Ep. 11: Hacks, mom wins, & hello summer (Season 1 finale)

In this final episode of Season 1, we dive into what's working for us right now as we close the chapter on the school year and turn the page to summer. Thank you for listening to Season 1 of Mom Group!

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:04

Welcome to Mom Group, the podcast for anxious moms, busy moms, and all the moms trying to hold it all together.

SPEAKER_01 0:10

We're your friends, Kate and Emily. Two moments who know what it feels like to juggle kids, schedules, and that never-ending mental load, all while trying not to lose ourselves in the process.

SPEAKER_03 0:20

We'll talk about the messy moments, the funny ones, and the things that keep us up at night. Because we all know motherhood isn't always extra perfect.

SPEAKER_01 0:28

Whether you're listening in the carbool line, hiding in the pantry for a little peace and quiet, or just needing to hear from someone who gets it, you're in the right place.

SPEAKER_03 0:36

So grab your coffee or reheat it for the third time. And let's dive in to Mop Group. Hey everybody, it is Emily and Kate, and we're back with episode 11. Thank you for joining us. Uh so what's up, Kate? What's going on? Catch us up.

SPEAKER_01 0:58

Um, not too much. I feel like last time we were talking about May Sumber and all the activities and things, but I still feel like it's a bit busy. We're just kind of winding down the school year, um, getting ready to turn the page into summer camp. Um, but yeah, just a lot of like last types of things. Last days of school are approaching, um, field day parties, like all that kind of stuff is happening. We're into the last few days of the elementary school. My younger son has a few more, you know, additional days at his preschool, but then everybody will be done. So uh yeah, summer is here, but I just feel like we're busy with just the last few, like, you know, end of school year type things.

SPEAKER_03 1:43

How about you? Yeah, same. We are wrapping up. I mean, all three schools, mine included, yeah, um, are getting ready to end for the year. Actually, Hazel's already ended um last Friday. And a little sad turn of events, but she got s I know, she got sick um and sent home from school last Thursday. And unfortunately, Thursday night was her little pre-K prom, which was like a huge fundraiser that she had picked out a fancy dress for. That's so sad. I know. And then Friday was her pre-K graduation that she had been practicing for months these like songs, and she wasn't able to go to either one. And it was sad or she was devastated. Like it was tragic. That's so sad. I know. There were lots of tears shed. She was very upset about it. Um, I mean, I was also very upset because I feel like as a mom, like one, this is an end of an era. Like we are done with a preschool that we have been at now for years. Um and we didn't, and it's almost like we don't get that closure to like say goodbye to these people and like have that one last little party. Yeah. Um, so that's a little sad and bittersweet for me, and plus like this is a huge milestone for her.

SPEAKER_01 3:10

So I did see her miss out on something.

SPEAKER_03 3:11

Yeah, and she like missed out on it. But I mean, there's nothing we can do. She she was really down for the count, and um she wasn't the only one in her class that got sent home that day. So it was pretty sad for everybody. Um, but me and one of the other moms in the class are that her daughter also got sent home. We're gonna meet this coming weekend and um take the girls for like a little tea party so they can wear their dresses that they didn't get to wear to pre-K prom. Yeah, so we're gonna try to make it up to them as best of it. Yeah, as best we can. But yeah, but I mean it's it's the end of the school year and uh Noah's also kind of struggling. I don't know if anybody else's kids struggle with these transitions, but he is very sad to leave his teacher. You know, they formed these amazing bonds. His teacher this year was like a superstar. Like top notch. Love her. I'm also sad to leave her. Like, you know, I feel like she's been such a good support and um has really helped Noah grow and learn, and he is really struggling. It's really sad. I know. I'm sorry to hit you guys with all this sad stuff. No, it's good at the same time. Like, it's amazing that he grew so much and he learned so much, and second grade was so good for him, and I think that like forever he'll look back and like have fond memories of this year. She did like really awesome stuff with their class. And um, but yeah, I mean, he's ready for third grade, and we know that, and he'll see the teacher in the hallway, and we have her address we're gonna write to her over the summer, so like we will stay in touch, it will be fine. Um, I just wish he didn't take these things as hard. He's a big feeling, Scott. But we already know, right? Like he is through and through feels hard. Like so, yeah, so that's where we're at. I'm kind of ready for the year to be over for me.

SPEAKER_01 5:18

You're feeling that on your school administrator end.

SPEAKER_03 5:22

Yeah, it's like let's go. Um, although I am a 12-month employee, so I work all summer, but it's like a totally different job.

SPEAKER_01 5:31

I was gonna say, what is that?

