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Flying, Family, and the Funny Truths Kids Tell - A Conversation with Jackson Ranse

 

Ros: Hey there everybody. It's Ros here from Travel Agent Achievers. Welcome to episode 100 of the podcast. I am so excited today. I wanted this episode to be a little bit different. Not only is it the 100th episode, but it is also something that is deeply personal to me. I'm going to make it a little bit cheeky and a whole lot of real and the reason why I'm doing that is because I'm a, I, a business owner, I'm a mum, I wear lots of different hats and I'm also a travel planner, I'm a mentor, I'm a team leader, I'm a snack supplier. At the end of the day after school, I do school run pickups, drop offs, all the different things, along with my husband who I absolutely love this journey with. And I also go on a few water slides. We'll talk a bit about that later. But today, this episode I am joined by my favourite little co host and travel adventurer, my son, Jackson, who is 10. Welcome to the Travel Agent Achievers podcast. Jackson.

Jackson: Hello.

Ros: Like so many of you out there, you are not only, a travel advisor and business professional, but you might also be somebody who is at home and looking after the day to day running of a household, either with a partner or without, whatever it is for you. But for me, I wanted to share a little bit of the journey of what it's like for me in my life and why I've chosen to do what I, what I do. But also hear from Jackson what it's like as a child in a family of business owners. And I am sure that as I pull back the curtain on things today, Jackson will share his view on what it's like. He'll probably say that I work a bit too much, which I admit, yes, I do, I love what I do. He might even remember that one sports event that I haven't been to and that I might have missed a carnival, or two here and there. But I hope this episode gives you a bit of a laugh, makes you feel seen as well as a parent or somebody who's looking after grandkids or wherever you're at, at your stage of life and reminds you that whatever situation you are in that you are doing a great job. I want you to know that. So welcome Jackson. let's just Share a little bit about you. How old are you?

Jackson: Ten.

Ros: And what school year are you in?

Jackson: Five. Year.

Ros: Five at school. Have you ever listened to this podcast episode or m. You've never listened to a Travel Agent Achievers podcast?

Jackson: No.

Ros: Not even in the car with Daddy?

Jackson: No.

Ros: Oh man. Do you know what mum does? All the things.

Jackson: Work a lot and help people fly places.

Ros: So is that for my travel business?

Jackson: Yeah.

Ros: Can you give me a bit more information? What do I actually do? Do you know what my job title is?

Jackson: No.

Ros: Am I a travel agent?

Jackson: No, you help people be a better travel agent.

Ros: Okay. So do you know how many businesses Mummy has?

Jackson: Two. Mm,

Ros: What are they?

Jackson: Luxe by iTravel and iTravel.

Ros: Luxe by iTravel. So my travel business where I help people go and travel the world and I travel. No Travel Agent Achievers. Why are you here on the podcast, buddy?

Jackson: I knew that.

Ros: Oh, you knew that. Okay. So the different businesses that I operate, Luxe by iTravel. It's good to see that Jackson knows that I just work a lot, but it's definitely in the travel space, isn't it?

Jackson: Yeah.

Ros: Yeah. Okay. How long do you think you've been travelling for?

Jackson: 10 years.

Ros: Yeah. Really? Since you're a baby?

Jackson: Yeah.

Ros: Do you like flying on planes?

Jackson: It gets boring sometimes.

Ros: Yeah. What do you do when you're on a plane?

Jackson: Play games or watch the tv. Mm

Ros: Do you like the food on the plane?

Jackson: It's not the best.

Ros: What about when you get to go to the club lounge?

Jackson: That's good.

Ros: Yeah. What sort of food do you eat at the club lounge?

Jackson: Ham, and cheese toasties the dad makes.

Ros: Yeah. Dad is definitely the best at making ham and cheese toasties, isn't he?

Jackson: Yeah.

Ros: Yeah. When we go in the club lounge, what's one of the most favourite trips that we've done that you can think of, whether it's as a family or whether it's you or me. Can you think of something that you might have really liked?

Jackson: Probably Fiji. Cause like there's the water park out there and we got to stay in.

Ros: A really good room in a suite.

Jackson: Yeah.

Ros: Yeah. I remember when you went travelling with dad. Do you remember this? You went travelling with dad and you called me up and I said, oh, mate, how's your hotel room? Do you remember what you actually said to me?

Jackson: No.

Ros: You said, mum, this hotel. When I look out the window, well.

Jackson: I can see a better view of better hotel. Yeah.

Ros: I've got a view of a better hotel here.

Jackson: Yeah.

Ros: And what's the difference when you travel with dad compared to travelling with mum?

Jackson: When it's with dad it's Ibis budget. When it's with mum it's Shangri-la.

Ros: Yeah, that would be true, isn't it? Ye, yeah. Which lotter hotels do you prefer staying in?

Jackson: Shangri-la.

Ros: Okay. What about when you're flying? So there's. I remember one time when we got upgraded from India back to Australia.

Jackson: Business class.

