Working Out With Kids

The following is a guest post from Amy. If you think having kids means not having time to work out think again. I love her simple ideas for working out with the kids!


I remember a time in my adult life, even if it was short lived, when I could go to the gym or workout at home for hours on end if I wanted to. It was at that time that I was the fittest I had ever been in my life.

Some people would tell you that I had an exercise addiction, but I never felt it was that serious. My day went something like this wake up, go to the gym for 3 hours, shower, go to school, workout for 1-2 hours, go to work, go home and go to bed. Most days I would work out at least 4 hours a day, some days 5 hours a day. I enjoyed working out, most of my time was spent doing cardio of some sort.

Then during my Sophomore year of college I got pregnant with my oldest boy. The Dr told me that I had to stop working out because it was causing issues in my pregnancy. After he was born the 70 lbs that I had gained were all lost with in 3 weeks, most of the weight had been water weight. I tried to workout, but I knew I wouldn’t have time to do 4-5 hour workouts a day anymore. I tried to do shorter workouts, but as a single Mom who worked full-time and went to school full-time I didn’t have the time, energy or money to go to the gym anymore.

That’s when I knew something had to change because I knew the benefits of exercise and I couldn’t just ignore it. I decided to try something new to me, I would do light weights and body weight exercises at home. That worked for a while, but by the time my little guy was mobile he was all over me while I tried to get in a good workout. I didn’t feel safe using the free weights around him now that he could grab them.

I gave up on working out for a few years.

Then I decided to give something else a try because it was bothering me so much that I wasn’t exercising. On top of my body weight I would use his as well in my workouts. It would give him something he wanted to do (be on me) while I worked out. I would lay on the ground in the position to do a bench press, he would lay across my hands and I would bench press him.

Or I would lay my upper body on the ground, with my knees bent up and have him sit on my feet while holding onto my legs. I’d then lift him to a 90 degree angle. While doing push-ups he would sit on my back. I would do curls with him. Squats with him in my arms or on my back. When it came time for cardio we would either go for walks, run around the yard, dance to super fast beat music or I’d bust out the aerobics step and we’d do step aerobics together. As I would stretch he would sit next to me and do stretches too.

The nice thing about it was I didn’t have to get new equipment as I became stronger. He was constantly growing, so my resistance was gradually increasing as well. Instead of feeling like a workout it felt like play time to both of us. As he got older I also picked up some equipment for just him to use.

The past 3 years has brought change to our little family. I got married on Leap Day 2008, then in March 2009 we added another boy and March 2011 a little girl. The workouts now are interesting. Instead of body weight of one child I have two who want to sit on my back while I do push-ups. Instead of everyone using my aerobic step we have little step stools for the boys to step up onto.

I have also added weights back into our workouts. I have little 1 lb hand weights for the 2 year old and 5 or 8 lbs for the 10.5 year old. I use a bar with whatever weight I need. Our workouts still feel like play time to all of us. I think that is one of the most important things in working out with the children, to make it enjoyable so that they will enjoy it and want to do more.

Amy Welling has degrees in Physical Education and Exercise Science as well as a MSEd in Exercise Physiology. She is a SAHM to her two crazies and one little miss. She homeschools her eldest child who is in the syndrome mix (Tourette’s Syndrome, Asperger’s Syndrome & ADHD) and blogs about Life in the Syndrome Mix. When she’s not taking care of the children, her husband and home Amy is studying to take the American College of Sports Medicine Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist Exam so that one day she can return to work as an Exercise Physiologist in Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation.

How Does Extended Family Affect the Faith of Our Children

One of the reasons we recently moved to Florida was to be closer to our extended family. I grew up far away from my grandparents and wanted something different for my own children.

My family shares the same faith and while we might disagree on small doctrinal issues it isn’t something that causes tension in our relationship.

It is important to me that my children see others (especially family members) walking out their faith. For me it is beneficial to see others live out their faith in a practical way.

I love that my dad will read my kids a bible story before bed or my sister will talk about Jesus with my kids in regular conversation. My kids have seen me challenged by their aunt to read the Bible in 90 days, and the changes that ensued.  My brother will lead the families in prayer before a meal it is just something integrated in our lives and impacts most of what we do.

I realize that I am fortunate that my family all shares the same basic Christian faith. I know in many families religion can divide and cause pain and separation which children do not always understand. While no one in my family is perfect I’m thankful my kids have many role models to look to when learning more about our faith.

I know that if they have a question about something not only can they ask me or their dad, they also have a slew of aunts, uncles, and grandparents to ask!

How does extended family affect the faith of your children?

Read more about how extended family affects the faith of our children on the following blogs.

Teen Drivers or What to Expect When Your Teenage Son Gets His Learner’s Permit

No one prepared me for teenage drivers. I currently have one child with a learner’s permit and another scheduled to get his in a few weeks. Stinky diapers, crayons on the wall, temper tantrums, and snotty noses are nothing compared to sitting in the passenger seat while you child is learning to drive. I think the authors of “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” need to title their next book, “What to Expect When Your Teenage Son Gets His Learner’s Permit.”

