Raising an Active Adult
This summer I had a brilliant “Ah HA!” moment with my son, James. I’ve been wanting James to get outside more, enjoy the sunshine, build a fort, run around and be active.
But mostly he just wanted to sit inside and play Gameboy or watch movies on my iPad. He didn’t have much desire to go run around outside when an endless stream of Star Wars, My Little Pony, and Super Mario Brothers could be found inside on the couch.
And who can really blame the kid? I actually HATE to be outside in North Carolina in the summer. It’s muggy, hot, and the mosquitoes are relentless. Seriously, seriously no fun.
Eventually I took a good look at my own behavior – am I being active? Do I get outside and play? Not much. The most exercise I was getting was walking downstairs to my sewing machine, then back upstairs to get lunch. I really dislike running or playing sports of any kind. Getting hot and sweaty just isn’t my thing. Bah humbug!
My big “Ah HA!” moment was realizing it’s pretty ridiculous to expect my kid to grow up to be an active, outdoor loving person when I’m not setting an example for it. I’ve gotta get outside, be active, play in the grass, and get chewed alive by mosquitoes myself if I expect my kid to want to have anything to do with it.
So we’ve started walk / running in the morning. During the summer we took a detour on the way to summer camp to walk around the town square. A few laps around the square was a nice way to start the day, and at least in the morning it’s not so hot or muggy!
Now that school is back in session we’re walking before the bus arrives to take James to school. He’s actually a wonderful companion for a walk because he doesn’t let me slack off. Now that we have a routine he EXPECTS to walk every morning. He’s also funny because he can keep a constant stream of dialog going the whole time: “Check out that bird! Oh, look at that beautiful sunrise! The sprinklers are on!”
It’s distracting and silly which is good because it keeps my mind off how much I dislike exercise. So in the end I think I’ve just gained my perfect exercise companion. I make sure we get up and leave the house early enough to walk and James makes sure we have fun along the way.
Let’s go play,
Leah
Good on you Leah! Leading by example. As parents we are the biggest influence on our future adults! I always use the phrase We are raising adults , not children
That does sound like a really great routine to share! I'm sure this will be one thing he'll remember fondly when he's grown up.
What a great experience you will have, enjoy your son, time goes by so quickly. I pine for the days of my grandkids being at my house and enjoying the yard, the garden, the walk around the block. Time is precious, so enjoy every single second, even the not-so-pleasant ones!!
Good for you for incorporating activity into your daily routine.
You are not exercising. You are getting to know your son, and nothing can beat that!!!! 🙂
Starting while they are young is important. My son started out his life in the playpen watching my back while I did custom sewing for others. We would walk at night with the stroller and he then liked being outside. Trying to make a living for your family can get in the way of fun and healthy things. Keep up the practice. Chris
Kudos to you. Memories are being made.
Excellent! Doing right by James is benefiting you, too! Plus as someone said, building the relationship is so good. AND with all the things James is noticing, your focus is going outward, and you (both) are getting to know the world around you. Win-win-win!