Shownotes:
In addition to making my cheeks hurt from a serious case of the giggles, Paige Couros delights us with her wisdom and strategies for raising grateful kids. She also shares the importance of appreciating the hopes and dreams of yesterday that are now our reality. We get a cameo from Kallea and Marino Couros and stayed tuned to the very end for some bonus content!
About Our Guest:
Paige Couros is an experienced elementary educator and an innovative entrepreneur. Passionate about teaching and learning, Paige amplifies the voices of educators around the world as a leader of IMPress, a publishing company. The mother of three amazing young kids, Paige shares inspiring ways to promote learning through play on Instagram @teach.me.mom.
You can also connect with Paige on Twitter using @PaigeCouros and Instagram @PaigeCouros.
Website: linktr.ee/teach.me.mom
About Lainie:
Lainie Rowell is an educator, international consultant, podcaster, and TEDx speaker. She is the lead author of Evolving Learner and a contributing author of Because of a Teacher. Her latest book, Evolving with Gratitude, was just released. An experienced teacher and district leader, her expertise includes learner-driven design, community building, online/blended learning, and professional learning. Learn more at linktr.ee/lainierowell.
Twitter - @LainieRowell
Instagram - @LainieRowell
Evolving with Gratitude, the book, is now available! Purchase here!
You can also get bulk orders for your staff (10 copies or more) at a discounted price! Just fill out the form linked below and someone will get back to you ASAP! bit.ly/ewgbulkdiscount
Transcript:
Lainie Rowell: Oh my friends, I've already been laughing so much that my cheeks hurt. I'm so happy I have Paige Couros here. Hi Paige.
Paige Couros: Hello.
Lainie Rowell: I'm so happy you're here.
Paige Couros: Well, I'm glad that you pushed me to come on because I've never done podcasts before.
Lainie Rowell: Well, I'm gonna say yes, I pushed because you are one of lovely friends who I invited before there even was a podcast, and I think this will be about episode 50. I love you. This is not a slam. This is a mere, thank you for coming and I would've had you here sooner if our schedule's permitted, but I'm, I'll take you whenever I can get you .
Paige Couros: Just so it just so happened I had to have a baby and, and things like that, you know?
Lainie Rowell: I mean, I knew you were gonna play the baby card. Fine. You birthed a human. I get it.
Paige Couros: What, like it's hard, like yeah.
Lainie Rowell: You created life. I get it. And you've done it three times, which is more than me. So mad props to you. Thank you for populating the world.
Paige Couros: Well, you know, I heard the other day that three is the most stressful amount of children we have , so.
Lainie Rowell: Well, that's a lovely read. Where can our listeners find that article?
Paige Couros: I was like, oh, awesome. Cool. All right. Thank you for that. I should have read that before.
Lainie Rowell: I mean, I guess that's supposed to make everyone else with children happy.
It's just not pleasing for you. Sorry about that. Well, your are three are angels. So I think maybe you're getting a little bit of a pass on that. Well, actually what it is is that you're just an incredible mom. So I think, I think it's not as much for you.
Paige Couros: I I appreciate that. Well, and you are the nicest, sweetest person to my children.
So they love you. They, I'm sure they're like listening at the door because they,
Lainie Rowell: I'm hoping they'll come in for a cameo at the end, cuz I wanna, I wanna see my friends.
Paige Couros: Yes. Well, and I have to tell you, Lainie is like the nicest person ever. She was in Florida and she came, she was like, well, do you wanna come meet?
And I had all the, I just had the two with me at the time, and she's like, well,
Lainie Rowell: one was in your belly.
Paige Couros: Yes, that's true. He's just a little easier to take care of in there anyway. And she's like, oh, I'll meet you at a trampoline park. So Lainie without her two children volunteered to meet me at a trampoline park.
So that is a good friend.
Lainie Rowell: It was fun. It was fun.
Paige Couros: You didn't even have your kids. That's so nice. .
Lainie Rowell: I mean, it was a little bit liberating that I didn't have my kids .
Paige Couros: That's true.