I’ve learned a lot over the last year and a half about teenage drivers, so I though I should share this information, so that you, unlike me, will be prepared when your first born wants to drive.

Research the Laws of Your State

Each state requires something different to get a learner’s permit/ driver’s license. Shockingly, some states have even changed the laws since we got our permits! 🙂 Do not start researching these laws when your child turns fifteen, start when they are fourteen, because in some states you can get your permit on your fifteenth birthday.

I’m not suggesting your child get their permit at fifteen, but it is better to know to requirements before driving is even an option for your child.

Decide When Your Child is Ready to Get Their Permit

Just because your child can get their permit doesn’t mean they are ready. Sit down with your child and talk about what you expect from them as a driver. Let them know if you have no intentions of allowing them to get their permit immediately. Discuss with them when you think they will be ready to take the learner’s test.

Set Ground Rules Before They Have a Permit

Will your child be allowed to drive friends, talk on the phone, or eat while driving? This might depend on the laws of your state, but make sure your child knows what you allow before they get behind the wheel. Will they lose driving privileges due to poor grades? Will they be allowed to drive with girlfriends/ boyfriends? Setting boundaries and rules before they start to drive is easier than changing them down the road.

Make Sure You Have Time Available to Teach Them to Drive

Your kids aren’t going to learn how to drive on their own. They need an adult helping them make the right decisions. Before they get their permit make sure you have the time to take them out driving. I’ve known families whose children have had to renew their child’s learner’s permit because they didn’t get enough driving experience to take the test before it expired.

Kids need a lot of experience behind the wheel in different situations. Many states now require a certain number of hours to get a license, but even if your state does not, make sure they practice driving in the rain, at night, during rush hour, or in difficult conditions. You want to make sure they are comfortable in any situation before they drive without you.

Talk to Your Insurance Company

Many companies allow your teenage driver to be added to the policy for free if they have a learner’s permit, but you’ll want to let them know you have an additional driver. You might also want to review your coverage and consider lowering your deductible depending on your child’s natural ability to drive. 🙂

Budget for Additional Gas

For my daughter driving did not come naturally. When she first got her permit we had to drive on Saturday mornings in an empty office park until she was confident enough to drive on the road with other cars. It took a few months before she was able to drive without making special driving outings. Make sure you budget for the extra gas when your child is starting out, especially with the high price of gas.

Teach Them How to Fill ‘er Up

Teach your child how to fill the car with gas before they are driving alone. Discuss what type of gas you put in the car and familiarize them with pay at the pump gas pumps. This is also a good time to talk about who is going to pay for gas when they get their license.

Get a Tune Up

Make sure the car your child drives is in good working condition. You’ll probably want to make sure the brakes, power steering, and signals are working properly before an unexperienced driver gets behind the wheel. In many states your child cannot pass the driver’s test in a car that needs significant repairs.

Consider signing up for a roadside assistance program (Allstate has a plan where you only pay when you need it) for peace of mind when your child starts driving alone.

Get on the Same Page With Your Spouse

You say stop, he says go. You say slow down, he says speed up. Talk to your spouse about how you are going to teach your child to drive. If the child is hearing one thing when they drive with mom and another when they drive with dad they will be confused and less confident on the road. Mixed messages can cause your child to second guess their decisions while behind the wheel.

Relax

For many parents watching the child who set the front yard on fire with a magnifying glass get behind the wheel of the family car can be a scary thing. But a tense parent is a tense driver. You want your child to feel comfortable behind the wheel so remember to relax and gently guide them as they drive. Some kids don’t need a lot of help, but those who do need a parent who isn’t tearing off the door handle due to stress.

Try to avoid grabbing the steering wheel, stomping your foot on the floor (as if to brake), and gripping the dashboard with your hands while your child drives. Although my parents did all these things when I learned to drive and I turned out okay, it might be better to use a hands off approach.

 

Using Traditions to Build the Faith in Our Children

Faith is a big part of my life. It defines me and impacts almost every decision I make. Over the next few months I and a few other bloggers will be discussing how our faith impacts our children. This month we are discussing using traditions to build the faith of our children.

Since we are talking about faith I better be honest, I stink at faith based traditions. I really do! In my mind I have grand plans about creating an advent calendar from felt, or taking food to the homeless on Thanksgiving, or creating special gifts on birthdays or special occasions that emphasize our faith. But I don’t, life usually gets in the way and we are opening six of the Playmobil Advent Calendar boxes on Christmas Eve!

When I realized that our first post was about traditions and after wracking my brain for several days and not coming up with ANYTHING I started to panic. In fact I put off writing the post because I couldn’t think of anything to say. But as I sat down, last minute to write, something popped into my head.

Just because I’m not great at faith based traditions doesn’t mean our family traditions don’t build our children’s faith. When I read the topic for this post I kept thinking that the traditions needed to be about our faith, but the more I thought about it the more I realized that traditions in general are good for families and can be used to build faith, even if they have nothing to do with religion.

