than you did. Well, 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: I, I had, I had no poker face. 

Maureen Koppele: Right. Exactly. Exactly.

But 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: that's okay. Do, do you remember that time when, uh, Janice and Christina Morado, I think it was, we were drinking in the basement, and Christina Morado threw up on Janice. Yes. And Janice went home and got in trouble, and I was grounded 'cause- Right ... Mrs. Hickes called. I still call her Mrs. Hickes, Elaine. Um, but the funniest thing was I was grounded, and then, like, a week later, I come in.

I'm like, "Mom," and you go, "Stop talking." You would tell me, like, "Stop," 'cause I had to get it off my chest that I- Right ... took the liquor out of the liquor cabinet. And you're like, "Stop talking." 

Maureen Koppele: Too much information. You're giving me too much information. That's how I always knew what, 'cause Kimberly n- d- never gave a lot of information.

She didn't. She just gave enough. Mm-hmm. She, enough to get her by. You, when you started s- talking too much, that's, I knew, uh-oh, she, she did something. And she's trying to, trying to straighten it out somehow. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: What are you g- what are you gonna do? It's okay. What are you gonna do? 

Maureen Koppele: It's okay. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: So I think, Mom, I think thank you so much for admitting that.

I think a lo- that's hard for a lot of moms to do. Like, I think it's okay as a mom, you sometimes being frustrated with being a mother doesn't make you- Hmm ... a bad mother. It doesn't make you- No, no ... love your kids any less. But I see a lot of my friends, and listen, I think women now- have to work and have this career and have kids, and it's like, oh my God, it's so much.

Maureen Koppele: I think a woman who said gets frustrated sometimes is sometimes the better m- because they care, and that's why they're frustrated because they, it's not working the way they wanted, or they just don't know how to do it at that moment. They need to step back. It's the... And again, it's a close generalization I make.

There's no rule 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: book. How do you know how to be a parent? 

Maureen Koppele: Yeah. Well, that's what I'm saying. It's a close generalization, what I'm gonna say is, but- It's 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: scary ... 

Maureen Koppele: if you don't care, then you wouldn't get frustrated, if you didn't care about being a, a good mother. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Yeah. 

Maureen Koppele: So. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Yeah. I think hopefully that's helpful to some of the listeners who have kids and are- Yeah

working and trying to, you know, juggle it all. 

Maureen Koppele: Well, I always say, I 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: don't know- And, like, don't have a supportive spouse, you know? 

Maureen Koppele: I don't know how a p- m- a, not only a mother, a father, any parent, I don't know how they could deal with the inter- if the internet was around when I was a mother, it, it, of a small chi- young children, I think I wouldn't do so well because it would, it would be very, with things that get said online about mothers, you know, the, the mom-shaming- All the shaming and-

and stuff. Yeah. You know, and I... Listen, I had friends that sometimes would always compare and all that, and, and that was annoying enough. But to see it on the internet all the time, I think I would just shut it off. I, I wouldn't be able to- Yeah ... deal with that. So I, I'm always thankful I don't have small children now.

I'm glad I grew up- I feel for young mothers today. I do. I'm glad I grew up when I did. I feel for young mothers. Yeah. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Yeah. It's 

Maureen Koppele: different. Because e- everybody's looking at what you're doing, and, you know, if you look at your kid crooked in the store, they're coming at you. You know, it's just, it's not right.

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Yeah. Well, let's go back- Go ahead ... to the Maureen Kopell theory- 

Maureen Koppele: Yeah ... 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: of do what's right for your family. Family. Don't worry about all those other people. 

Maureen Koppele: Exactly. That's, that's what I, that's when, that's really when I started not caring what other people say. I said, "You know-" My kids are doing fine. You know, they're, they're happy.

They like to, you know, they like being- Yeah ... with us, until they became teenagers and then, you know, of course all teenagers- Well, nobody wants to be with their parents ... their parents hate teenagers. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: I even notice, like, with Anthony and Kaylin, I'm like- 

Maureen Koppele: I know ... "

Meghann Koppele Duffy: My God, remember when you used to, like, think I was the coolest person?"

And Anthony's like, "

Maureen Koppele: Mm." Oh, yeah. "

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Yeah." I'm like, "Ugh." 