Lainie Rowell: I did not have my kids to worry about. But no, it was so fun and I wanted it to be, I mean, you were pretty pregnant and your kids are amazing and I wanna go have fun with all of us.
You know, all of us have fun. So that was a great time.
Paige Couros: Yeah, I think jumping at that point was not doctor recommended, so I'm glad you were helping out.
Lainie Rowell: Yeah. I don't know if I had to fish a child out of the plastic ball pit, but if, if that was necessary. I don't remember honestly, but if that was necessary, that should not have been you doing this.
Although you probably still would in a safe way. So, okay. I'm sorry. We're gonna, we're just gonna chat forever because I love you so much. But I wanna do a proper introduction so people know who you are besides George Couros' wife. Because there's a lot more to you, but you are very much in the background making magic happen.
And until people like me are obnoxious and say, no, you have to be on my podcast. No, you have to be in the book. Like, you're, you're really...
Paige Couros: Well, no, I appreciate it. Cuz I would never ask and I would never put myself out there to do that. So when you say do it, and I say, okay, for Lainie, of course I
Lainie Rowell: would.
Yes. I appreciate that.
So Paige Couros is an experienced elementary educator and an innovative entrepreneur. She is super passionate about teaching and learning. Paige amplifies the voices of educators around the world as a leader of IMpress Publishing.
Paige Couros: Mm-hmm. I do.
Lainie Rowell: That's a little bit of it.
Paige Couros: Yeah. One, one day George came home and he said, "Guess what? We're gonna start a publishing company and you're gonna run it" and I said, "cool". Yeah.
Lainie Rowell: Well, Evolving With Gratitude is with IMpress, and I have not had a bad experience with any publisher, so I don't want this to come off that way, but, I just really, really adored working with you. I mean, first of all, you're just like this amazing person, but also you were just so encouraging and responsive and like, I'm an insecure writer. Like when I put stuff down, I, I need to know like, is this, is this making any sense?
Paige Couros: You know what, even the most, the most secure people, need that because it, everyone is like, this resonates with me. Does this resonate with you? Like it's, it's totally a bringing a baby into the world is, is a book, right? It's, this is, it's a vulnerable thing. Here are my ideas. Like them please. Like, you know, it's, it's, it's a hard thing to do. So props to you for doing it because it's, it's not an easy thing. I I have not done it.
I have a book in mind, I think about it all the time, but I have not pulled the trigger on anything.
Lainie Rowell: Well, I'll be first in line to buy that book. It would be amazing.
Paige Couros: Well, thank you. I always appreciate your support too.
Lainie Rowell: And a book is a, a little bit like birthing a baby. Unfortunately, books don't come with big eyes that you get lost in . So you have to, you have to hope people are nice about it, even if they don't think it's cute.
Paige Couros: Yeah, exactly. Exactly. That's true. That is, I never thought of it that way, but that's very true.
Lainie Rowell: Well, and I just always think about what does George say like, You'd rather get feedback during the process rather than the, when the books put to bed, like, you can't do anything.
Paige Couros: No, you can't do anything after. So we, yeah, we give feedback privately so you don't get feedback publicly because that's...
Lainie Rowell: Thank you.
Paige Couros: Yeah. That's the important part. Yes. And so in our company what happens is I read the books ahead of time and when I read them, I try and read them as two people. I read them as myself as a teacher who would take ideas and say, oh, this is fantastic.
Let's run with it. But I also read as this one teacher that I taught with who she told me once that she couldn't have Pinterest because she lived alone and that was not safe. So , she just, no concept of...
Lainie Rowell: Wow. I don't, I don't catch that correlation...
Paige Couros: i, yeah. And like, you know, had every worksheet printed off to the end of the year, so I have to, when I think of it, I think of both sides and like, would this push me?
To be a better teacher as both teachers, because that's important. Cuz that's the gamut you're gonna get when you are putting a book out. Right? And I think that's important and it's, it's something that I enjoy doing cuz I'm like, ooh. Would she try it, would she do that? You know...
