By Dr. Laura Markham
“Don’t look at it as exercise – instead, play games and have a ton of fun! The main thing is just to get outside every day and do something you think is fun. You can play sports like soccer, basketball or badminton. You can play games like freeze tag or ride a bike or do running races with your friends or family. You can go on hikes with your family or go swimming or paddling. Do lots of different things, and again, focus on having fun and doing it often.” – Leo Babauta
You’re a parent, so you don’t have time to exercise, right? I can relate. But moving our bodies is a basic part of self-care. We can’t nurture our kids with emotional generosity unless we nurture ourselves at the same time. And we aren’t fully nurturing ourselves unless we figure out a way to get physical.
We all feel a lot more energetic when we move and stretch. It actually changes the chemistry of our bodies so we’re happier, more relaxed, and our bodies are healthier. We not only look better, we feel better – and so we “act” better as parents. Exercise is the one of the most effective “treatments” for tendencies to anxiety and depression, after deep breathing and getting enough sleep. What more incentive do you need?
If you can motivate yourself to go out running, or do a yoga class online, and you can leave your kids with your partner, you’ve got it covered. But if you’re like the rest of us, you need to find fun ways to be active while you’re WITH your children. Luckily, you have children to be active with, so you have a head start!
Kids love it when you play physically with them. It’s a terrific way to add some connection and fun back into a relationship that too often deteriorates into constant correction and conflict. You don’t need to tell your kids this exercising is for you – they’ll assume it’s special family time! And if your child is spending too much time staring at screens, this is the best way to get her up and moving.
The secret is setting aside the time. Even ten minutes a day outside together is a great start during the week. On the weekend, you can plan an outing. Before you know it, you’ll have worked up to 20 minutes daily, with an hour on weekend days. Sure, you’ll skip some days. But if that’s more exercise than you’re getting now, read on.
Simply put your “Let’s Get Physical” time on the calendar. Then, choose a fun family activity that requires physical exertion. When you find something you love doing, do more of it. Soon you’ll have a whole repertoire of family physical activities that make everyone in your family happy.
For instance:
- Put on music and have a family dance party.
- Use your little one as a football; run her around the rest of the family into the end zone. Your kids will love it.
- Take a soccer ball outside and take turns chasing each other as you dribble the ball. Kids love the soccer practice.
- Play tag or frisbee with your children.
- Join your kids on the monkey bars. Great upper body workout! Who cares what the other parents think?
- Roughhouse! Play “Take off each others’ socks”, wrestling or chase games. Anything that gets your kids laughing. Laughter is a huge bonus, because you’re helping them evaporate any anxieties they’re carrying around.
- Let each person in the family take turns being the leader while the rest of the family follows, doing jumping jacks, sun salutations, sit-ups or invented moves.
- Keep any bubble wrap that comes your way in a bag at the back of your closet. On a rainy day, pull it out for a bubble wrap dance party!
- Find good work-out classes for kids online, and exercise with your kids.