Maureen Koppele: Oh, listen. Anyway. Talk about him is ... And Kaylin, you know, when I used to call him my little man and stuff and, you know, when- He still 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: lets you ... 

Maureen Koppele: N- once in a while, but he, like, I would never do that in front of one of his friends or anything. But, um, it, it's just so

I, it almost feels sad when I, I find little old- Yeah ... pictures of them at that time or, or sometimes on your feed, uh, little videos of them and things they say come up and I go- Ugh ... "Oh my God, I remember when they were like that." The videos of Kaylin, like, 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: counting and singing 

Maureen Koppele: with her little curly hair. Or Anthony talking about his Ninja Turtles and- Oh my God

you know, how they ... You know, so all that kind of stuff. But it, then it starts bringing up memories of you and your sister with, you know, when we were on the cruise and you put the cookies, the sugar cookies- Oh ... with the red raspberries in the middle, and you were running around the cruise ship with them on your eye.

With Nanny, right? With Nanny. So, you know, I go ... And to me, that feels like that happened yesterday, and, you know, it's here you are. You have your own podcast now. 43, going on to 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: 44. 

Maureen Koppele: Yeah. So, you know, it's, it's time goes fast, and that's the point of being a mother is we wish different parts of our children's lives away to move on to the next phase of it, and then you say, "Oh, it's, it's over.

It's over. I don't want it to be over, but it's over, that part." So, you know, I say, "Oh, hold on to it as long as you can." That's like I always say to Kaylin, "Don't be in such a rurry, hurry to grow up. Just, you know-" I 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: know. I was 

Maureen Koppele: in a hurry to grow 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: up ... 

Maureen Koppele: be a little girl. Yeah, be a little girl. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: I was 

Maureen Koppele: in a hurry to grow up.

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Yeah. Yeah. So, yes. Now, the last question- 

Maureen Koppele: Okay. Oh ... 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: um, I wanna ask is, uh, both your parents are no longer with us. Right. Unfortunately, your mother died, um, in her early 60s, like Dad's mom. Right. So what question do you wish you could ask your parents? 

Maureen Koppele: Oh, God. And 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: do you want me to tell you what Dad would wanna ask his parents first- Yeah

to help you, or no? 

Maureen Koppele: Yeah. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: It was interesting. So kind of we didn't get to a question with Grandpa. It was basically, I think it was, why did you marry his second wife? That was pretty much Dad's question. Yeah. And he kind of talked about how he was not happy about that. 

Maureen Koppele: Yeah. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: And I was like, "Okay, well, enough about Grandpa.

Let's talk about Nanny." 

Maureen Koppele: Oh, 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: he loved his mother. And I asked Dad, I asked Daddy if I was a lot like Nanny, 'cause I feel like how you talk about her, I'm like, I feel like that's who I wanna be like. 

Maureen Koppele: Yeah. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: But what's funny, the question he asked Nanny is, "Mom, why don't you slow down and be more present?" And I didn't realize Nanny worked a lot.

And I said, "But Dad, Nanny was very creative. She was- Yes ... more than just a mom." Yeah. And he goes, "Oh, yeah, that's a good point." But it was funny 'cause it circled back 'cause I'm like, that's why Dad was so present with us even though he worked- Right, right ... and always put family first. Right. So it was interesting.

So maybe, uh, do you have a question? Let's do Pop-Pop first. A question you would ask Pop-Pop. 

Maureen Koppele: My father first. Oh, I don't, I don't know. I really don't know. I was, you know, I loved my father dearly, and he was a really great father, but he wasn't, um, a ha- he wasn't a hands-on dad. He was a little distant. He was, he was, he was that old Irish kind of the woman t- deals with the house and, uh, he brings home the bacon.

But my father, uh, he always worried about money because, again, he grew up in the Depression and he went, you know, his parents were immigrants. And, uh, so money was t- although his father always had a job with Con Ed, but, um, he, he just- Money was 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: tight for your family ... 

Maureen Koppele: was, money was tight, yeah. But my father always worked and always, you know, had a good job, a- always had a steady job.