SPEAKER_03 5:33

It's quiet. There's only like max ten people in the building at that point. Um, you know, so it's very quiet, but it's a lot of busy work. We do a lot of like prepping for the next school year, and you know, scheduling is happening, got it, new papers are being printed, orientations are being planned, like it's all of that stuff. Lockers are getting cleaned out, like, you know, the things. Um it's like good. Yeah. So I'm ready for summer though.

SPEAKER_01 6:05

Totally.

SPEAKER_03 6:06

I am.

SPEAKER_01 6:06

Yes. Well, should we shift gears into sort of I mean, I think that's gonna be a bit of what we speak about today. I think we wanted to sort of just um we'll touch on this in a little bit, but this is gonna be our last episode of season one, which is a little crazy. But I think in that on that note, we just wanted to sort of end this season with sort of, I guess what you might call some mom wins and what's working for us um as we head into the summer and things start to look a little different. What sort of systems or I don't know if we want to say hacks, but like what's been working as we shift gears uh into the summertime. So shall we um shall we go go and do that? Yeah, let's hit it with some fun wins.

SPEAKER_03 6:52

Wins. Yeah, why don't you get us started?

SPEAKER_01 6:54

I'll start. So I think my or one of my bigger ones is I've been really in the in the goal of um the larger goal of trying to use my phone less, um, use technology less, be more present with my kids and my husband. I've been leaving my phone um downstairs to charge at night, and I've not been perfect with it, but it's a goal that I've set is try to just like wrap up whatever I need to do on my phone and then do my little bit of doom scroll like while I'm downstairs, but then when we go up to bed, it's like that doesn't come with me. And I do think it's one of those things where like I do keep reaching for it, like my appendage that it is, but the more I've done it, the more I've you know, it gets easier, I guess. And so I want to continue to do that. I think um we all probably feel like we spend too much time on our devices, especially with trying to model to our kids that like screen time is okay in moderation, but not too much, and I never want to be a hypocrite of like get off of that video game when like I'm on my phone all the time, right? I feel that like strongly. Like I kind of want to practice what I preach in that regard. Yeah. Um, also just I feel like it is certain apps or things like impact my mental health in a way that I, you know, don't love. Um my sister's actually we should have her on, I feel like, to like recap this in the fall. But she's taking the summer completely off of social media. She's not like off of her phone per se. Um, and it's funny she's like talked about how she's just like replaced that with some games on her phones and whatever on her phone, but um the just because of like the social media, the impact that that can have on mental health and things. So I think all that to say, moving the phone out of like my vicinity, especially at night as I'm trying to wind down and like actually get a few minutes to talk to my husband, and um I think could be a good exercise in and of itself, but also like train me to be on my phone less. I think especially in the summer, you know, we'll have more time with the kids, and I don't want to be, you know, attached to my phone all the time. I saw a meme that was like just how they like the view, I guess, was like up at a person on their phone and it was like, don't let this be in a very dramatic way, but like don't let this be like what they see, and it's like you on your phone all the time.

SPEAKER_03 9:21

So like I just really want to Yeah, and I have I have had both kids make comments before of like, Mom, stop looking at your phone, mom, look at me, mom. So that's like rough when they because it's already in our heads and then it's already in our heads, and then they say it and confirm it, and it's like a gut punch for sure. Um and I feel like we've talked about this before, right? But it's like, well, they're watching TV and I don't necessarily want to watch the show that they're watching, so like, why wouldn't I look at my phone? Yeah, instead. Um but I like that idea of like at least at night let it let it stay downstairs. Yeah, right. At this point, they're not like out without us, you know. Like, you know, we're like at some point we'll probably want our phones next to our bed again because we'll be so worried about them. But like we have this, you know, time right now where we can be without it. There's not gonna be any sort of probably major emergency that people need us for. Um so yeah, so I think that's a win and I'm glad that you're doing that.

SPEAKER_01 10:29

And maybe I'll follow. I think it's good. I mean, I don't have any like hard and fast, like, you know, I'm gonna do it for this amount of time. Like, I think it would be great to continue it like permanently, but we'll see. And I think I've just been happy, pleasantly surprised with like just the progress and the difference that I'm noticing.

SPEAKER_03 10:45

Yeah, and I will say like technology as a whole, like we've never really had any limits on with the kids, screen time with the kids and stuff. It's like, you know, we usually have just like activities going on, and like when they wake up in the morning, I'm always fine with like watching TV, we're all getting ready, blah, blah, blah, or like on the weekends, like that's fine. Um, but I will say, I don't know, no one's been into this really interesting show. What show? It's just like this thing that he found on YouTube. Ugh, you see, you know, I know, and it's like people playing Minecraft.