Lainie Rowell: That's amazing. That's a hot tip.
I'm gonna keep that in my brain for next time I'm writing something cuz that's, that's really smart because I mean, you write the books that you need to read is, I think, a, a kind of a common thing. But you should write the books that everyone needs to read.
Paige Couros: Well, and, and like, you know, just on a topic, some people may be willing to try, but it's, George always says some speakers are like a, a cold shower and some are like a warm bath.
It's like you kind of have to bridge the gap between both. You have to like, push someone to do things that they're not ready to do and still give a little bit of like, but you got this. Yeah. Like, you, you can do it. You can do it. So it's, it's a, it's a tightrope. You have to walk. So you do that very well.
You do, you use stories and ideas and so I loved, I loved reading your book and I got to read it way ahead of everyone else. So...
Lainie Rowell: The best part was you're in it. And so I want people to read your story. It's so lovely. And. I really would love to read a book that you would write because you bring this perspective as a parent and an educator that is really refreshing.
I don't, I'm not gonna describe it well, but it's just, I think that you have this brightness and this light where, It's that you acknowledge that it's hard, but you're also like, but we got this. Just like you said, the cold shower and the warm bath. That's, that's how you approach from what I see.
Parenting and teaching and so,
Paige Couros: and some days it's just all cold shower, believe me, .
Lainie Rowell: I know. And if, if people are not already following you on Instagram, they should de definitely catch that handle. Which one is that handle, because there's two of them.
Paige Couros: It's @teach.me.mom. And so it's basically it's all play and activity ideas that I do with my kids.
I think we've done every science experiment there ever was. And my kids just love to do fun things and learn and so I love to create things and that's like the way that I can be creative. I love to create activities. My two and a half year old came up to me this morning and she goes, mom, I need an activity.
Lainie Rowell: I love everything you put on Insta, but I feel like, it's not a, Hey, this is how it should be done. I've got it all figured out. You're just like, Hey, I figured something out. This is fun. You should try it if you want. And then you have some real fun with some reels in there.
Paige Couros: Oh, yeah, yeah. So it's come for the activity, stay for the insanity. It's like the reels are the behind the scenes of my personality. The thing about the Instagram, the reason why I started it was because I have been a work from home mom since we started. And so I had to find creative ways to keep my children busy because I do have meetings with authors and do certain things. So I was figuring out all these ways to keep my kids busy and keep them not on screens and entertained in a way that I felt was enriching and that I could play with them.
Cuz I cannot, I cannot sit and play, pretend for hours. I just can't. It's like too much of my brain width to keep up, be like, well, what did that baby say? And who, who's baby is this? And like, what did Elsa do? And like, it's too much. So I set up a lot of activities and sensory play for them to do, and it worked so well.
And so I started sharing it on Instagram saying like, try this. It will save with sanity. Please believe me. So,
Lainie Rowell: I mean, it's, it's awesome. Okay. I wanna make sure and put that handle in the show notes along with your other, handle, all your handles, all the ways that people can connect with you. Cuz you're, you're a great time and you bring me a lot of joy when we're talking like this.
But also when I get to see you on the gram, You're just so fun, my friend.
Paige Couros: I make things like not anticipating that anyone sees them and then when people are like, oh, I saw your video, I was like, Ugh. Right.
Lainie Rowell: No. We're all here for it. We're all loving it. Yeah. Okay. I gotta get to my first question cuz I feel like I, I could just talk to you for hours.
I know.
Paige Couros: And people will be like I've lost interest in this.
Lainie Rowell: No, no. Anything you say I think is interesting, but I will get to that first question. What does gratitude mean to you?
Paige Couros: Okay, so I was thinking a lot about this because gratitude to me is, well, I think it's showing appreciation and kindness for the things that you have, but it's also saying, you know, these were once my hopes and dreams and now they're a reality.
Think about when they were my hopes and dreams and how badly I wanted them. Right? I always wanted to have kids, and so on the days that they're driving me crazy, which is, you know, that happens all the time. It's like, but remember when these are my hopes and dreams and I have to go back to that and think like how grateful I am that I have accomplished what I have accomplished.
