Insights Into Teens: Episode 60 "Grandparents"

spk_0:   0:01
insightful podcasts. Informative host insights into a podcast network. Welcome to insights Into Teens, A podcast series exploring the issues and challenges of today's youth. Your hosts are Joseph and Madison Whalen, a father and daughter team making their way through the challenges of the teenage

spk_1:   0:42
years. Welcome to insights into Teams. This is Episode 60 grand Parents on your host Tours of Whaling and my mature and responsible co host, Madison Whalen. Hi. How you doing today, Maddie? So recording a little off scheduled today, Um, this one's kind of recording ahead of time. We had to take advantage of the scheduling availability of our guests that will have today with us. Um, so this is about grand parents? Sadly, your biological grand parents are no longer with us, Which makes it difficult to interview them today. Uh, fortunately, you're adopted. Grandmother is here with us today. This Barbara Exposito, otherwise known to us as simply as g. Ma. How are you doing today? Barb, Thank you for joining us today. I think we're gonna have ourselves a very good show today. Matty has some questions. Um, I think we'll just ah, get right into the questions ready to go? Yep. Go ahead

spk_0:   2:07
already. So the first question we got Waas who was your best friend when you were a kid? And what did you like to do together? Oh, my best friend with Jerry Pinner. We used to go down to the dock and fish fishing, pitching We live pretty close to the beach. Oh, nice. We'd be able to walk down Very cool. With our fishing poles and bobbins. We fished for Angus. I don't know what flounders. Okay, Okay. All right. Next question is can you tell us a little about where you grew up? Where I grew up? Lots of places.

spk_1:   2:50
Part of clearly was by the ocean.

spk_0:   2:53
Yeah, 1st 10 years by the ocean. And then we moved to, um, land within out to Missouri in Missouri for a few years and then back to Jersey, so I threw up kind of all over the place.

spk_1:   3:06
Now, why is that? What? Did your family just move around or was for you? Was it a military family? Like that happens a lot with military family.

spk_0:   3:13
It was my father in his job. Okay, Got a promotion.

spk_1:   3:17
I got

spk_0:   3:18
to go where the money waas

spk_1:   3:19
right? around. That makes perfect sense

spk_0:   3:23
already. So the next question is, do you enjoy having such a big family? Such a big family? Yeah. You had to

spk_1:   3:32
have a fairly large extended family, right?

spk_0:   3:35
We d'oh. Yes, very much more than marry everyone's welcome. All right, that's good. Um, were you named after a family member, or does your name have a special meaning? I don't believe so. Um, I think my mother said she was expecting a boy, and then I was born. She need me, Barbie. And no, I don't. I wouldn't think I was named after anybody. Okay. Okay. Okay. Already Next up was a favor. What was your favorite subject in school? Religion. Religion? Yeah, I wasn't really good at in school at all, but that I could kind of relate to

spk_1:   4:26
the fact that you have religion in school. Catholic school. Okay, okay.

spk_0:   4:30
I mean, I started off in public school, but then as we moved, I went to the Catholic schools.

spk_1:   4:35
What was it about religion? That it crabbed your interest?

spk_0:   4:39
Um, the trouble with moving around was that every school you went to, you were either behind or ahead of the kids, but religion was consistent.

spk_1:   4:49
I think that's what it was. Okay, well, that makes sense. Little little bounce,

spk_0:   4:52
little black and white. They're center, not sinner.

spk_1:   4:57
Catholics are good like

spk_0:   4:58
that. Next up. Do you? Did you have a favorite toy as a child? A favorite toy? Yes, my stuffed animal. Poochie. Poochie was a little dog.

spk_1:   5:12
Interested? Do you remember who gave it to you?

spk_0:   5:16
Probably a Christmas gift or something. Yeah, already. That's funny. Um, when you were my age, what did you want to be when you grew up? A wife days? Yeah. Wife and mother. Okay, well, you're better than may. I really have no plans for the future. Okay? Okay. Sometimes that works out best. You're open.

spk_1:   5:45
So I guess I won't ask. What do you want to be when you grow up, Munchkin?

spk_0:   5:49
Honestly, I'm trying to figure it out. I mean, I have just I'm we I've been using my talents just to do it, but we can move on now.

spk_1:   5:59
Okay, let's move on them

spk_0:   6:00
already. This isn't about may.