SPEAKER_01 11:20

Okay, so we do that with Nintendo. We like watch people play Nintendo.

SPEAKER_03 11:24

Yeah, it well, it's Minecraft, but like but like you're watching someone play Minecraft. Yeah, but they're like talking over it the whole time. Yeah. It's probably the same guy. It's really like I do not enjoy it. Um but I've noticed Noah's attitude with it too, is like he's he's becoming like one, addicted to it, and two, like he's not very nice when he's been. When he's been like watching it and like being immersed. So like I found that last weekend, um, just by chance, like they had an art class uh in the morning for like an hour and a half, and then my mom came over, she took them out, then they were playing in the backyard, and like they didn't watch TV for like six hours or something, and they were so pleasant to be around. Interesting. They started using their imagination again, they were playing together, like, and it and like that made me really like click that like okay, we I never wanted to like limit it. It was kind of like a day-by-day basis, whatever.

SPEAKER_01 12:34

But like I do think I need to set a definite difference in behaviors, really.

SPEAKER_03 12:39

Yeah, like I do think I need to like set a limit. So, like that was my mom win last weekend. So maybe I can keep it going.

SPEAKER_01 12:48

I mean, there's all this going around too on social media of like let's have a 90s summer of like I can go outside, let them play, like less screens, less structure, like all of that. So I think that is a good goal, just like in general.

SPEAKER_03 13:00

But yeah, yeah, we can start small, just like and also just like less pressure. Yeah, like less yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:08

Less scheduling. I think we both have that's hard for both of us. We like a schedule and a plan.

SPEAKER_03 13:13

We like a schedule and a plan. But I will say um that like this week has just been insane between work and the end of the year and all this stuff, and Noah's school is doing a or not his school, the swim club in our town is doing a really cool thing for the elementary school students. Yeah. And they are offering this pool party tomorrow at the end of the school day, like everyone's supposed to meet at the dismissal, and then they were taking they were parading to the swim club, and then they're having a pool party at the swim club, and blah blah blah. And I kept thinking, like, oh, this will be so great, he'll go with all of his friends, it's gonna be fun. I signed us up for it, and like Noah doesn't really want to go. And it's starting to stress me out because I'm like, but you're gonna miss out, and la la la la la. And I'm like, I need to stop. Right, like if he doesn't even want to go, yeah then and of course, like now he wants to go today of all days when I told him, Hey, why don't we just do something?

SPEAKER_01 14:22

You've like talked yourself out of going.

SPEAKER_03 14:24

Right, because like it's bringing me stress, and I'm like, Yeah, let's see how he feels tomorrow, but yeah. I think I've talked him I think we've agreed that I'm gonna pick him up at regular dismissal and we're gonna go get ice cream to celebrate the end of the school year and just like have a little bit more of a low-key. Like, I need to stop trying to fit everything in.

SPEAKER_01 14:45

Yes. Oh, amen.

SPEAKER_03 14:47

Because it's stressing me out and it's not worth the stress.

SPEAKER_01 14:50

And it's all supposed to be fun, and then it becomes not not fun.

SPEAKER_03 14:53

Right, and I don't want him like crying at the swim club because uh he's already upset that it's the last day of school. Like, it's just gonna be a whole thing.

SPEAKER_01 15:01

You can say no to things and it's okay.

SPEAKER_03 15:03

Yeah, and I'm gonna try to do that more often.

SPEAKER_01 15:06

I love that.

SPEAKER_03 15:07

Yeah. Um, I guess more uh wins. More wins. Uh one of my favorite wins in my family is doing a snack tray lunch. I don't know if you've ever done this. I have. Yes. I want to hear about snack trays. Yeah, so I feel like it started, I don't know, a while ago, but like it's been a huge win where it's like they don't really want anything, blah, blah, blah. But if I put just like a whole bunch of little snacks and little portions on their plate, they eat the whole thing. And then we just call it a snack tray versus lunch.

SPEAKER_01 15:41

It's like a fancy or like a charcuterie board. Yeah. Right.

SPEAKER_03 15:45

And I usually do. I put like some little ham rolls on like roll them up. I have like there's always like a fruit, a veggie, and like a treat or whatever. So um that's one of my favorite hacks.

SPEAKER_01 16:00

Plus it's like, I mean, you can like make it be healthy or not, but like it's easier for you to, you know, they're they're like tricked almost into eating, which is I'm always here for that.

SPEAKER_03 16:09

I know, me too. Um and another one that is kind of fun too is a lot of times when I need help with like laundry or like taking stuff upstairs. We I like to play hotel with them. I don't know if you've done that. Um, so usually I'll just say who wants to play hotel and they always want to play. And I'll be and then basically it's like a person calls me and they need whatever I have downstairs in their room. Bring it. Right. So like if I'm folding laundry and I have a stack of Noah's clothes, it's like, oh, room one really needs these extra clothes, like hurry. And they start running them upstairs.

