Little kids keep you running, well not running in the literal sense but moving continually. This is how moms of very young children stay fit, alert and sometimes crazy. I am now the mom of growing kids, still young but more independent.
I ask my 4 year old if she wants to hang out with me and Tony Horton while I do his Cardio X video, I tell her it will be fun, we get to kick and punch so it will be like a karate lesson. About 10 minutes into the actual work out I am hot in my long sleeve shirt (it is only the end of what is suppose to be the sunniest, warmest, most fantasic season of the year and this is how someone living in Northern BC has had to dress through out June, July and August – I cannot bring myself to call it a summer) and I ask her if she can go up and get me a tank top (spaghetti straps) like the one she is wearing, I tell her she can find them in my bedroom (located upstairs) in the bottom drawer of my dresser. She brings me a sky blue tank top (she is also wearing a blue one) with lace trim along the chest and waist because lace is pretty. Perfect I think. Pleased I didn’t have to go and get it myself.
Later that afternoon after I have sweated to the not so soothing sound of Tony trying unsuccessfully to imitate Arnold Schwarzenegger using a slow, low and I’ve had one to many shots of steroids and other drugs Austrian accent; I think about how sweet Jurnee was coming down the stairs holding an acceptable shirt, a small victory. She is getting older, wiser more understanding of consequences both good and bad hence doing me a favour no questions asked. It hits me as they get older I ask them to do more and expect more around the house and yard, but I expect them to do things for “me” too. Can you bring mommy the phone, a pop, my book I ask all this while I sit on the couch in the same spot reading and drinking endless cups of coffee. Can you get mommy a tank top while I work out… if I went and got the tank top myself that would have been a trip up and down the stairs, get up and look for the phone, run down to the basement fridge and grab a pop, get the book from my room, bring in 3 loads of groceries from the car, instead of having my 3 year old teetering on the edge of the van trying to get down while holding a case of pop (I didn’t ask her help she wanted to because her sisters all were, but I didn’t stop her because this equals one less trip for me). I want them to learn to help, I love their help but without their help I wouldn’t need to spend an hour with a man shouting P90X over and over again while reaching for the sky with his arms spread after releasing deep squat.
I am giving myself a goal. It will be to stop myself from asking the kids to bring “me” things. I am going to try this for the next week. I will still want their help around the house but not count on them to do all the little things for “me”. Starting now….
Just before I post this I have reread it trying to find errors (I am sure there are some glaring you in the face) and realise this may be similar to an older post and apparently I have been unsuccessfull in any attempts to not have someone wait on me hand and foot. Lets face it,the rich have house keepers, cooks, and other staff at their beck and call it is something most of us enjoy. Still I am forging ahead with my plan of peeling myself of the couch to grab myself… well anything I want!
Reading, Relaxing