And gratitude sits with me like that. And also being thankful for the small, like sometimes monotonous things that, that happened because. We can be grateful for the big things like, you have a nice house. You can think about those big things, but it's the little things that make your day to day.
You know, things that you're gonna miss when they're gone are things that we should be grateful for. Like my children never, ever, ever let me go anywhere without them, but one day, one day I will be in the bathroom by myself and I might be sad.
Lainie Rowell: I know, I know. It's exactly like you say. And I find that when they're young, they make sure you know how much they need you and they still need you when they're older, but they're much better at hiding it. And so,
Paige Couros: Yes, and it's not, it's not like in your face like, you know, our two year old at two in the morning where she busts open our double doors, it's Gia.
Lainie Rowell: I'm here. You're welcome.
Paige Couros: Not, not like I needed a drink of water. I'm scared. Whatever. It's like I know you've missed me.
Lainie Rowell: She's not wrong. She's not wrong. She's a good time. Oh my goodness. I think that's so lovely. I really think that's a wise perspective when you can be like, my hopes and dreams of yesterday are my reality today, and I want to savor this because it will go faster than I think.
And so I think that's really important.
Paige Couros: Yeah, and, and you know, when we think about how we yearned for it and do we appreciate it, right? Because sometimes we don't, and that's okay. And I think we can live in a place where we are frustrated and appreciative at the same time.
They don't have to necessarily be mutually exclusive because sometimes you can be really frustrated, but you love that thing so much, right? . It's even when you're in the classroom and you're like, Ugh, like this day was so, so, so, so hard. And then one kid does something and you're like, okay, worth it.
Lainie Rowell: Totally, I can totally think of those times. That is the beauty of being an educator, even though it's hard at times. Maybe even hard most of the time. But those moments...
Paige Couros: I would say most of the time absolutely. And it's funny cuz I'm a very emotional person. Nobody watches sports with me because if someone wins, which they do, cuz it's a competition,
Lainie Rowell: That's typically how that works out.
Paige Couros: I cry because I think of all the work and dedication they've put into it. You cannot watch the Olympics with me. It's terrible.
Lainie Rowell: I'm just imagining a figure skater falling and you're just like on the floor crying.
Paige Couros: It's more like the, the thrill of victory. Like, George and I were watching the World Cup one time and I literally fell asleep for like three quarters of it.
I woke up and they, they won. I'm balling.
Lainie Rowell: Oh. Like tears of joy. Like you're so happy for the victor. That's so funny.
Paige Couros: People are like, oh, I can't watch sports with you. But the kids in my class would laugh too, because when people would like figure something out, just tears, just, that's my go-to reaction.
And so one kid was trying to tie his shoes one time and he, he's like, I figured it out. And I just, like, one kid turned around and was like, she's gonna do it.
Like such a hard day. Like I think I had had to do like a take down in the hallway cuz a kid was running, and there was just so much going on that day. And then at the end of the day, this kid learned to tie his shoes and it was all fine.
It was like, okay. Let's, let's be grateful for the one thing.
Lainie Rowell: That's the mic drop moment. Let's everyone head home. Turn the lights out. We're good.
Paige Couros: We're good. That's it. That's all. It's 1:00 PM but let's go. We're out.
Lainie Rowell: These are the things that make it worthwhile, so we take those wins for sure.
Okay, you talk in the book about how you are teaching your very littles. To have gratitude and I so appreciate the gift of the story in the book because, we know that our kids are not born grateful. This is something we have to cultivate over time. And even Kallea is in the like very cusp of like starting to be able to reliably show gratitude.
I'm talking from a developmental perspective. She's a grateful kid. I'm just saying like from the age range of...
Paige Couros: She's only six. Yeah, exactly.
Lainie Rowell: Yeah. So you've got three that are in the early, early stages of developing that grateful disposition and you're just doing so much wonderful stuff.
And I wondered if you wanted to share, it could be something you said in the book or just anything you wanna share.