spk_1:   6:03
Well, shut me down there.

spk_0:   6:05
I'm just saying it's not me.

spk_1:   6:06
Okay, Fair enough.

spk_0:   6:09
What makes you happy? What makes me happy being with family and quilting, sewing, being around colors, creating, using my mind like to create things that makes me happy. And the beach, like a lot of things make me happy. My cat.

spk_1:   6:29
You're fortunate. You know, Not a lot of people have that many things that make them happy.

spk_0:   6:33
Yeah, Yeah, I have a lot of things. Make me happy work. That's good. Good. Already. Next up is what ISS What is different about growing up today? Then when you were my age? Ah, lot technology, of course. And, um, the culture, how prevalent racism was then and how we tried to, you know, steer away from now anyway, for great job with that. But

spk_1:   7:05
it's still there, but

spk_0:   7:07
prevalent, but not ISS.

spk_1:   7:10
Yeah, people are more aware of it now.

spk_0:   7:12
Yeah, really bred into you. Kind of.

spk_1:   7:15
Yeah, even when I was a kid, you know, my father was extremely racist, and, uh, you know, you grew up, you know, now they grew up in a time, you know, they can't. They lived in Camden, and, you know, in the fifties and sixties, that was when you were getting that large urban expansion in Camden and there was a lot of racial tension that was going on in the in the sixties at the time. So there was a lot of racism at the time that, like, I don't think my father would be able to exist in today's society because of his mind set, you know? Yeah. Good answer

spk_0:   7:56
already. Um, moving on to a different segment of questions.

spk_1:   8:02
Okay. Should I do a transition?

spk_0:   8:04
Do you want to?

spk_1:   8:04
Sure. Why not? We have the technology. Ones will use it

spk_0:   8:13
already. So this one is about grand parents. So this can either be short or long defense. So were your grandparent's around when you were a child? Yes. So four grand parents. One of them died when I was five, my mother's father, but my mother's mother, my mother on the Polish side. She was in my life, like for a long time, till I was, like, 20. She made me feel very special on my father's side. Um, my grandfather was quite the character, and we were very close and his His wife. Actually, I always called her Bahia. For some reason, I didn't know really that she was my grandmother. It was an adult. They never referred to her as a grandmother. Sure, but I was lucky I had the three grand parents, you know who always treated a soul very nicely. Now we're going to go a little deeper into

spk_1:   9:19
now that we're safe to ask further questions.

spk_0:   9:22
Okay, So you already discussed about one of your grand parents. All the how are the others? How they like my other grand parents? Um, let's see. My father's father. Well, they had, like, seven kids, and they built their own house with, like, they poured concrete when they poured the foundation 12 inches thick concrete. Okay. This very

spk_1:   9:53
building A castle where

spk_0:   9:54
Lynn's house and in the living room, they had a pair of stairs that went to the ceiling because it was planning for the future second floor, which never happens. And he was He was a character he would play when roughhouse with the kids and, you know,

spk_1:   10:13
yeah,

spk_0:   10:13
yeah, it was very funny. My his wife were here. Who was my grandmother? What? I remember her batteries. She laughed. A lot arrives. She were always kind of squinted. We weren't sure if she could see through them or not.

spk_1:   10:26
You know, it's a little kid. We

spk_0:   10:27
had a lot of cousins. So that's what made the holidays nice.

spk_1:   10:33
That's funny. What you remember about your grandparents from the from the perspective of someone very young at the time you pick up a strange thing. Yes. Yeah. Good question.

spk_0:   10:44
Already next stop is how is it like being your granddaughter? How is it

spk_1:   10:50
when you were a grand or what? Was it like being a granddaughter? Like where you doted on?

spk_0:   10:56
Well, especially my one fondest memory of my mother's mother was that she used it. I used to dance for her, You know, when I was, like, five or 60 she made me feel like a very special ballerina. That's very special memory there. We had a lot of kids, but we always you know, I felt special.

spk_1:   11:21
That's nice. Like I used to sing Elvis from my grandparent's. I used to do Elvis impersonations. I remember Anyway, moving on. It's not about me, right?