SPEAKER_01 16:55

Where did you think of this?

SPEAKER_03 16:56

I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 16:58

Wow. That's like the next level.

SPEAKER_03 17:01

Yeah, but it really helps like get stuff put away.

SPEAKER_01 17:03

I love that. That's really smart. Because I think it's them to help. Yeah, it's involving them in the household.

SPEAKER_03 17:12

But we can also like use our imagination and like you know, like I'll always come up with some little backstory on like the guest in this room is from France and they need this bathing suit quickly to their room.

SPEAKER_01 17:28

Like most taste. Yeah. Oh, that's a sweet idea. Yeah, so it's very cute.

SPEAKER_03 17:34

It doesn't always work. There are times where they're like, I don't want to play. I don't want to play hot. Yeah, but most of the time, at least Hazel is all in. Uh, and then if she starts playing and she's having a good time, then Noah will like follow suit. Yeah, so it's it is fun.

SPEAKER_01 17:50

Um, what do I want to hit on next? I would say, and I alluded to this last episode or one of the more recent episodes, I've been drinking less alcohol, and it has really made a difference. I think since going on GLP one and like I don't know, just like approaching 40, like I just can't like handle it anymore and I don't want it. And so I've really just like not thought about it as much and I haven't been drinking much, or if I do, I'll have like one drink. And um, I mean not waking up with a hangover is like chef's kiss. Um, I really like recently wasn't drinking with like when the kids were home. Like if they were doing the sleepover with my in-laws and we went out, like maybe I'd have more and that's fine. But like if they're here, like I can't wake up with a hangover when I have to take care of them. Like that is hell. I'd rather die than have a hangover and have to be a mom. So I just think like it's made me see that you know, I don't need alcohol to have fun. Um I don't need it, period. Like it just doesn't make me feel good. And often it will like impede like some of my other goals. Like I've often even like going back to like college, I mean clearly, like, I mean, I we drank more then, but like I would like skip workouts or like skip runs that I plan to go on having like depending on what like the night before's plans were. So I just think like it is just like fitting better into my life in general. Um, so that's like a win, I would say. And I think the summer tends to be a time where like drinking and alcohol is more prevalent or like more attached to certain activities. So we'll see how it goes. I mean, I'm not saying like I'm not drinking, but like I've certainly been conscious of it and just like how it makes me feel and how I feel when I'm not, and so just kind of a little like thought exercise, I guess. But that's definitely a win.

SPEAKER_03 19:41

And I love that. Yeah, and I think that that's fair, like, and also like don't deprive yourself. Like if you're out and you're having a good time and you want to have a drink, like I think you know that you can.

SPEAKER_01 19:51

Yeah, like I'll have like a margarita or like something that feels fun.

SPEAKER_03 19:54

And I think that that I've I feel like I've been doing that for a while now too. It's like I've become mostly just like a social drinker, where like before maybe I had a glass or of wine at home or something, but now like I really am only drinking if I go out to dinner with friends or you know, when we go down the shore, like maybe I'll drink at night before dinner or like stuff like that. Um, but yeah, same thing. I don't need like a ton either. Like I could do one drink and feel great that I had something. And like, you know, I do enjoy like a cocktail. Yeah. But like one is fine.

SPEAKER_01 20:37

One is fine. I did get Kevin for Christmas this past year, like just some like cocktail ingredients and a book and whatever, like some like cocktail making instruments, I guess. And we've been saying for like years that we want to get more into like knowing about them and just like how to make some fun ones. So like we actually got a book that was like Philly centric cocktails and stuff like that. So like things that are fun like that. But again, like one is fine. We don't need to.

SPEAKER_03 21:01

But right, but you could also use that as like a date night, yeah. Like a date night in.

SPEAKER_01 21:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 21:07

You know? Yeah. Make a cocktail when the kids go to bed, but like just enough for one for both of you to share and have a dessert and like call it a day, call it a night, and just like keep that phone downstairs.

SPEAKER_01 21:19

Yes, look at me.

SPEAKER_03 21:20

Yeah, so many things all in one.

SPEAKER_01 21:22

So many wins.

SPEAKER_03 21:23

What do you got? Um I feel like mine are all like just around food. That's okay. Which I love, but um, and I think most people do this, right? But like I feel like I'm always like my kid's snack bitch.

SPEAKER_01 21:36

Yes, a hundred percent.