Paige Couros: Modeling it is what I said in the book, but it, it's, it's so true. Sometimes if you see something and it makes you happy or it's something that you really appreciate, it's, it's important to stop and say it out loud because your kids see that and hear that, and they're like, oh, okay.
Or, if I really appreciate something, I'll, I'll say it, I'll try and remember to say it, but like to stop everything. You know, as parents and teachers, we're rushing. We're, we're on the go all the time.
There's something to do. There's always something to do. But to like stop in that moment and really take the time and be like, you know, there's a beautiful sunset. There's a few things in this world that make me more happy than like, that orange, pink, beautiful sunset. Right? Kallea's like that too now she, she's like, "mom, you gotta see the sunset". Right? And we take a moment and we look at it and it's a way to like, when the day is crazy to calm down and enjoy something together. But it's also realizing that there's things are around us that we can be thankful for all the time. And it's not necessarily things cause kids get caught up in that too, right?
Toys that we got. And it's not always people, but it could just be a feeling, right? Like I feel like relaxed and calm. That feels good, right? So just taking the time to appreciate that and, and saying thank you, you know, thank you Mother Nature for this beautiful sunset,
And Georgia, who's only two and a half she's wild, but she, she will take a second and like say, thanks mommy for doing that. Which is not something that most... Kallea didn't do that at two and a half. So it's beautiful to see that kind of rubbing off on her.
And she maybe doesn't fully always understand, but she knows to say if she, she feels something she knows to say it.
Lainie Rowell: Yeah. I love how you're narrating the gratitude for the beauty, you're narrating the beauty you notice, and I think that's so important. If you think about at this young age that they're at, everything's kind of wonderful and amazing.
And so they're kinda in constant awe and wonder. And so, it's nice for them to see us have that awe and wonder too. And to actually articulate it in a way helps them, I think, come up with the language. I think that's really important and I love the way that you bring your special fun character into it and how you make it really big.
And you have some fun with that if you wanna tell people about that.
Paige Couros: Well, yeah, like, like, you know, I just, I'll get really like over overzealous about things. George will tell you I basically just never stop talking. So , that's why our kids have such good vocabularies is cuz I just never stop talking. But the, the thing is that, if I appreciate a good cup of coffee in the morning when your children have woken you up at 6:00 AM.
I'll just like, like say, oh, this is the best, and like really blow it up like, oh, this is so good because. Really kids need to see, like, it just almost feels like an exaggeration, but it's not. It's just you're really showing them how it feels because they have big emotions. Kids have really big emotions.
Lainie Rowell: So true.
Paige Couros: But they, they don't know how to verbalize them, right?
Lainie Rowell: Mm-hmm.
Paige Couros: But even just like showing it like they scream, they are excited. They do, they do things like that all the time, but that's them with their big feelings and if you can show them how to label it, it's helpful. Right. .
Lainie Rowell: A hundred percent. I think that's a great way of saying it. You are helping them to label the, the gratitude that they're having and you're modeling it, you're narrating it, you're doing like these think out louds and it's like you're just inviting them into it. I think that's really special.
Paige Couros: And for me it's a good way because I'm feeling it too and I'm saying it, and I'm, you know, being sometimes over the top with it, but, I do feel that way so it's good to express that. Right.
It's like I have a favorite ice cream. And if the kids indulge me and say, we can go to Mummy's favorite ice cream place, I'm always like, this is the best. You know, cuz it's like, I appreciate they have ones that they're, that are their favorite and I have ones that are my favorite.
So. . I always appreciate that.
Lainie Rowell: Well, and that's a great positive reinforcement for being considerate of others cuz that's, that's another thing we're not born with.
Paige Couros: Yes. And they still get ice cream, so it's it'ss goods.
Lainie Rowell: It's a win-win for sure. Alright my friend. I know I gotta let you go here. Maybe we'll get a cameo from some littles in a little bit but I wanna make sure and give you a chance to share anything else that you wanna share and to give your shout.