Ros: We flew business class. So when we get on a plane now, where do you like flying business class? Business class.

Jackson: Wait. Actually first class.

Ros: Have you ever flown first class? No. So you don't actually know what that experience is like yet? Ah, do you?

Jackson: I know it, But I've look. YouTube video.

Ros: Oh, you've watched YouTube videos. So you're actually doing a bit of research at the moment?

Jackson: No.

Ros: Oh, okay.

Jackson: Right.

Ros: We've done lots of different types of trips together. So working with or travelling with mum? Because I'm a travel advisor. When I work, what's. Or when we're travelling, what's one thing that you don't like about travelling with me?

Jackson: Too long on planes. Mm

Ros: Do you think that I work a lot?

Jackson: Yeah.

Ros: Yeah. Do you know that when we do travel that I also help other people travel? So it's all the group travel and I'm. Do you think I feel a bit torn. Do you think I want to come and hang out with you? You gotta work.

Jackson: Yes. No. Yeah. I don't know.

Ros: Well, I definitely do. I wanna come and have like holidays and fun with you, but I also have to work sometimes. Ye. Do you think that when we've travelled to different places, can you list a number of the countries that you've been to?

Jackson: Ten or more.

Ros: Okay, so let's list where you've been.

Jackson: New Zealand. Yep. Fiji. Indonesia. Malaysia. India. Singapore. where did Mexico.

Ros: Oh Mexico.

Jackson: USA.

Ros: USA. Where did you learn to ski?

Jackson: Japan.

Ros: Where're somewhere that we have team Fiji. Where?

Jackson: Australia.

Ros: Yeah. The Philippines.

Jackson: Oh, Philippines.

Ros: Yeah. You've been to the Philippines quite a few times. What do you think? What is something that you've learn when you've travelled to some of these places and you've met new people? What's some of the things that you've learnt?

Jackson: Everyone's different.

Ros: Yeah. Lots of different cultures.

Jackson: Yeah.

Ros: You have to behave in different ways in different languages. Oh yes. How many languages can you speak?

Jackson: Two.

Ros: Two, three. okay. What are they?

Jackson: Australia. English.

Ros: English.

Jackson: Australia.

Ros: Spanish, Spanish and French. You can speak a little bit. Can you?

Jackson: A Little bit.

Ros: Can you say hello?

Jackson: Bonjour.

Ros: That's in French. That's pretty good. What about counting to 10 in French or Spanish? Oh, in Spanish as well. What about Japanese?

Jackson: Ichini. Sanigooco. Sh. Shii, hachi, kujuju.

Ros: Yeah, absolutely. So you learn lots of different things when you travel. Do you remember when we went to Mexico last year?

Jackson: Yeah.

Ros: And we did a family intrepid trip. And it's one of the things that daddy really loved, didn't he? Learning all the history. And do you remember when we went to a museum?

Jackson: No.

Ros: Okay, so we went to a museum after we actually checked out a whole lot of Mexico. And to make it a little bit fun. Jackson, you said you wanted to be the tour guide.

Jackson: Oh no.

Ros: Yeah, you did. And as we were touring around, what was really interesting for me was how much you had learnt on that intrepid trip. You had understood the culture, the history. And we walked around that museum and you were a great little tour guide. Do you think that's something that you might like to do when you're a bit older?

Jackson: No.

Ros: Oh, okay. All right. So when it comes to mum having different businesses and daddy too, what's something that's cool about having a mum that runs her own business?

Jackson: We get to fly a lot of places. Mm

Ros: What's one thing that you think that people might not know about me?

Jackson: She gets lots of headaches.

Ros: Yeah. That's true. I do get a lot her headaches and migraines. Anything else that you love?

Jackson: Watching me do sports?

Ros: Yeah, I do. I love being able to come to your events and to your sports. That's, that's a pretty cool thing and a really, amazing opportunity that I have as a business owner, but also as a mom and being flexible in what I do for work.

Jackson: Yeah.

Ros: Are there many other parents that get to go to, you know, as many activities as I do or as daddy does do? Yeah. Do you think they have their own businesses too?

Jackson: No. Oh.

Ros: Do they not work or do you think that they call in sick from their jobs?

Jackson: Some of them might.

Ros: Okay. I think that that's a really important thing to note that as a parent and also as a business owner, you get the opportunity to really be flexible with your work and it's really, I'm really proud that I get to do that, to be a part of the experiences for you. Cause I remember growing up and my parents didn't get to come to anything. I got to go to all of my events by myself. So you're pretty lucky to be able to have parents that are able to do that with you.

Jackson: Yeah.

Ros: Yeah. What's one thing that you think I'm really good at?

Jackson: Staying up late.

Ros: Really?

Jackson: Yeah.

Ros: What with you?

Jackson: Yeah.

Ros: Oh, okay. What's one thing that you think that I should do more of?

Jackson: That's hard cause you do a lot of things.

Ros: What about when we're on holidays? What's one thing you think I should do more of with you?

Jackson: Hanging out with me?

Ros: I do hang out with you.