SPEAKER_03 21:38

Just like so, like, I have just like I have a shelf on the bottom of the pantry. It's all snacks that like they don't have to ask for. They can go in and get them whenever they want. They can open them.

SPEAKER_01 21:52

Oh, that's yeah, that's cool.

SPEAKER_03 21:54

And like I can be done with it.

SPEAKER_01 21:56

Yeah, like go pick something. I don't you don't need me for this.

SPEAKER_03 21:59

Right, like you don't. Don't need me like and that's huge for like going into summer too. Like, I yeah don't want to just be like getting snacks all the time, right? Like it's I know um so yeah, just a snack area that they it's approved all day every day when it's done, it's done. So like you make that choice. I love that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:24

Um I would say another win is so I have been not sure how I feel about like AI, Chat GPT, all these things. This is not kid related, but that's okay. Um, this podcast is a lot of multiple art, and that's okay. Yeah. Because it's mom and mom and we're a whole person. Yeah. Um, but I have been using Chat GPT for like work-related things in a very like selective manner. It kind of helps me like organize my thoughts almost. Like, I'll say, you know, I want to write this blog post or this email about this topic. Like, here's what I'm thinking. Can you help me like outline it almost? And I don't like use verbatim what it spits out, but I use it to sort of like give myself bullets. And it's been really helpful for just like organization. So I'm like dipping my toe into the the AI world. I work in marketing too, so it's like the one field where I feel like everyone's always like, the robots are gonna take my job. And so I am like, oh no, like I went to journalism school. I love to write. Like I don't want to like surrender all of it to that, but like there are certain ways that I'm like trying to embrace it and be, you know, use it and it it I mean, damn it if it's not amazing, it does a really good job. Um, it like learns you as you go. I don't know how much you're like into this, but like it learns kind of like your writing style, like it's super helpful. And it's a time saver. Like my job is just busy, and I if I can save a few minutes on something, I will do it.

SPEAKER_03 23:57

So yeah, I definitely have used it at work as well. Um selectively again, like most of my emails and stuff, like I handle that, but like I do a lot of the social media posts for the school too. And like I love just being like, give me a school friendly social media post about Hanukkah.

SPEAKER_01 24:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 24:22

And then like and it's and it does such a good job, and then I Google search an image and like boop boop done. And like I can schedule those posts out, and like it just takes like one more thing off my plate of like that brain space because I feel like that's one of the big things, right? Is like our brain has 9,000 tabs open all the time. And if there is something out there that can help close some of those tabs, 100%. Like, why wouldn't we try to lead lean into it? Um, I think that we are both professional enough to know like when it's too much, or you know, obviously proofread things change things that feel appropriate for us. So like Yeah, you can't just caution or yeah, I feel like if you're using it in the most appropriate ways, then like it's okay to accept help.

SPEAKER_01 25:17

Yep. You know? I'm all about a time saver. So I think that's where that one came from, was just like I will take, yeah, I'll take a quick anything to save time and anything to take up some of that mental load.

SPEAKER_03 25:29

Yeah, it's just like huge.

SPEAKER_01 25:32

What else you got?

SPEAKER_03 25:34

Um We also have been doing, um, not always often, but this is kind of along the lines with the playing hotel, but like doing a 15-minute quick clean as a family. Um, sometimes when I feel like the house is like totally crazy, it's like we need a reset. Yeah, like let's do a quick reset. And like if I set a timer for 15 minutes and I'm like, okay, we have a 15-minute timer going, let's see how much we can put away. Makes it a game. It's almost like a game. It's like, get like, even if you don't put every toy away in the playroom, get every toy in the playroom kind of thing. Yeah. Because then I can go back later and quickly finish the process. But if I get everyone in the house to help and do this 15-minute reset of like, okay, this place looks like a bomb went off. We got 15 minutes to make it look like Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 26:31

A smaller bomb went off.

SPEAKER_03 26:32

A smaller bomb. But it's like, okay, you got 15 minutes. Get your stuffed animals upstairs, get the toys in the playroom, fold the blankets off the couch, like that kind of any dish goes in the kitchen. Because then it's like, okay, if all that stuff is already collected, it's gonna take me a lot less time to then do the dishes, load the dishwasher, do put the laundry in the, you know, like that kind of thing.

SPEAKER_01 26:56

So I was gonna say, like, I you know this about me, but like I am where like my mental state is tied to my surroundings. So like a messy house equals a messy brain. Um, so I will do like a quick cleanup of the house before I start the work day once everybody's out, you know, where they need to get in the morning, and then again before I go to bed and like when the boys are asleep. And it's not like a huge effort. Like I do feel like to your point, if you do a little bit kind of like frequently, you never have to do like a huge, yeah, a huge clean of the house. So that's just like a good way to get yourself a little reset and like a yeah, like a clean slate.

