(The full transcript of this episode can be found by scrolling to the bottom of this page (but please note it’s AI-generated so accuracy will vary)
Welcome to Episode 3 of The Tortoise, the podcast that digs deeps into the possibilities of slow. I’m so happy to have you here!
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So with the house-keeping out of the way, let’s get into it.
The Topic: The sandwich generation
While not a new term (it was first coined back in the 1980s) ‘sandwich generation’ is one I’ve become more and more aware of over the past few months. Defined as “adults with at least one living parent aged 65 or older and who are either raising a child younger than 18 or providing financial support (either primary support or some support in the past year) to a grown child aged 18 or older” it’s a fairly wide-reaching classification.
I’m not sure if it’s because Ben and I are now part of the sandwich generation and therefore more aware of the pressures, or because there is a wider conversation that’s happening more openly, but it’s a topic both of us have felt drawn to talk about recently.
In today’s episode, we speak about the transition we find ourselves in - kids getting older, parents getting older, additional expectations around work, community, contribution etc - and the pressures we feel as a result. We also explore:
Why I feel hesitant to fully include ourselves in the sandwich generation right now
Why the burden of caring so often falls to women
The experiences we’ve both faced over the past couple of years that have highlighted the need to prepare for being sandwiched
Why we’re thinking so far into the future
Why the simple act of talking about pressure is proving to be useful to both of us
Whether a focus on ‘legacy’ is helping or harming us
Slow living tools that might help in navigating the sandwich pressures
Our favourite sandwiches (yes, really!)
The Reflection: How to define the different types of community
In a recent post here on The Tortoise, I asked readers to share their definitions of community, after struggling to find one that I related to. As always, readers delivered, with this gem coming from Stephanie:
I think for me there are two aspects to community. There’s one you can create, either online or in person, with like minded people that give you a sense of belonging. And there’s also a local aspect to community, that you don’t always get to choose and where people are not always like minded, but being a part of a local community of people living in close proximity, even if that’s all you have in common, is important to me.
I think perhaps the first kind of community fills you up so you can take part in the second kind (which can often drain you!). Community is about give and take, there are aspects that should fill you up but also you need to give a part of yourself. I suppose a good community is where those balance out.
I’m not over-stating it to say that this was an epiphany for me, one that I will come back to time and time again. Ben and I discuss our own definitions of community, their shortcomings and how we might treat it differently as a result of this lightbulb moment (thanks, Stephanie! X)
The Check-in: This month’s 1%
We give a quick update on our individual year-long experiments, and I share how my idea of the 1% continues to change. Ben opens up about the challenges of establishing a four-day work week as a self-employed person and reflects on expectation vs reality.
The Links
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Below is a list of relevant links discussed in today’s episode. If I’ve forgotten any, please let me know in the comments:
Are you part of the ‘sandwich generation’? Here’s what it means - Sydney Morning Herald
On introductions and community – The Tortoise
What is the 1%? — The Tortoise
The full transcript of this episode can be found by scrolling to the bottom of this page (but please note it’s AI-generated so accuracy will vary)
Subscribe to the podcast in your favourite app (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher etc)
I hope you enjoy this month’s episode, and if you have any thoughts or suggestions, let me know in the comments.
Until next week, take good care.
Brooke xx
The Sandwich Generation: Episode 3