My faith is built on a relationship with Jesus, so building a relationship with my children teaches them about relationships. Even though I fail my children repeatedly, unlike Jesus, it is my hope that through my relationship with them, they get a glimpse of what a relationship with Jesus is all about.

So, where do traditions fit in to all of this? Our family uses traditions to build relationships and experiences with our kids. For years we stayed at the same hotel on the drive home from Florida. We cut down a Christmas tree every year on Thanksgiving weekend. We eat pizza on Fridays and we open a gift on Christmas Eve. If you are sick and go to the doctor you get an ice cream on the way home. My children look forward to these traditions and are disappointed when we have to skip one.

These traditions help strengthen the bond between my husband and I and our children. It is one more thing in common we have with each other, one more story we have to share, one more memory to cherish. And it is through my relationship with my children that I have the opportunity to share my faith with them. If I had no foundation my words would fall on deaf ears.

I am thankful and blessed that I have two teenagers who still want to sit on my bed and talk at 11:30 pm. I’m thankful I have little children who ask questions about our faith on a daily basis. These things wouldn’t be possible if we didn’t make relationships with our children a priority. Creating traditions with your children is just one way to strengthen family bonds. They don’t have to be faith based to build faith. If your faith is central to your family then traditions that might seem unrelated to your faith actually build it by drawing your family closer together.

Read what these awesome moms have to say about using traditions to build the faith of their children.

Simple Ways to Take Great Photos of Your Children

Summertime provides great opportunities to capture fun images of your children. In my home, the walls are filled with candid photos of my kids (most of them taken by me) instead of expensive artwork. It’s easy to take great photos of your children with these simple tips.

Don’t Use a Flash Outside

You don’t need it to capture a great photo. Cloudy days are better for photos than bright sunny days because the clouds diffuse the sun’s light.

Don’t Center Your Kids in the Shot

rule of thirds

Remember the rule of thirds when taking a picture. My personal opinion is to have your child on the right side of the shot since the eye moves from left to right.

Get Close

Close-up photos look great when enlarged and framed. A solid colored background (like grass) keeps the attention on the face, not the surroundings.

Think Outside the Box

You don’t always need to capture a photo of their smiling faces. Different is good.

Get on Their Level

Kids are short, you aren’t. If you are always standing up taking photos of your children the pictures will show the same downward angle. Get to their level by sitting or laying on the ground while taking the photo.

What are some of your tips for capturing a great photo of the kids?

Cora and Kit: 2 Years

Cora and Kit

Can you believe it has been a year since I took a Cora and Kit picture? I almost didn’t get one today because Cora is now afraid of Kit!

For those of you who are new to my site, when Cora was born she was smaller than Kit. I took a picture of the two of them together each month for her first year.

1 week

1 month

2 months

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

8 Months

Photobucket


9 months

10 months

11 months

cora and kit

1 year

Cora and Kit

2 years


Happy Birthday Cora Jane!

Cora’s Chores

As you know I encourage my kids to help with chores around the house when they are very young. Recently Cora took it upon herself to “help” load the dishwasher.

She took all the dirty dishes out of the dishwasher and put them in the sink, every last dish, including the silverware. She then took out the cup drawer and loaded all the clean cups into the dishwasher.

I must say I am impressed at her passion for chores and thankful she didn’t put the clean dishes on top of the dirty dishes.

Be a Yes Mom

When your children ask you a question is your first response more likely to be yes, or no?  For many years my first response was always no.

“No- you cannot have a snack, no – you cannot paint, no – you cannot play outside, no – you cannot get out such and such toy…”

Then a few years ago I read an article about saying yes to your kids more often than you say no.

The article made me realize that sometimes when I said no it was because of my own desires, my own selfishness. I am not talking about saying no to playing with matches or riding their bikes across the interstate. These were little things they wanted to do, that might have inconvenienced me, just a tiny bit. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted my no’s to be about big things, so that my children understood that my no’s were a big deal. Sometimes, we say no to our children with such frequency, that they stop asking, or even worse don’t take our no’s seriously.

I wish I could say that after reading the article, I immediately began saying yes more often to my children, but that would be untrue. I struggled with putting their wants above my wants. Instead of saying no I would say; maybe, in a minute, perhaps in a while, or let me think about it. Then one day my young son responded to my “in a minute” by looking at his older brother and saying, “you know what that means….. no!” I realized I hadn’t changed my ways at all, I just changed my method.

I still am not the yes mom that I would like to be, but I say yes a whole lot more. I am more open to painting projects, crafts, baking, science experiments, and play-do. I am more willing to stop what I’m doing and watch a puppet show or read someone a book. I have learned to draw princesses and fairies and can color a mean picture. I have even put aside my fears and helped catch bugs, lizards, frogs, and other critters my boys find fascinating. I might never have a love for all things green and slimy as they do, but my interest lies in them and what makes them happy.

Today, when your little one asks you a question and you are tempted to say no, say yes. Your children will be pleasantly surprised.

This post was originally published November 2008.