SPEAKER_03 27:32

Yeah. I saw a meme recently, um, or I don't know when, it doesn't matter, but um, I saw one that was like, it was a guy and he basically was like, I've realized that my wife's mood is 100% correlated with how much stuff is on the kitchen counter.

SPEAKER_01 27:50

Oh, it's so true.

SPEAKER_03 27:51

And like it's so true. It's so true. Like, right, I like sometimes I cannot focus if there is stuff all over my kitchen island. No, like it's gotta go.

SPEAKER_01 28:05

It's like a literal representation. Like, I is everything. I'm like less patient with the kids. I'm like frustrated and anything my husband says like annoys me. It's like if the house is messy, like I cannot function. It like it's like a a symbol. Yeah. It's so true.

SPEAKER_03 28:21

But your house is always so clean.

SPEAKER_01 28:22

I'm gonna guess I would have a mental breakdown if that's a me problem.

SPEAKER_03 28:27

I hear you. For the most part, I we keep a pretty tidy house as well. Um but I do s every once in a while it's a tornado.

SPEAKER_01 28:38

And that's okay.

SPEAKER_03 28:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 28:40

And it's fine. I think I probably need to work on being okay with it being messy though. Like I think that's like a therapy thing I could do. It's like it's fine.

SPEAKER_03 28:49

I almost wonder though, like, could you have a space in your house that like so I don't know if we've ever said this, but like we record in Kate's basement, but like, and this is where her kids' toys are. Could this space be messy?

SPEAKER_01 29:03

This does get messy.

SPEAKER_03 29:04

And then you could be upstairs and be perfectly fine.

SPEAKER_01 29:06

So I do do that. And it's cleanish now. Um, every so often we will do like a big clean and it's pretty clean right now. That's kind of how we do with our playroom. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 29:16

It's like I could go like a week and a half of it looking like a literal shitstorm. Um but then like after that, I'm like, okay, we have to do a major clean. It's yeah, too much. But I cannot feel that way if my living room looks like that.

SPEAKER_01 29:32

Because it's like, well, that's the thing. Like I can shut this basement door and be like, that's their space, it's okay, they're happy, it's not messy everywhere else. Like I can be okay with that.

SPEAKER_03 29:43

Right.

SPEAKER_01 29:44

So that's I mean, I've made progress over these years. Well, that's made strides. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 29:48

I feel the same way. I'm like, I can be perfectly fine if my playroom looked crazy or even the laundry room, like, but it's like the kitchen counters and the living room.

SPEAKER_01 29:59

The stuff that you're seeing, like the places that you're seeing.

SPEAKER_03 30:02

I want to lay down on the couch at night and like decompress without it looking like there is stuff everywhere.

SPEAKER_01 30:11

Like combo. Yeah, exactly. I think that's okay. Yeah. I guess the only other thing I would say, this is food related. Um, we have been making more of an effort to eat dinner together. It used to be that for a host of reasons we would eat the boys would eat whether at my mom's or here, but before before of course before they went to bed. They would eat dinner, we would put them toget to bed, and then my husband and I would eat. We've been trying to eat together as a family more. Um because I think it started with well, obviously, like it's not fun to make like a million different meals, but it's helping them eat different foods, and they both are sort of picky, and it's definitely helped. I think they're like happy that we're all sitting and eating together, and it's just like made them try new things. So that's been a win for sure. I like eating with them, it's nice. I also think like we were in a habit of eating dinner at like 8 30 and then going to bed, and like, well, that's not healthy. Like, you're not supposed to go to bed right after you ate.

SPEAKER_00 31:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 31:16

Um, my older son also has a dairy allergy, so which is like he's getting better and it's he's growing out of it, so he's able to eat more things. Not everything, like not he can't have milk, but like certain things like butter. So it's it's opening up the options of things that we can eat together, which is good. So I'm just gonna hopefully I think especially in the summer, like it's lighter out. Obviously, we can grill, we can eat outside, like they really like to eat outside on the picnic table, so like it's just become like an experience, and so we're gonna try to keep doing that, and hopefully, um Did you grow up in a family that ate together?

SPEAKER_03 31:48

We did, yeah, and so did I. So I feel like and I think Zach did too. Um, at least with his mom and his brother, his dad, you know, was a doctor, so yeah. Yeah, so that was a little different, but um Yep. We ate So I think that that's always been a point for us to like eat as a family.

