Exercise with Kids and Other Myths

Sanctification is defined as the process by which God makes you more like Him.

I propose that there are few activities in my life which sanctify me

more than taking my 4-yr-old on a walk/bike ride in our neighborhood. For proof, I've added two pictures. This is the pre-walk picture....all smiles and enthusiasm, ready to have an adventure.

I do realize that life is about the journey, not the destination, and that's a good thing, because this if I were trying for any respectable distance it would end in disaster. But come on, I do like to try for more than two blocks. Block one

is pure joy. Lauren spots a cat in a garage and stops to collect pine cones for her bike basket. Though she is slow

ing my pace considerably, we are having fun and I am even halfway entertaining the notion that I just might get a very small cardiovascular workout.

One and a half blocks in it begins to rain. No big deal, everyone's still happy. Leighanne's looking around and trying to figure out why she's being pelted with drops of water, Lauren's talking a blue streak about how this is funny. She's still happy, but knowing that she will soon reach her limit I reluctantly turn us around towards home.

This is when things almost always start going downhill....I use that word figuratively, b/c things go downhill when Lauren must ride her bike uphill. The frustration is coming on quickly and suddenly I am told I am "so mean" and that she is "never going to ride bikes again."

After half a dozen pushes to get her going and ignoring her tears, we arrive in sight of our cul-de-sac. Ah, sweet relief is soon to come for us all. Exercise is overrated anyway, right? Lauren walks her bike the remaining distance (two whole houses) and very begrudgingly takes it into the garage.

This is the post-bike ride picture....

We go inside to get started on the fingerprint art I promised her and after creating everything from ducks to reindeer with her thumbprint, Lauren looks at me and says, "You know what, Mommy? You're REALLY fun." And just like that, I'm back in the circle of trust, back in my daughter's good graces, back to being supermom.

To sum up my morning....calories burned on walk: 10. Calories burned helping Lauren: 50. Frustration level: 4 for me, 10 for her. Transition time from evil mom to supermom...about 10 minutes.