But he, I wish, why he wasn't so, um, present with us, like- 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Yeah ... 

Maureen Koppele: I, I, when I got- I wish- When I got- Can I interrupt? 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Go ahead. Go ahead. 

Maureen Koppele: Go ahead. Finish your- No, when I got older and I had a m- disagree with, with my mother, and my mother one time said to me, um, "I come first before anybody." This, I was married and I had small children at this time.

"I'm your mother, I come first." And I said to my mother, "No, Mom- My hu- my children come first, then my husband, and then you and daddy come. I said, "But my children will always come first." And she says, "No, your mother should always come first." And I said to her, "That was the problem with your marriage. You put everybody before daddy.

You didn't put them before us, but you put everybody in your family before daddy." And she got mad at me for saying that. But later on, dad, my father said to me, "You're right, Maureen. We each put our own families ahead of each o- of, of each other." And- 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: And 

Maureen Koppele: that's something 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: you and dad never did. 

Maureen Koppele: No, and that- You and- Yeah

Meghann Koppele Duffy: but I 

Maureen Koppele: won't 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: get into that, 

Maureen Koppele: but- No, exactly. But I always s- I said I wish my father would have... And again, he was very never neglectful. We never wanted for anything, you know. L- listen, we didn't have a lot, but we weren't poor by any stretch of the imagination. But everybody where I grew up was in the same boat.

We were all, our parents were all blue collar workers. So, you know, you, you grew up in a more affluent area than I did. And so if I think I lived in a different neighborhood, maybe I would've noticed that we didn't have a lot. But where I grew up, everybody was the same, so it didn't matter. So- But 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: I think if I 

Maureen Koppele: could interrupt- I just wished that my father would have been, um, more hands-on with us

maybe why weren't, 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: why didn't you have more fun, dad? 

Maureen Koppele: Yeah, I think that's it, really, more fun. That's the word. Why- Yeah, I wish you- And he could be fun. My father was a funny guy. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Oh my God, he would torment me. He's called me- Yeah ... his little leprechaun. But I wish you guys would've asked him more about the war because when he was- Yeah

older and I was interested in history, I would ask him and he would tell stories. But I think he was, I think a lot of those men didn't talk about that. But I think fighting in World War II probably defined- Oh, it did. It, it, it- ... through the Depression and that is probably why he wasn't having so much fun.

Maureen Koppele: Yeah. And, and he was. My father, well, you know, Poppy was part of, uh, um, liberating concentration camps and stuff, and that, and that really hit him hard. And I, I don't think- Yeah, I remember the story ... he's ever, and I don't think he ever really, um, uh, recovered from that. Also- Yeah ... I, years later, after my father died, a cousin gave me a letter that my father wrote home to his mother during the war.

Oh. And, um, we, I had copies of it made and I gave it to all my siblings so they'd all have it. And we all said the same thing, "Daddy cried through the entire war," because, because he, he was s- One homesick like all soldiers were Scared Scared as anything. And, uh, what he saw was not... And he was part of, you know, he wasn't D-Day, but he was D-Day plus two Well, he was at the 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: end, and he said to me when he was there it was all red water.

Maureen Koppele: Water, right. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: And, you know, what was so crazy, I feel like a lot of grandpas have this story. 

Maureen Koppele: Yes. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Remember when we watched that show Band of Brothers- Right ... when they were liberating the concentration camps and giving the chocolate, and then having to take it back? I was like, "Pop-Pop told me that story."

Yeah. So a lot of men had that experience. 

Maureen Koppele: Yeah, and they 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: didn't like- So I don't- ... to 

Maureen Koppele: talk about it 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: No, because I mean, how do you even place that? 

Maureen Koppele: Yeah, exactly. Exactly. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Right? Now- 

Maureen Koppele: But that's the... Other than that, I mean, my father, he, you know, he was a good guy, you know? He- He liked his cigarettes 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: and Coca-Cola 

Maureen Koppele: Coca-Co- that's all he wanted in life.

He was a simple man. Give him his, uh, recliner, a bottle of Coke and a cigarette- 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Now- ... and he was a happy man ... let's talk about my mom. Because although my mom was a tough cookie- 

Maureen Koppele: Yeah ... 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: she also was funny. Yeah. Is there any questions you wish you could have asked your mom before she passed? 