SPEAKER_01 32:05

And we also were like, I mean, nobody was mean about it, but it was like this is what's for dinner, and if you don't want it, like you don't like we I feel like this maybe that's like a generational thing. Like well, yeah, we're more inclined as a generation to like cater to the kids in like many ways, but I do think sometimes if they're like I don't want that, like we'll make them something else to like not send them to bed hungry and like avoid a fight and all that stuff. But like in our we do generation, like they were like this is a big thing.

SPEAKER_03 32:31

It was like this is what you get, you eat or you don't, or you go to bed hungry.

SPEAKER_01 32:35

Like I do, especially as they're getting bigger, like that's sort of what I want it to be. Um, I'm not sure.

SPEAKER_03 32:42

Not sending like a baby to bed hungry, but like, but I do think to your point, like the more they sit there with us, the more likely they are to try it and like enjoy it because like I don't know about you, but anything that's on my plate, my kids eat.

SPEAKER_01 32:54

Yeah, like for whatever reason. Or at least ask questions and like what's that? Like what's in it? And I think we can take it a step further even and like include them in the cooking. Like my husband is really the cook, bless his heart. Um, I don't want any more. So is mine. We got so lucky. I know. Um but if we can include them more, I think that would take it, you know, even to the next level of like I know if you they say if you include them in the process, they'll be more inclined to try things. So that's that's something else we could do too. But yeah, eating together has been a good one.

SPEAKER_03 33:25

I think that's awesome. I did have something listed um that I want to try. Oh. Um for like a hack. I don't know about you, but I like laundry, fine. Folding, hate it.

SPEAKER_00 33:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 33:40

And like I saw something online where people are just like, whoever made that rule that you have to hold your laundry? Right. Like, that's so silly. So I almost like I've seen these like tiered laundry baskets, you know, and it's almost like if I got those with like a label and just pulled the stuff out of the dryer, at least like the underwear, the socks, the itty bitty shorts, right? You know, that like and just throw them in a laundry basket and then like then just dig through the laundry.

SPEAKER_01 34:06

I was gonna say, like, tell me about so you're just that's where you're taking the clothes from the dryer basket.

SPEAKER_03 34:11

They don't live in the dryer, but they just live in this like tiered labeled laundry basket instead. I like that idea. I am I don't know like I don't know if I would be okay with it. Like if my OCD would like allow it. But I also happy with things in the laundry. Folding it.

SPEAKER_01 34:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 34:32

And like putting it away and like I don't know. So I'm like torn about it. But I saw it and I was like, oh, that's kind of a cool hack.

SPEAKER_01 34:39

Maybe you could get like look for one that's not whatever, I don't know how much they are, but like a cheaper version and see if you like it before you get something that's like nice and fancy. And if you like it, you can make it like aesthetically pleasing or whatever. Give it a shot.

SPEAKER_02 34:52

Yeah, you know. We'll see. Yeah, so that just might be something that I want to try over the summer, you know.

SPEAKER_01 34:59

My only other this is a bonus, I would say, because I'm not doing this currently. It's it's decidedly not working. Um I want to force myself to be more of a morning person and wake up before my kids, even if it's like 15 minutes before them, because right now they are like our alarm clocks. They have the like okay to wake green light, whatever things in their rooms. They get up at like six or whatever it is, depending on the day, play in their rooms, and then they come get us around seven, and so like pretty much we're waking up at seven, other than like I hear them before that. But I want to be like more, I don't know, intentional about the morning because I feel like this has not been enough to change my habit, clearly, but like I hate that feeling of just like they come in bounding in loud, and I'm like, okay, this is how I'm starting my day. It's just like a frenzy versus like easing into the day, and every day I'm like, tomorrow I'm gonna like get up, have my coffee in silence, not start the day in like a tornado, and I never do. I never make that change.

SPEAKER_03 36:07

Do you think that if you did that they would hear you and then come out?

SPEAKER_01 36:13

It's possible.

SPEAKER_03 36:14

Or do you think their clock would keep them in their room?

SPEAKER_01 36:16

I think they abide by the clock. So they're good about like listening to it. I think they would be okay with it, but that's that's true. That could be a hurdle.

SPEAKER_03 36:25

Because like that would be my problem, is like I would wake up and my kids would just uh just run out of their rooms and find me.

SPEAKER_01 36:32

Yeah, that's probably true.

SPEAKER_03 36:33

So, like, I don't know if that would work for me. But I do agree with you on that idea of like starting my day in like already a heightened tense. Like it already starts like tense or like it starts tense.

SPEAKER_01 36:47

I feel like my habit is now this has been better since my phone's been charging downstairs, but like I would be woken up by the children, check my phone, and like look at work emails. Like, I'm like, that is like two very poor ways to start this talk. Like, what are we doing here? I'm already like my heart is racing, and it's like but it's like on the weekends, right?