spk_0:   11:34
Wonderful. Um, what were some things you knew grand parents did together? We didn't really do like trips or anything like that together. Um I think because there were so many grandkids, it wasn't like that It was just we would go over their house for holidays or whatever ness, when we would see them didn't spend vacations with him. Although when I was saying for the 1st 10 years, I lived in Blanco of like by the beach and my grandmother was always at the beach, so I would look for her umbrella and I would go over to her and she'd give me cookies that was worth visiting her.

spk_1:   12:14
It's the little things

spk_0:   12:19
already. So the funnel, um, question in this segment is did you enjoy spending time with your grand parents? Yes, Well, and more so with my cousins.

spk_1:   12:32
You get grand parents if you don't see the whole family, the larger family. Yeah. Nice. All right. Should I transition here?

spk_0:   12:41
Do you want to?

spk_1:   12:42
Yeah. With transition here

spk_0:   12:49
already. So this segment is questions about being a grandparent. So how many kids do you have? Children? Our grandchildren, Children, grandchildren? Come the next day. Many kids do. I have to. Okay. Who are they? Oh, Christine and Roger. Okay. That

spk_1:   13:09
wasn't in there. You're and living Stick to the script.

spk_0:   13:12
Hello. You ask questions all the time. Next up. How many grandkids do you have? I have, um, five ish. Yeah,

spk_1:   13:33
pretty pretty bad when you can't, you know. Okay.

spk_0:   13:41
Okay. Um, next up, did you carry on the same activities when you were kids? And, uh, did you carry on the same activities with your kids and grandkids that your parents and grandparents did with, you know?

spk_1:   13:58
So what's what's different with more interactive? Yeah. Yeah. And I think I found the same thing with my grandparents When when I would go to see my grand parents. My grandparents never came to see us. You always go to see them. And it was a respect thing. When you went to see them, it was very reserved. You would sit, you would talk, you would have maybe have a meal together. And that was it. Whereas, you know, when my mom was around with you and with your brother, you know, we'd go places, we do things and, you know, you do crash with them and stuff like that. You know, that was kind of where things went. And now with with you, you know, we come up, we see for lunch occasionally we do holidays and stuff like that again. So it is. It's, I think it's a cultural shift.

spk_0:   14:51
Yeah, it's a different. It's a different time, too, because my grand parents were coming off the Depression, you know, they didn't have money, and, um, they worked. They didn't really go on vacation. My grandparent's didn't none of them like vacations or anything, so

spk_1:   15:09
yeah, And by the time I came around, my grand parents were retired, so they were on a fixed income, so they didn't like you would go over there if they needed something. You know, it's no way to go over and shovel for that, um, and occasionally would host, like, 1/4 of July or something like that. But they weren't the interactive type of my dad wasn't really interactive, even with us. Um, but I think that's sort of a cultural thing that's changed significantly in the list. 40 50. Yes. Yeah. No Good question

spk_0:   15:46
already. Next up. How was it when your parents became grand parents?

spk_1:   15:53
When were they excited to be grand parents? Were they? Oh, yes, your parents. Were you the first? Like you have siblings? Yes. You two brothers. Okay, so they had kids before you did

spk_0:   16:07
My one brother had Yes, had child for yes. And my parents were really, really good grand parents. They did a lot with the kids. And, you know, we're like, you know what we do. Yeah. Yeah. They loved our grandkids.

spk_1:   16:23
Yeah, good.

spk_0:   16:25
Already. Next up. How did it feel when you got your first grandchild? Um, heaven for everyone.

spk_1:   16:35
So your first grandchild was Laurent Laurent, Right now, was this one where, like, I can I can honestly say your maternal grandmother was very interested in having grand kids. And you were her first. Um, were you that way. Were you anxious to have grand kids, or was it kind of a shock to be a grandmother?

spk_0:   17:00
Um, it was a surprise. Okay. Yeah, Laurent, I was a a surprise. Blessing,

spk_1:   17:06
Can I ask, were you I know there's a certain age that people are okay being grand parents, and before that, it tends to wear on them. Were you at that point where you were OK, I was

spk_0:   17:21
fine. Okay. E was very happy.

spk_1:   17:25
Todo Oh, yeah. Okay. Tryingto trying to ask that question without asking age

spk_0:   17:34
because I was in my forties. So you know you are different about that question. Even if they're older, they don't want to be called Grandma. Grandma, we welcome it. Everyone is welcome.