Jackson: No, but like going out to like the water parks or like going in the water. Oh, getting your hair wet.

Ros: That's I've kind of let daddy do. Cause he loves the water and he loves surfing with you. So that's a really good opportunity for you guys to have some quality time together. But when we were recently in Bali, I think I went on a lot of water slides, didn't I?

Jackson: Yeah.

Ros: What was funny about going to the water parkk there?

Jackson: You going backwards.

Ros: I went backwards. Do you remember what happened unilis viewed. I got, I got motion sickness going backwards. Didn't I?

Jackson: I get it.

Ros: You don't get it. That's cause you don't get class sick buddy.

Jackson: I do sometimes.

Ros: Yeah. Okay, let's talk a little bit about business. Right, so if you. Do you think that when you grow up you'd like to start your own business or do you think it's really hard?

Jackson: I think it's really hard, but I might want to.

Ros: You might want to. Do you think about what you might like to do?

Jackson: no, not really.

Ros: Not yet.

Jackson: Yeah.

Ros: Be a professional soccer player.

Jackson: Swimmer. Swimmer.

Ros: A swimmer. Yeah. I like coming and watching you swim. Yeah, that's a lot of fun.

Jackson: You might see me in the Olympic. Except 2032.

Ros: Ooh. Is that a goal that you're setting for yourself? Yeah, I like that you're setting goals. That's good. We overcome challenges and we keep working to towards something, don't we?

Jackson: Yeah, yeah.

Ros: Good life lesson there. Do you think that you'd like a job one day, that you could travel a lot?

Jackson: Yes.

Ros: You like travelling?

Jackson: Yes, sometimes.

Ros: What would you say to other kids? So your friends whose mum or dad work a lot but still loves them so much. What do you think there's one thing that you could say to them?

Jackson: Probably nothing.

Ros: Well, their parents still love them lots.

Jackson: Don't you?

Ros: Yeah, yeah.

Jackson: Hang out with their kids more.

Ros: You think you'd say that to your mates? That you'd be like, yeah, it's all good. They're just working so that you can go on holidays. Yeah, yeah. Allrigh quick questions. Algh. I'm going to give you some rapid fire things and you tell me which one you love more. Right. A hotel buffet breakfast or plain food?

Jackson: Hotel buffet breakfast.

Ros: The best waters slide or the best airport lounge?

Jackson: Best water slide.

Ros: What's the favourite country you've visited?

Jackson: They do.

Ros: What's the funniest thing that you've done on a holiday to mum that you think is funny? I can think of two things.

Jackson: Probably throwing a snowball at mum. What?

Ros: Yeah, I remember that. Very kinding. The snowball at mum. That was pretty funny. Yeah. I think you got a little bit shy after that.

Jackson: Yeah.

Ros: What's one rule that you would make if you owned a travel business like Mummy?

Jackson: Everyone needs to be there at 6:00 to 5:00.

Ros: Really?

Jackson: Yeah.

Ros: It make people work really hard?

Jackson: Yep.

Ros: Wow, that's a lot. Okay. all right. Last thing is Mummy and daddy both love you very, very much. We both have to work a lot. But where's the next place that you wanna go to? Cause you love travelling. Dubai you wanna go to Dubai? What's that?

Jackson: Cause it's really cool and I've wanted to go there for a long time.

Ros: Have you done any research?

Jackson: Sort of.

Ros: What sort of research do you do when you're looking at a holiday that we're going on?

Jackson: ChatGPT and what cool things are in Dubai.

Ros: Okay. What else do you do for research?

Jackson: Google.

Ros: Google? Yep. Do you watch videos as well?

Jackson: No.

Ros: Does dad watch videos?

Jackson: Yes, a lot.

Ros: He watches a lot of videos. So do you think that you could start a YouTube channel for kids?

Jackson: Yeah.

Ros: Oh There you go. There's an idea. Well Jackson, thank you for being on the podcast today and for being honest, a little bit cheeky and clever as always to everybody that is listening to this. If you're juggling work, family, school runs, business, I see you and I know that you work really hard but I want you to know that you get it. And as much as we love our family, we love our kids, wenna be there and support them and show up. We still need to do the hard work in our businesses as well. So it may not always look like you are balancing everything that you are trying to do. The things that you think are working your kids and our kids will remind us of the time that we weren't there. They'll remind us what we've learned is about being present and showing up. And it's different for every family whether you are travelling a lot or you're travelling a little, or you're there to help put food on the table, or to book that holiday. So whether it's turning up to carnivals, saying yes to the waters slide and making yourself sick, or you're sharing moments on the road together, we're building something very special. And so here's to the parents, the dreamers, and all the travel loving business owners who are doing their best. You're not just showing up, you are creating a life full of moments that I know that your kids will remember. And Jackson, I hope that the memories that we create together as a family and that you and I create when we travel together are things that you will be able to take away and remember forever.

Jackson: Yeah.

Ros: Thank you for joining me. Thanks everyone.

Jackson: Bye.