Maureen Koppele: Yeah, why she wasn't, uh, didn't stand up to her sister more, her twin sister more, and, uh, be her own person.

She let her, uh, her twin sister almost dictate her personality. If my aunt was happy, if my mother was happy. If my aunt- 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Yeah ... 

Maureen Koppele: she could make my m- mom's h- life a little miserable. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Yeah, and I know you don't care for that aunt. Right. 

Maureen Koppele: But 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: it's interesting, the thing you asked your mother about is the thing that you self-corrected with you- Yeah

because you made sure nobody pushed you around or changed your mood. 

Maureen Koppele: Right. Right, and that's, I, I, I... 'Cause my mother was a such a strong person, why did she let this one person make her feel bad about her choices in life? Well, wasn't she... Well, you know what? We- 'Cause mom, my mother didn't like to work... Mommy, her sister always worked in offices and stuff, and Mommy didn't like doing that.

My mother, I'm, in that way I'm like my mother. I'm, she liked being hands-on. She was very artistic. My mother could paint- I didn't know that ... and pour paint. Oh, she used to do some beautiful artwork and stuff when we were kids. Mm. And, but, um, but she was more of a, she loved doing hands-on kind of things and, uh, getting dirty and being in, you know, this garden and everything, and I always said she was a great gardener.

But, um, she would let too, too many people's opinion dictate how she lived her life, and I- Yeah ... found that sad, because she never really... She was a very funny person, but 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: when she would get- I mean, some of her one-liners, she said- Yeah ... to Dad... So my dad was very pragmatic. He wanted to have a certain amount of money in the bank before he asked my mom to marry him.

Maureen Koppele: Right. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: And she said to my, yelled while my mom was on the phone, "Tell him to shit or get off the pot." Right. I think that's the funniest thing I've ever heard. Yeah. Could you imagine? 

Maureen Koppele: Yeah. Just 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: terrible. 

Maureen Koppele: But, you know, but, but she li- it wasn't that she didn't like your father. She liked your father. She loved Dad.

She liked 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Dad better than half her- children. 

Maureen Koppele: But, um, you know, it just, those are the things I, and I find it sad for her that she didn't enjoy her life like she could have because she was too worried about what other people think. And I think that's part of why I, I said, "I'm not gonna let people dictate how I live, live my life."

I, it's not saying that my life is the right way to do it or everything I did was perfect, far from it. But, um- 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: You're doing 

Maureen Koppele: it your 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: way ... I wasn't, 

Maureen Koppele: yeah. And, and again, for better or for worse, I did it my way and it, it, it sometimes worked out, sometimes it didn't. And thank God with my two kids it turned out right in both cases, so- Yeah

I'm I think it's successful. And 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: now, so you know Dad and I, we were recording the podcast, but the sound got bad so we had to do it again. Right. And one thing I forgot to ask him again, was we were talking about the next phase of your life and now that he's retiring- Mm ... and it was, it was really sweet. My dad was sharing how he's like, "I don't know what I'm gonna do.

I love to, I like to work. I love my family. I've gotta figure out a hobby." Whereas you have a lot of hobbies and keep yourself busy. So Dad had asked us, "I'm gonna s- I need help from you. You know, you're gonna have to help me find some hobbies." So- Right ... what is the next phase of your life now that Dad's retired?

Are you really enjoying this archery thing? 

Maureen Koppele: I am, but I haven't, since we got up he- here to New Jersey I haven't, because in New Jersey they're very strict about it. You have to get a license, you gotta take a test. So I have to, I just haven't had the time with things- Okay ... going on here. But, um, after I get my cataracts done, then I won't have to wear these anymore.

After you can see. After I can see. Because you do, you 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: do wanna see well when you're shooting a bow 

Maureen Koppele: and arrow. Shooting a bow, right. So, um, I, I'm gonna go up there at, and, and take the test and everything so I can shoot in different areas here. Right now it's, uh, I have too many other things I have to deal with.

