This morning, my eight-year-year begged me to let her make breakfast for her younger sister. Not a problem at all, I am all for nurturing independence, especially when it gives me a few extra moments with my coffee and the daily crossword puzzle. Despite the marginal nutritional value of her artistic medium, this toaster-ready pancake reassured me that my children understand our constant nagging about good nutrition. In this "portrait" of her sister, Cady felt comforted by the banana hair and multivitamin nose. She figured it made up for the marshmallow eyes and M&M mouth. It's not spinach or green beans, but it's a start, right? At the very least, it has inspired me for tomorrow night's dinner. I'm thinking some kind of chicken monster with green bean hair. Got any sneaky ways of getting your kids to eat green? I'd love to hear 'em!
Much like my brain, this post will be scattered. Lots going on in my mind right now, but somehow they are all connected... they're all part of the fit mama crazies I have going on this week. (The photo below makes me wonder if the kids are feeling it, too!)
For starters, I'm officially on my way to becoming a technology geek. Got an iPhone yesterday and, yes, I'll admit it's very cool. With my book coming out, it's time I get tweeted. If you're interested, I've set up a twitter account, (http://twitter.com/Laurie_Kocanda). Just getting started, so humor me!
What's next? Oh yes, penises... There aren't many in my house and I've never parented one so yesterday's child swap was pretty humorous. Took my friend's little guy to the potty and he insisted on standing... pointed that little sucker all over the bathroom, but luckily got it down before he started going. Really didn't know they required such monitoring. I had to remind him to focus the whole time... Really, who know that appendage could be so terrifying! Like a loaded gun!
Last up: coaches. Met up with my friend Chris Lundstrom (elite runner who recently made the national trail running team--yeah, Chris!) to get my fall marathon plan started. "Tell me what to do and I'll do it." Feels like a treat to not have to think about this... though I'll have to wait and see how hard he works me! It's a little late for this, but I'm sure he'll whip me into shape!
Home now and back to reality, which today begs the question, "How will I get my run in?" Right now, the plan is this: Bring the girls to the pool, meet up with a friend who says she'll watch them, and hit the road for an hour. Keeping my fingers crossed!
Wasn't planning to run any more races this year. Decided I kinda liked my low mileage, low intensity, low stress summer. Smack in the middle of really liking my "Summer of Sloth," that dreadful alter ego stepped into the picture and got me signed up for the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon.
It's my favorite marathon, so I guess it's no wonder that "other me" decided I needed to get on board. But now I'm faced with the decision of running another average marathon or kicking it up a gear to run a little faster. Sad thing is, the difference between the two isn't much anymore. So, I've decided to meet with someone to come up with a training plan and see what I can do in the little time I have. Could use a little ego booster about now. Either way, I know it's about the journey and not the destination. I've been avoiding the hard stuff for a while... I'm excited to see if it brings me more joy along the way, knowing I've worked hard.
My daughter looked at my driver's license this morning and asked me what they do when you gain weight and weigh more than it says on the card. "Why, do you think my number would be higher?" (Never ask this kind of question of a kid, they are WAY TOO HONEST!) "Ahhhh, yep," was all she had to say. Wonderful. Guess this venture might be a "two-fur": a little something mental and a little something physical.
Nothing like the honesty of kids to reinforce a decision.
I have a lot of friends who lament their busy schedules, finding it hard to make time for themselves when they are busy carting kids around from one commitment another. Truth is, if we spent a little less time worrying about our kids' league play, we might find life becomes simpler, more pleasant, and in many ways leaner than before.
“Don’t fall into the trap of thinking more activities necessarily means more physical activity,” advises Dr. Todd Smith, a family practice physician in Cottage Grove, MN.Scheduling too many events for you child can mean more time in the car, a greater tendency toward eating fast food, and an increased stress level. “It’s easy for parents to have a false sense that their kids are active.”Sometimes, Smith says, you just need to “turn off the play station or television and send the kids outside.”
Or inside as it was with Maggie yesterday... Check out her 28 seconds of rock star play--it's got more jumping and movement than you see from a number of kids at her Wednesday night Introduction to Soccer class!
It's this kind of play that gets kids excited to keep moving (especially when you videotape it and let her watch it on your computer over and over again!). If you're in need of a little activity yourself, think about joining in (I'll save that video for another post!). I promise some family moments you'll never forget.
Heck, schedule time as a family to participate in fun and energetic activities on a weekly basis. It's about togetherness. By spending family time together in an active setting, you are showing children the importance of family togetherness as well as health and fitness.
Here are 10 suggestions for keeping the fitness fire alive and kicking in your family:
1. Let the kids help develop a list of potential activities. Think about creating a list for each season of activities the whole family can enjoy together. Let the kids take turns choosing from the list each week.
2. Invest in family gear. It doesn't have to be expensive--Frisbees, bats and balls, even a water sprinkler can get the family out and running. Just make sure the kids have options and the activities focus on getting them up and moving.
3. Be patient. Use activity and fitness time to get your children excited about moving. If anyone has problems keeping up or catching on, make sure he or she doesn't feel left out or awkward.
4. Be creative. Simple tasks like washing the car, raking the yard, gardening and snow shoveling can be fun family activities. More traditional activities like walking the dog and ice-skating are fun too, but remember to keep the emphasis on time spent together being active.
5. Read books that stress healthy living. Look for books and other everyday items that include people making activity a regular part of their day.
