being a mom
8 Unexpected Benefits Of Working Out At Home When The Kids Are Around
My schedule is ridiculously busy, so if I have any hope of fitting in a workout I often have to squeeze it in at home. This used to be simple because I only had one kid and I could just do it during nap time. That kid grew into a non-napping three-year-old, though, and then I had another baby, and now my workouts are more like a stop, drop, and crunch in the middle of a three-ring circus. It’s difficult at times, like when I’m trying to do a push-up and one of my kids attempts to climb on my back and straddle me like a horse, but we’ve gotten so many positives from it that I really can’t complain. Here are a few of the many advantages to working out at home with little kids:
1. Imitation is the highest form of flattery, and also adorable.
My daughter has a blast trying to copy my sweet workout moves, and I swell with pride when she tries to pick up one of my weights and says it’s time to do her exercises or when she tells her grandma she loves doing “yogurt” (yoga) with mom.
2. The kids get to see you making yourself a priority.
It’s important for your kids to see you doing things for yourself and taking care of yourself. You’re a person just like they are, and knowing that will make them not only more appreciative of you, but also more confident about making their own needs a priority when the day comes that they have multiple responsibilities.