Yeah, I'm not sure that would be- But I hope, I hope I'm gonna get to it ... 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: I'm not, that, I'm not sure that's something Daddy would enjoy. No, he wouldn't. But don't make him hold the bullseye. I don't know if you're good 

Maureen Koppele: enough yet for that. No, no, no, no. I'm joking. I would never. No. I would never let him fi- well, they, in Florida they always tease him when they heard I was taking archery.

They said, "If Maureen hands you a basket of apples, run the other way." 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Don't put it on your 

Maureen Koppele: head. So yeah, so they teased Daddy- But, but then- ... about that with me ... 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: you and Dad have always had a good sense of humor. And even when you- Mm ... didn't see the eye and eye, you always kind of communicated. You kind of fought behind the scenes- Right

not in front of us. But, um, you know, always were like a real united front. Which- Yeah ... I was talking to Dad about, 'cause remember when I was like single in my 20s and Dad was always- Yeah ... worried about me? Right. Like, I wanted to wait till I meet, met the right person. 

Maureen Koppele: Right. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: So, um, thank you. 

Maureen Koppele: For 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: choosing Dad Honestly, because I am so blessed in this lifetime to have such good parents.

Maureen Koppele: Well, I always laugh when him, when he would say that about you Did you just hear 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: the compliment I gave you? 

Maureen Koppele: Yes, I did, and thank you. I appreciate it. Now either one of you can 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: take a compliment. 

Maureen Koppele: I, I know. I'm not good at it. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: No, you guys are really good parents. I hope you know that. 

Maureen Koppele: Thank you. I appreciate.

Well, coming from my daughter, that's the only opinion I care about, you know? So if- True ... if you think so, that, that's all that matters. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: I know so. 

Maureen Koppele: But when you were going through that with your father, I used to say to him, "Gary," two things. You were in no rush to get married, and we dated a long time. So, um, by standards set, now five years isn't a long time, but then it was.

Um- 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Oh my God, can I share one more funny story? It's so inappropriate and funny- Yeah ... but my, my listeners will... So when I was, like, dating, remember? You told me this story later. Dad was like, I think I was like 28 or 29, and Dad's like, "She's not dating anybody. Do you think Meghann's a virgin?" And you go- ... "God, I hope not."

And it was just the funniest thing. This thing. 

Maureen Koppele: It just, it's- Well, no father w- I know ... no father wants to think about their daughter. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: No, of course. But it was just, it was just Dad wanted me to be happy and settled- Happy ... but also didn't want me to do that thing. Right, right. And then you being like, "Gary, get it together."

Together. Like- 

Maureen Koppele: Right ... 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: and it was just you seeing, no, our daughter's building a career. Right. She's trying to build a life for herself. Give her some damn time. Just like 

Maureen Koppele: her father did. You are very much your father's daughter. You may say you have traits of me, but you are your 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: father's daughter. Well, I am mostly Dad.

Yes. I am mostly Dad, but I do... It's, I feel like I got the best of both of you, um, you know, to compliment myself. 

Maureen Koppele: Right, to 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: compliment you. But I got your, but I got, like, terrible digestion from Dad. I got the celiac from your side, you know? Mm, right. So I go, I got bad digestion but a good sense of humor.

Maureen Koppele: Right. So, and he, you know, he's... And when I said that to him, he was fine, and he also, he used to say, "Well, you know," and then, you know, different things where he would... I don't know if it's maybe too personal for 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: you, 

Maureen Koppele: but- 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Well, no, he just, he wanted me... He thinks everybody, he doesn't understand how anybody could be happy as alone.

You know what Dad also said before I let you go? He was like, "You know, nobody likes to be alone." I go, "Dad, actually, like, women like to be alone." 

Maureen Koppele: Like to be alone. There are times I wanna be alone. And, and again, I love your father dearly, but there's some times I just wanna say, "Go away, Gary. Leave me alone."

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Well, I t- Mom, I tell my 

Maureen Koppele: students- Yeah, and it's not that anything, it's we're watching TV and he's just talking too much, and I go, 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Well, you're like mine. Um, like Dad. But, like, my favorite story of you is when, 'cause Dad wakes up early and he's like- Oh ... "Good morning. How you doing?" And if you, my mom will be on her iPad in bed, and if she hears my dad coming, she'll pretend she's sleeping.