Paige Couros: Yeah. Well, I think I, I definitely think I, he does not get enough credit because George, I'm very, very thankful and grateful for George for all that he does and who he is, because he does make me who I am in, in certain ways because I am not the kind of person that I'm an extrovert, but I'm not the kind of person that would go and do things and try new things and he always encourages me to try new things and, you know, he'll push and it's not in a, in an unloving way, but he like, he's like, Nope, you're gonna do this and you're gonna enjoy it, so you're gonna do it. He knows. And so I so appreciate his his personality and the way that he cares for us as a family because he does not get enough credit for all that he does, and it looks like I'm doing a lot for our family, but he does a lot. It's the opposite. He does a lot behind the scenes and he gives me a lot of advice and good things. And then and then I get to like be with the kids all day and stuff.
But he is a big part of our family and an important person in my life that makes me who I am. And so I appreciate him greatly and probably don't say it enough. And people don't say it enough to him because they assume that people say it all the time.
Lainie Rowell: Yeah. He has helped me tremendously.
He has helped so many, I've, I've tried to like pass things on to him because I, I know that people just assume he knows. And so when I read a book and someone's quoting him, I'm like, George, you're in this book. It's funny, authors don't always tell people when they've quoted someone else. And so it's like he doesn't even know when he is in books sometimes.
I really like how you said that kind of professionally you do a little bit more behind the scenes mm-hmm. and then with the family, you know, he does more behind the scenes, so is like you're both contributing. It's just a matter of the visibility is, you know, to the outside world is a little bit different and so,
Paige Couros: And it's important for me to say to the kids, oh, thank you very much for doing this for us.
Because they see that it, it's not just me, like they think, oh, mommy's taking us for ice cream. You know what I mean? Like it's all the good things that I get to take credit for sometimes, but it's like, no, it was Daddy's idea to go to Gatorland or whatever. Right.
Lainie Rowell: And I would say for those who have listened to, like I said, I think this is the 50th episode, if you've listened to all the episodes, hopefully, you know how much love there is for George. It could potentially be a drinking game for listeners of this podcast, how many times has George Couros' name been said?
And again, you are such a powerful force in this journey for Evolving with Gratitude, but it's more behind the scenes. And so I'm just so happy that you came on here to share your brilliance. And I get like the warm fuzzies talking to you cuz you're just such a joy. And I know that everyone's gonna love listening to your stories and everything that you shared today.
So I thank you for, for getting on your, did you say your first podcast. Yeah, I win number one. Yes. I had to make it about me. Did you like that? But this is just proving my point again, making it about me that you are so good at amplifying the voices of others and shining the light on others and I just appreciate you. I see it and I appreciate it. I know other people see it too, so.
Paige Couros: Well, and I appreciate you too because people who talk to you feel good and isn't that the best indicator of a person's heart and how they feel is when you leave a conversation with someone and you feel good.
Lainie Rowell: Yes oh, that's the best. And you're like, I don't want that conversation to end, or I can't wait to talk to them again. That's how I always feel. And I feel like when I'm texting with you, I'm always like, okay, I feel like I need to let her go, but I kind of still wanna keep talking to her. And you're just so, you're so responsive in text messages. I know. I have to stop or you'll just, you'll. You know, staying with me.
Paige Couros: And your meme game is strong. Like, I mean, the meme game is, is very important because in the middle of the day when I haven't talked to an adult all day long, and then I get, I get just the most perfect meme. It's like, it's the best.
Lainie Rowell: I mean, if there's a sixth love language, for me it would be memes, I love them so much.
I, I feel like it's the third level, right? Like in a text, there's obviously text, then there's emojis and then there's memes. That third level is where you can really let it all out. Like that's just the, that's just the true, these are the emotions I'm feeling right now.
Paige Couros: And when you find one that's like maybe someone might not really know, like, you know, you use like kind of an obscure meme and they get it, you're like, okay, you are my people.
You're my people.
Lainie Rowell: That's why we're friends. By the way, your, your meme game is strong too. We're both good with the, the GIFs back and forth. One of these days we'll have to do like a challenge where we're not allowed to use any text and it's one day of only GIFs.