spk_1:   17:44
It fits. You are an ideal grandmother. If if we could pick a grandmother and we did, you are the great mother. Next question three

spk_0:   17:57
already. So, do you enjoy spending time with your kids and grandkids? Oh, yes,

spk_1:   18:03
yes. Always. What are some of the things that you do with the grandkids?

spk_0:   18:08
Well, I had a mirror over for the weekend. Three year old.

spk_1:   18:14
Oh, she's a great age.

spk_0:   18:16
She's in a good age and to be two days to recover. That was a lot of fun. We went to the area.

spk_1:   18:23
Just you and her. Yes, way

spk_0:   18:25
did a few things. We did crafts, of course. Crap. You know, with the older girls. Little harder now, But we would get together and Philly and go to lunch or whatever, but, um, you know, they're big now.

spk_1:   18:40
Yep. E no. They grow up so fast. Okay, next.

spk_0:   18:51
Already. Next question is, do you see your kids slosh grandkids often? Um mmm. Not well, Not like the older grandchildren. I don't see often my younger set set, because now we have a new little grandson. Congratulations. Thank you. Um, I've seen them more often.

spk_1:   19:18
You

spk_0:   19:18
know, Roger will drive down well, who he won't now because he has the baby. So that's why I said Let me take a mirror for the weekend. I hadn't seen her, so he would come down like once a month.

spk_1:   19:30
Okay, It's

spk_0:   19:30
a little hard with the distance in everybody's lives.

spk_1:   19:35
You know, life tends to have a way of catching up with you. Yeah, sure. So you see them often, but probably not as all that is like

spk_0:   19:44
that. I would, but yeah, already. So Ah, this the final question in this segment? Daddy, I'm

spk_1:   19:54
ready with the transition.

spk_0:   19:55
Okay. Cool. So what's the best thing about being a grandparent's? The best thing is playing with and being with, and then they leave and you have no responsibility. I think that's

spk_1:   20:10
the definition of variant. Spoil the kids rotten. And then they leaving a deal of it,

spk_0:   20:15
enjoy them and go.

spk_1:   20:21
So we'll come back. We'll talk about questions specifically about us.

spk_0:   20:32
All right. So the first question this segment is when we are around, what do we typically? D'oh! We've gotta discussed a bit about this before, but

spk_1:   20:41
sure. What? I was put on some of the activities that you do with us

spk_0:   20:45
with you guys. Yeah, we're going into Philly Way. Met the aquarium. Yeah, I remember that. Holidays. Very special. We

spk_1:   20:59
need breakfast. Breakfast? Uh,

spk_0:   21:01
yeah, we've done that multiple times. Yeah, when it's, like, been too long. And I'm like, Oh, I got to see them.

spk_1:   21:11
All right. Good question.

spk_0:   21:13
Already. Next up, can you tell us about any holidays we spend together? Holidays that we've spent together? Yeah. Jeez. We've had Christmases and Thanksgivings and Passover. Easter's what we have to call them. I don't know Way Haven't demand. Incredible. I

spk_1:   21:32
don't know. We're definitely good annually for Thanksgiving, right? Thanksgivings. You're fun. Thanksgivings are crowded and packed in like they should be. E

spk_0:   21:48
I mean, there's only that one time that it wasn't really that crowded.

spk_1:   21:52
Yeah, yeah, but the more crowded it is the better because I think that's that's that someone's you remember the most. So they are. Good question

spk_0:   22:03
already. Next up. What are your best memories with us?

spk_1:   22:07
Do you have any good memories?

spk_0:   22:11
Oh, Birthdays? I remember birthdays. You either birthday parties, you used to have.

spk_1:   22:19
Yeah, we've had a model when

spk_0:   22:21
you're a Well, yeah. That's probably why I don't really remember the one in the pork with the when you have the video

spk_1:   22:27
game trying

spk_0:   22:28
things. Really? They just wanted to play on the swings

spk_1:   22:35
for the truck. Uh, ready for your next question?

spk_0:   22:42
Okay. I just, uh

spk_1:   22:44
Oh. You look like

spk_0:   22:45
you're going to say something. Okay. All right. Next question is are you happy with the time we can spend together? I wish we had more time.

spk_1:   22:54
Yeah, I just got to

spk_0:   22:55
the beach sometime or meet somewhere at a beach.

spk_1:   22:58
Well, it's one of you say that she just had her first beach experience on vacation on a Vero Beach.