But it's because she needs her alone time in the morning. 

Maureen Koppele: I 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: do. I need to ease into the day. And you know what? To me, that's true love for accepting- Yes ... a person for who they are and not hurting- Right ... his feelings and just pretending you're sleeping. 

Maureen Koppele: Right. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: So Mom- Cheers to that. 

Maureen Koppele: Thank you. So bef- 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: one more thing before I let you go.

Maureen Koppele: Okay. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Is there any question you wanna ask me? What 

Maureen Koppele: am I gonna ask you? Oh, a lot of things. I know you don't like being put on the spot. But I don't... Yeah, I, I should've f- I should've, uh, figured you would ask me something like that. Yeah. How do I explain to people what you're getting your doctorate in? 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: I'm getting my- Because people- Okay, stand back from the camera.

Don't jump through the screen. I am getting my doctorate in education. So I chose not to do the PhD, I chose to do the EdD because I wanna focus on being a good teacher. Oh, okay. So what I'm doing is I'm creating an educational model- Okay ... based off what's called backwards design, and using the brain-based theory that I created in my studio to improve the education of all movement professionals, PTs, OTs, Pilates teachers.

So all... Okay. Yeah, because there's a lot of people with great techniques, Mom, but they don't know how to teach anybody else. Right. And so I get great results in my studio, but I, if, if I'm known for anything, I wanna be known as a good teacher- Teacher ... that took the time to make sure my students really understood something.

And so that's why I chose to get my EdD. So I'm getting my EdD- Okay ... in education to improve the way movement-based, um, education is taught. Okay. So for physical therapists, occupational therapists. 

Maureen Koppele: Okay, now I understand. We'll just make it something more. They really- Because I would just say, "Well, I know she studied kinesiology and phys- physiology."

I did that for my undergrad 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: and master's. 

Maureen Koppele: Right. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: But you know what? So- People don't really listen. But, but- They're probably 

Maureen Koppele: just asking to mess with their kids ... no, they don't, but when they hear the big word k- kinesiology, they figured, "Oh, she must do it..." I know. But I, I, but I know that's not the right thing to say.

That's okay. So now I know. Now I know what to tell people, and sound like I know what I'm talking about. I said, I always say, "I may not sound like I know what my daughter's doing, but she knows what she's doing." Yeah, it's like- "So that's the important thing." 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: It's like my brother-in-law, John. I've known John since I was 13.

I don't even know what he does. I'll be like, "John, what do you do again?" Right. And he starts talking. I'm like, "Uh, uh." 

Maureen Koppele: Right. Yeah, it goes over- So 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: don't worry ... yeah. I don't take it, I don't take it personally. 

Maureen Koppele: Oh, okay. Okay. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: And don't- 

Maureen Koppele: I- 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: And, you know, and that's what I was saying, people aren't even listening anyway.

They're probably just trying to measure me up to their kids. 

Maureen Koppele: Yeah. And, and again- Their- ... that's not what I'm doing. I just wanna be able to- I know. I'm 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: teasing ... 

Maureen Koppele: I wanted... I know. Well, you always say that I break too much anyway, so I keep my mouth shut. So, but I, I try to, I, I wanna give the right answer for what you are studying.

I don't wanna just make something up, because then I look like I don't know what I'm talking about. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: Yeah. 

Maureen Koppele: That's okay. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: So, okay. Half the time I don't know what I'm talking about. 

Maureen Koppele: No, no, you know what you're talking about. So on that note, 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: my friends, thank you so much for tuning in to... Hopefully you listened to the last episode where I talked to my dad, and this ep- episode where I talked to my mother.

And I hope this encourages you to ask your parents questions. Mm-hmm. And if they're no longer with us, you can still ask them questions, or you can rent out my parents and ask them questions anytime. So thank you guys for tuning in. Mom, thank you for being here. Let's get some dinner. 

Maureen Koppele: Oh, yes. Definitely.

All 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: right. I love you, Mom. 

Maureen Koppele: Love you, hon. Thank you for having me on. 

Meghann Koppele Duffy: All right. Bye, everyone. Bye-bye. I'll see you on the next episode. 

Maureen Koppele: Bye-bye.