Paige Couros: That would just be the conversation if you looked at George and I's text history.
Lainie Rowell: That's amazing. Inside info folks. You heard it here.
Paige Couros: Exactly. Well, do you want me to grab the kids?
Lainie Rowell: I do. If we can, that would be great. Before we try and get some cameos in here, just let us know what's the best. Well let us know. I know how to get ahold of you. Let the listeners know how they can reach out for your wonderfulness.
Paige Couros: Well they can on Twitter, I'm @PaigeCouros and on Instagram you can follow my play account @teach me.mom, and Facebook is just my name. Paige Couros. But most of the stuff that I post on @Teach.Me.Mom is like activities and stuff. So if you have little ones, come join me there. That's awesome. And then we also have an Instagram account for IMpress. It's just IMpress.lp and you can come see our books there.
We have a website and stuff. And then if you're interested in writing, you can get some ideas and reach out.
Lainie Rowell: And I highly recommend writing for IMpress. This has been the most joyful experience of my professional life. So...
Paige Couros: well, and you're, you're so passionate about your topic, so we're appreciative of having you because that's what, that's the goal, right?
Yeah. That's, that's the good stuff.
Lainie Rowell: You wanna love what you're writing about cuz you should be with a book for a long time. That's the hope. You wanna love it. All right, let's see if we can get some cameos in here.
Paige Couros: I'll get the children.
Lainie Rowell: Sounds good.
Paige Couros: Can you hear us?
Lainie Rowell: Yes.
Paige Couros: Okay. There we go. We've got Mr. Marino here.
Lainie Rowell: Hi, Marino. Oh, Kallea, that was such a sweet kiss. What a good big sister!
Paige Couros: She is the best big sister.
That's amazing. How are you, sweet girl?
Kallea Couros: Good. How are you, Lainie?
Lainie Rowell: I'm doing so well. Thank you. I'm even better now that I get to see all of you. Where's Georgia? She's a hard pass?
Paige Couros: She's done her podcast career. She was on George's and she's like, mom, I'm, I'm good.
Lainie Rowell: I know. I was just gonna say, well, Kallea's, you've been on your dad's, right?
Kallea Couros: Mm-hmm.
Lainie Rowell: Like a while ago, but yeah, Georgia just did it. Yes. And so I'm just gonna point out that today, Kallea, was your mom's first podcast. And this is your second.
Paige Couros: Yeah. This is your second. Yeah. And would be Georgia's second. I've only beat Marino who is 5 months old.
Lainie Rowell: Well,technically now you're tied.
Paige Couros: Exactly.
Lainie Rowell: Oh my, those of those are the sweetest faces. We're, we'll get Georgia on here next time. That's fine.
Paige Couros: He, he is the happiest, isn't he?
Kallea Couros: Yeah.
Paige Couros: He's just sunshine All he is. Sunshine all day long.
Lainie Rowell: When I see the pictures of him on Insta, it's like there's a brightness around him. I know that you're in Florida and it's bright outside, but he is just like, he is just light.
Paige Couros: Isn't he? And he just makes us smile, doesn't he Sweetie. And Kallea is the best, the best big sister.
Lainie Rowell: Now that you're the oldest, two younger siblings, is that fun?
Kallea Couros: Yeah
Lainie Rowell: What's your favorite thing about being the oldest?
Kallea Couros: I get to do things that they don't have, that they don't get to do.
Paige Couros: Yeah, you get to stay up like a little bit later or things like that. Right? Yeah.
Kallea Couros: Usually when Gia, when Gia is g oing to sleep, I'm usually watching Fuller House or something like that.
Paige Couros: Or you get to listen to a book on,
Kallea Couros: yeah.
Paige Couros: On your yo player or something. Lucky fun.
Lainie Rowell: I mean, that's a great deal. You'll be all the firsts, right?
Paige Couros: I was the baby, so I remember my brothers getting to watch tv and I would have, I'd like be in my room and I'd listen.
Lucky to be the oldest, isn't it?