6. Plan outdoor activities whenever possible. Get the kids out of the house. Think about setting limits for the amount of time your kids can spend in front of the television and computer.
7. Visit your local park, recreation center, or nature center. Just bringing your children to the playground on a regular basis encourages them to use their large motor skills and burn off some energy. Look for nature paths or paved park trails so kids can walk, run, or Rollerblade with you in sight.
8. Invest in the kid essentials. Buy toys and equipment that promote physical activity. Make sure your child's bike seat is at the correct height at the beginning of each summer. Seats should be just high enough to cause a slightly bent knee. Encourage and model the use of helmets for bike riding and rollerblading.
9. Emphasize fun! In order to build long-lasting behaviors, make sure kids are enjoying their physical activity. It is, after all, about building life-long habits and behaviors for the entire family!
(Saved for last because, yes, I do think organized sports are FUN! Just don't overdo it!)
10. Let your child investigate sports alternatives in organized league play. Most recreation centers offer community leagues for soccer, basketball, and more. Call your local center to get a seasonal list of athletic offerings.
Now it's your turn... What are your favorite ways you see your kids whoop it up and keep active? Are you joining in or getting a piece of the action? Post your experience here and share the fun!
I almost tackled a little girl riding around Lake Nokomis the other day. She looked nice enough, but the bike she was riding was the same kind we recently had stolen from our yard.
Sadly, Cady learned about theft firsthand last week when we realized her new Trek mountain bike was stolen from our front yard (ya, I don't wanna hear it!) overnight. I spent an hour or so the next day combing the alleys in our neighborhood, with no good clues. Nothin'.
Eventually, we'd given up any hope of finding the bike. But about two days later, Tony and I went for a run along Minnehaha Creek and we stumbled upon the missing merchandise about 3 miles west of our house. The initial prognosis wasn't good. There were some severe life-threatening injuries, but there was hope we could save it.
The bike shop we bought the bike at told us the bike's injuries were terminal and there was no fixing it, that we should say our goodbyes and prepare for the worst. When I asked if they could swing us a deal since we'd just bought the bike new only a couple of months back we were offered the deal of a life time: $30 off. It felt like a joke.
It was time for a second opinion. Lots of running around, but I'm happy to say the bike will be good as new in under a week. Of course, I'm glad that the whole thing turned out pretty okay... Cady likes to tell people about what the tire on her bike looked like, that we just happened to find it while out on a run together (while skipping church nonetheless!). We'll spend less than $100 to fix the bike, which would have cost three times that to replace.
I'm still annoyed. Suddenly, my little girl has learned one more thing about life that I wasn't ready for: that we're all vulnerable to each other, which can sometimes be a scary thing. The sex talk seems much more natural to me... at least that one made her (and me) laugh a little.
Sometimes everything just clicks. Friend calls and wants to take child #2 when you already have plans for child #1 to be at camp. The resulting 2 hour window of free time is exactly what I needed this week to get in a much-needed trail run at a park not too far from my house. It would take precise timing, however, to get there and back before golf camp was over.
Feeling quite super-mommy like, I jumped into my car (read: minivan) waved goodbye to both kids and hit the road right on time. It would be close, but what better impetus to push my workout a little. Was right on schedule until I hit road construction traffic on my way to the trail. After letting my favorite explicative fly (feels so freeing when the kids aren't around!), I made my move. Quickly, I exited the highway and realized I was right by the Honda dealer... Overdue for an oil change I called to see if they had time to squeeze me in. "If you can be here in 2 minutes we can take you." I could be there in 1. As I dropped the car off, I realized I had no way to pay... Then, another stroke of genius. Perhaps an act of God. I suddenly knew the destination of my run: home. I retrieved my credit card and made my way back to the dealer in just under an hour, even got the guy to apply the on-line coupons for me.
SUCCESS. I'd made it. Somehow, I'm pretty sure executing Plan B brought me more pride than Plan A would have. Just so happened I had a little bit of the one thing all fit mamas need: perseverance. I've co-authored a book that will be in stores in April, 2011. Hot (Sweaty) Mamas: Five Secrets to Life as a Fit Mom is filled with different tactics for moms on the move. Nothing better than living according to our values; making it work even when it seems impossible.
Would love to hear any similar stories you have...
Earlier today I was enjoying a little alone time in the bathroom. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to take in a few pages of my latest read. I didn't get very far before the door knob turned.
Evidently Maggie (now 4) thought it was a good time for a little check-in with Mom. "Mommy's going to the bathroom and wants her privacy." She got it; turned around and walked out--even closed the door behind her.
Exhale, smile, return to book.
Less than a minute later, I hear screaming from the hallway. The big white fitness ball wasn't doing what she wanted and I guess it seemed logical that I'd want to jump off the throne to help her out. "Isn't Daddy out there?"
Silence.
I think she's gone and start reading again. Then, through the door comes the book Calliou at the Market. "Mom, you know Calliou has a bulb head (that's bald head in case you didn't know)." Then, "Read this to me, Mom."
This time I lose hope. "Okay, Maggie, just shut the door and I'll be right out." Expecting a quick exit, I'm a confused when she turns around so I change my voice to let her know I really want her out.
"I'll wipe you."
My heart warms. She really must love me since she usually refuses to wipe her own ass, much less someone else's. But, I let her off the hook and tell her I'll meet her on the couch.
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