spk_0:   23:04
Yeah, like literally at 13 years old, my first of a really big beach experience. I mean, I've been on the boardwalk before.

spk_1:   23:10
I know where neglectful parents, aren't we?

spk_0:   23:14
That was the first time I ever really went to the beach.

spk_1:   23:16
I'm not a rich person. Oh, okay. I have memories.

spk_0:   23:21
You have to go when it's not 150 degrees and there's no wind.

spk_1:   23:26
Well, yeah, You know, the

spk_0:   23:27
timing is everything, and that's difficult because the weather could be different at the beach. We'll see. And I used to

spk_1:   23:32
enjoy the beach because my family used to vacation down in Wildwood. And then I happen to be down there with my ex wife and a group of friends at one point in time and wasn't conscious about putting on sunscreen and wound up with sun poisoning. And suffered from that.

spk_0:   23:49
Had had that happened to e was, like, 18 or something. Since

spk_1:   23:54
then, I've not been a big beach person.

spk_0:   23:56
Don't you mean Sunburn insists on poisoning?

spk_1:   23:58
No, it was some force because it was like second degree burns. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. So it's very different. Like skin bubbling off my face with bubbling. Yeah, it's not good.

spk_0:   24:12
Next question is what are some silly things remember my mom doing when she was younger? Oh,

spk_1:   24:22
so first off qualified. So you've known Michelle? I'm high school from high school.

spk_0:   24:26
I just might. Really Biggest memories are of the girls in the choir, OK, being in the

spk_1:   24:35
right, right, So that, you know no, I have too much interaction. Did you were you acquire Mom, where you're taking the kids to rehearsals and

spk_0:   24:43
stuff I was just at the high school. I mean, probably dropped off, but that was just Christine dropping off. But I remembered seeing them on the choir

spk_1:   24:51
wire. Yeah, Nice. Because Christine was enquired same time, too. Okay.

spk_0:   24:59
Already. Um, I think this is the last question for this episode. So what is your dream for all of your grandchildren? Oh, everybody stream that. They're happy. Yeah. And financially set that helps you

spk_1:   25:19
have money. Doesn't buy happiness, but it sure helps.

spk_0:   25:22
You just want them to be happy, healthy and prosperous. Yes, that is. But that's what it is.

spk_1:   25:29
And, you know, it's funny. I'll tell you, if they have as many things that make them happy as you do thing, they're guaranteed to be happy. So I think that was all the questions that we had had prepared. Did you have any questions for us? No. Okay. Well, I think that was it for this episode. Thank you so much for joining us for this. Um, I think we'll give closing remarks to you and shout outs, and then we'll do our contacts and call today,

spk_0:   25:59
like, usual.

spk_1:   26:00
So we'll come back with your closing remarks.

spk_0:   26:09
Honestly, it's kind of hard to give a few closing remarks. I guess if I could give any closing remarks, it would just be to spend time with your family, even if it's not really that big. Just tryto have some fun and enjoyment with them because you never know if you're ever going to get it again.

spk_1:   26:27
Wow, that's depressing, but Okay. Sure. Okay. Any shout

spk_0:   26:31
outs you like to give a shout out to you for joining us today? Um, thank you so much for coming in, answering our questions. Um, I thank you for that. You're welcome. Okay. Thank you for inviting me. I'm honored.

spk_1:   26:47
We're honored by your presence. Thank you so much for being here. It was nice. You get to come all the way down, stop over, and then we can head in the Philly before we go. Though we have some business to dio and that is how you can contact us So you can email us at comments and insights into things dot com. Get us on Twitter at insights, underscore things. You can catch our video podcasts on youtube dot com slash insights into things. We're on Facebook and facebook dot com slash insights into things podcast. You could get us on the Web at www dot insights into things dot com. Our audio podcasts are available. A podcast dot insights into teens dot com, and you can catch a streaming five days a week on twitch at twitch dot tv slash insights into things,

spk_0:   27:43
and you can find our other two podcasts and such an entertainment host by you and Mommy. And in such in the tomorrow, our monthly podcast hosted by you and My brother Sam,

spk_1:   27:52
and I think that's it

spk_0:   27:53
already

spk_1:   27:54
know one of the books,

spk_0:   27:55
everyone

spk_1:   27:56
by.