Kallea Couros: Yeah. And is lucky to be the littlest cause you can't do things.
Paige Couros: Oh yeah. You get, you get spoiled a bit as the baby, don't you?
Lainie Rowell: You do. You do. Do we not call him MJ? I thought we were gonna call him MJ.
Paige Couros: We call him MJ.
We call him Mr. Blue. Cause he's got those big blue eyes.
Lainie Rowell: I didn't even know I could have a blue eyed boy. And you got one too.
Paige Couros: Yes. And George always says, but I'm Greek. I'm like, my mom is Norwegian.
Lainie Rowell: It's possible. I think was, there was a biology lesson in science that was teach how this work. I am rusty on that. I'm not able that off.
Well, what are you gonna do today Kallea? Anything fun?
Kallea Couros: I get to do kids hair today and I'm the mom.
Paige Couros: Yeah. She wanted to do a swap day where she gets to be the mom and I'm the kid, so tomorrow's the day.
Lainie Rowell: Ooh, that's fun.
Paige Couros: I told her that I only eat three things because that's what she also eats.
I like Coq Au Vin. If you could just prepare that for my lunch.
Lainie Rowell: That's perfect.
Paige Couros: Maybe a filet mignon or steak frites for dinner. I don't know...
Lainie Rowell: Perfect
Paige Couros: Lobster bisque.
Lainie Rowell: Oh, okay. These are all real easy to whip up Kallea. No worries. You're gonna nail this on the first try. It'll take about five minutes.
Paige Couros: Lainie and I are talking about gratitude. Is there something that you feel in this moment you feel very grateful for?
Kallea Couros: That I get to play with Marino.
Lainie Rowell: You're so grateful for your brother. Oh, and you get to play with him. That's pretty fun.
Kallea Couros: Tickle, tickle.
Lainie Rowell: You get to tickle him too.
That's amazing. I love that. Aww. I'm so glad I got to see you, Kallea and Marino. I'm hoping to give you an in-person hug here pretty soon.
Paige Couros: Yeah. Okay, good. Yeah. She can even maybe come, come right to the house and chill by the pool for a bit.
Lainie Rowell: I mean, if that's allowed, I would love that. Absolutely.
Oh, that is a great hug, sweet girl.
Paige Couros: he's doing it.
He like grips her hard. He loves her.
Lainie Rowell: Oh, that's so awesome. Okay. I better let you guys go, but thank you for the cameo. Thank you for popping by.
Kallea Couros: Anytime.
Lainie Rowell: Oh, okay. You guys have a great day and I'll talk to you soon.
Paige Couros: Thank you, Lainie. We'll talk to you soon.
Lainie Rowell: And now for a little bonus content. Paige sent me a voice memo and I wanted to add it to the episode. And so some more wisdom from Paige. Take it away, Paige.
Paige Couros: There's something that I so wish I would've said cuz I was actually doing it today.
And if you can really trick your mind into doing it, it's a powerful way to experience gratitude. So this is what happened. We had a good start to the day, and then it all went downhill. And I had a child who had a meltdown and just everybody's falling apart. Nobody will nap.
Everything's wrong. And then the final straw is somebody not naming names. Drew on my brand new Lululemon pants with whiteboard marker. And as a teacher, you know, whiteboard marker does not really come out of clothes like at all. So brand new and I think they're ruined. So anyways, I, I stop myself and I was like, okay, we gotta do this today.
Today is the day we do this. So what I do is I pretend that I'm an old lady. like, my kids have gone to college or they've moved out, they have families of their own, and all I want is to go back for one day and be with my littles because it was so precious and it went by so quickly and you know, so anyways, I pretend that I am myself and coming back for my one day, and this is my one day, to snuggle them and love on them and be grateful for them. And it really helps you turn around the day. And if you can just hold that in your mind for like 10 minutes and just let yourself pretend it, it like makes you grateful for them being here, the stage that they're at. And whiteboard marker on your new pants.
It's such a good lesson and it's so good for gratitude. It's a beautiful thing.
