Listen to this:
Strange Attractor - Animal Kingdom
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Lessons
Yesterday was a bit tough and I learned some valuable lessons. On Sunday, my seven year old had taken a spill on skis which resulted in a pretty sizable cut on her face and a very swollen lip. When she woke up Monday morning, she was mortified that the blood she had seen after the fall had turned into a very unattractive scab. She then yelled at me because I had told her the blood would be gone the next day which she had taken to mean, there would be nothing there at all. Lesson one, I need to try to be understanding in these situations regardless of how frustrated I am. She's upset and embarrassed and simply wants to be mad. I've been there many times. Oh, and next time, I need to be more clear when I am explaining how something is going to turn out, no matter what I'm talking about. Later in the afternoon, my four year old refused to go into her gymnastics class, a class she has been in all year and for which she is on a team. This has happened several times over the past few weeks and yesterday I could no longer keep it together. So, I scooped her up and left in a fury, leaving behind her shoes and clothes which I decided were not worth getting, though I realized it did look a little strange walking her out with nothing on but a leotard in 30 degrees. Lesson two, let it go. I had tried every angle, debated every option, cried a little, and the bottom line was, she didn't want to do it. I had to let this one go, which is always hard for me to do. At the end of the day, I was tucking my older daughter in. She told me I looked sad. I said I was just worn out and had had a hard day. She looked at me dead on and said, "but mom, you got your run in, right?" I smiled and hugged her. I did get my run in and it was a good one. Lesson three, it's just not as bad as it seems.
Listen to this:
Strange Attractor - Animal Kingdom
Listen to this:
Strange Attractor - Animal Kingdom
That story is soooo cute and could have easily taken place in my house. My kids are so aware of my running. I bought a treadmill when my second child was born. My first child was 20 months old. When child 2 took his morning nap. My oldest and I would go downstairs, i would turn on Noggin/Nick. I would pop on my ipod to drain out Dora the Explorer (thank god for music) and she would snack on cheerios and drink from her sippy cup (no spills). Eventually, I had 3 kids and they all came to terms with my running. On weekends or if I was lucky enough to have a sitter or beg a parent for an hour, I got outside. But most "run" days were inside for about 5 years. My kids would ask - "is this a treadmill day?" or "Are we running on the treadmill." And down the steps we would all go as I couldn't trust them upstairs by themselves. They grew accustomed to 48 minutes of mom on the treadmill. If i was having a bad day and was slower generally all hell would break lose around 50 minutes. They knew. Now my kids are bigger (9, 7 ,and almost 5). But do you know, on those days when I cannot find coverage and I hop on the treadmill for my morning run, they all find their ways downstairs. They gravitate towards our "treadmill runs". They will all sit on the couch in front of my treadmill and hang out until I am done. Now, luckily with a few hours to myself almost everyday. I hit the roads again (thank god). Now as I drive them to school, they will sometimes ask me when commenting on the weather - will you run inside or outside? They know how important my run is.....I often wonder if any of them will run. They run in their sports, but I wonder if they will run like me - for sanity, searching for that runner's high, that calm. Maybe osmosis.... ASH
ReplyDeletethanks for your story becc and the comments above. I too, just had the most wonderful revelation this week that my children like to gravitate towards me while Im working out and that its OK, don't resist it. In fact instead of feeling annoyed like I have in the past, or locking the door a couple times, or yelling "this is Mommy's hour!" I now invite them to come in and hang out, do the exercises with me if they want (currently in month one of the P90x2 challenge) and we often wind up in hysterical laughter at someone's moves (like my 4 year old trying to do the "warrior" with skinny jeans on) and it makes the work out about REJOICING, which is the point....for your body, health, family, whatever!! xo dina
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