SPEAKER_03 37:05

Like the kids are my alarm clock, like they get up and they come in our room, and then they just like climb in my bed, and I usually get hit in the head with a stuffed animal, and it's like then they start fighting and the TV's blaring, and I'm just like what are we doing? Right, like why am I already like feel my body like tensing and like stressed out? So, like a little bit of like quiet, yeah, peaceful morning would be that would be good.

SPEAKER_01 37:32

Like I'm not even talking about like wake up at five, work out, do a skincare routine, like make a matcha latte. Like I'm not not even those are like lofty goals that I will never that ain't that ain't me. But I think if I could even do like 15 minutes, like get up at 6 30, 6 45, and just like have coffee before they wake up, I think it would make a difference. I just I am not a morning person. I need I need to be.

SPEAKER_03 37:55

Yeah. Huh. I see that. So goals. Goals. Well um we did touch on this already, but we'll say it again. This is our last episode of we're calling it season one, I guess, right? We're gonna clean some.

SPEAKER_02 38:12

Mom group. Mom group.

SPEAKER_03 38:14

Um, we're gonna come back uh in September. We're gonna give ourselves some time this summer to spend time with our families, not feel the pressure of like needing to find a time to record. Both of us have some vacations planned this summer.

SPEAKER_01 38:31

We do have some fun summer plans.

SPEAKER_03 38:32

Yeah. So um fitting in the time to record and come up with topics. Um, you know, feels like that stress that we wanted to just say no to. So we're gonna do that and take a break. Um, and we'll be back in September. And yeah, do you have anything you want to say about summer or um no?

SPEAKER_01 38:53

I mean, I think, yeah, I'm excited um just for it to be here. My kids are gonna do some summer camps and we're gonna go away uh to the beach with some friends at the end of June, and then in July, my husband and I are going on a cruise with um his parents, so my in-laws. So we're gonna do that, and then, you know, it always flies by every year it does. But um, no, I'm just excited for a little a little break in certain ways. Um I'm really grateful for everybody who listened to the podcast this season. I think, you know, we'll still be around on Instagram and kind of like envisioning what we want this to be in season two and beyond. So just exciting all around.

SPEAKER_03 39:34

Yeah. Um, and I don't think we've even ironed out kind of what we want to do for season two. Um, but I think we're looking forward to possibly um like a different not layout. I don't know what I was gonna say. But like format. Yeah, we definitely want to um incorporate more guests. We want to bring on um a lot of different moms and just introduce you to other moms that we know and their story and their battles with anxiety or um just their everyday life, uh, so that everyone feels a little bit less alone and can relate to someone. If you don't relate to Kate and I, maybe we will have someone on. So I think possible.

SPEAKER_01 40:20

We are very relatable. Just kidding.

SPEAKER_03 40:23

Um, but I think that we definitely we have a list of people. We have some people that have already agreed to it. Um, so I think we might do like every other episode is a guest. Um, so we're really looking forward to that. That's a little spoiler for you. Um, but yeah, summer's gonna be fun. We have uh vacation plans as well.

SPEAKER_01 40:44

Nice.

SPEAKER_03 40:45

We're going on a cruise and we'll spend some weekends down the shore. We're gonna visit my sister in Maryland. So I think that this break is gonna be awesome, and I really look forward to coming back, hitting the ground running, and um having some awesome ladies on to talk and just, you know, getting the group back.

SPEAKER_01 41:05

I think if anybody has any thoughts of things that you'd like us to cover or guest ideas, we're all ears for that as well. Um, as we're continuing to grow this um this podcast and this, I guess you would say, a passion project for us. Um we would love to hear that too.

SPEAKER_03 41:24

I think too, like if you're a listener and you feel like you have something that you would love to share, and um even if it's just a brief moment on the show, um yeah, send us a DM, let us know. Uh, we would love to feature anyone who feels like they have something to share. Yep. Um because that's kind of what this is about, right? Creating our village, yep, having our group. Yeah. So definitely our our inboxes are open and we are looking forward to just creating this community.

SPEAKER_01 41:58

Yeah. We're on Instagram right now at momgroup. So you can find us there. Give us a follow.

SPEAKER_03 42:04

And if you have any good hacks or wins, things that are working for you, like please let us know.

SPEAKER_01 42:11

We need more wins and hacks.

SPEAKER_03 42:14

Uh okay, get it.

SPEAKER_01 42:16

Yeah, thank you all so much for listening in season one and good night. And we will talk to you in the fall.

SPEAKER_03 42:23

Can't wait.

SPEAKER_01 42:24

Bye. Bye.