Working out with kids...

Wwinkel
Wwinkel Posts: 34
in Motivation and Support
No really, under foot. For parents, what are you tactics for working out when you've got small children. I have a 4 year old and a 1.5 year old. Right now my work outs are an hour long and I do them in my living room. I aim for nap time of the youngest-but that doesn't always happen these days. So then I try to include them. Is anyone else struggling with this? Please add me for support and let's share tips!!!!!!!!
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Replies

  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    Both the YMCA and Gold's have daycare so you can drop your kids off right there and get your workout in. I'm sure some other gyms do too but these are ones I've used for this. I also include my 8 year old on many of my runs, and have since she was 5, by having her rider her razor scooter. And a good jogging stroller can be a big help. One of my other favorite pieces of kiddo equipment is my Osprey kids' pack. My 3 year old has ridden in that for many a mile.
  • Butrovich
    Butrovich Posts: 410 Member
    I don't have any solution, but wanted to add a little humour to the equation.

    Mike

    dad-and-kids-pull-ups.jpg
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I don't have any solution, but wanted to add a little humour to the equation.

    Mike

    dad-and-kids-pull-ups.jpg

    :laugh:

    I signed up at the gym. The free daycare was a lifesaver this Summer (my kids are 5 now so thankfully they got to school). You have to be lucky though, I tried the YMCA when my kids were 2 and they HATED the babysitters. Plus the babysitting area was the size of a shoe box, seriously. Now I pay a bit more but it's a big room and the kids like it.

    Heck now that they're in school I rarely go anymore (rather workout at home or outside, although with the snow I'm probably going to go today), but I'm still keeping my membership for school vacations...it's just so worth it.
  • ponycyndi
    ponycyndi Posts: 858 Member
    Mine is almost 2, I put him in a stroller or the playpen if it isn't naptime. He won't die. Patience is a virtue.
  • meganuhl1
    meganuhl1 Posts: 26 Member
    I have a 4 yr old and a 2 yr old. My main workout is on the treadmill early in the morning while they are still asleep. On weekends I turn the tv on in the bedroom (where treadmill is) and for the most part they hangout in there. I try to get a new dvd every few weeks so it keeps them glued to the tv due to my treadmill time being 1 1/2- 2 1/2 hrs long on wkends. If I do workout videos its usually the same with the bedroom tv on and they will occasionally play with toys in there room (no toys allowed in living room). Sometimes they chill out on the couch and watch me do videos. I figure for the amount of money I spent on treadmill and weights this is easier for me than looking for a sitter to watch them because the closet gym is a good half hour away and it doesn't have a daycare due to being a single parent.
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    I have a 6-year-old and a 20-month-old, and honestly, I also try to do it during nap time. But since nap time doesn't always happen, I tend to do my workouts after they go to bed and hope that everyone stays asleep. Trying to work out with the baby in the room has been disastrous, because she's all over the place and likes to pull everything out, so I'm either worrying about crashing into her or slipping on a toy. It's hard to focus on myself and my form when I'm trying to keep an eye on them as well.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    my gym has a drop off child care for up to two hours so I utilize that on lifting days at the gym. I watch the boys (4 y.o. & 18 m.o.) when my wife wants to go for a run (about 3-4 times per week) and she watches them when I want to get out on the bike (3-4 times per week). We try to keep it to an hour or so.
  • broox80
    broox80 Posts: 1,195 Member
    I have a 7 year old and an almost 15 month old and it is challenging. Most nights I wait until the little one is ready for bed to go exercise. I do a video of some sort or ride my elliptical bike. I am going to start doing stuff at work on my lunch break. It is harder to do when I wait so long to do it. By evening my energy is depleted! !
  • kimad
    kimad Posts: 3,010 Member
    If you are able to join the gym a lot of them have daycares. I use Goodlife and the price is reasonable.

    Also, maybe try to workout after they are in bed, or after your spouse is home to watch them?

    I hate to say it, but maybe plop them in front of a movie - it's not bad for them and you get a bonus too!
  • Wwinkel
    Wwinkel Posts: 34
    I don't have any solution, but wanted to add a little humour to the equation.

    Mike

    dad-and-kids-pull-ups.jpg

    LOL Seriously, some days that's what my work out looks like! Planking is *extra* hard around here ; ) Thanks for the great tips everyone! Gym memberships aren't in my grasp right now, but in the future they will be! Today the youngin took a long nap, and I gave the older one a science project to do--it worked! I guess if you really want it, you've got to be willing to work for it!
  • Wwinkel
    Wwinkel Posts: 34
    Oh, and I added some of you that aren't already my friends on here because we all seem to have kids around the same age!
  • ponycyndi
    ponycyndi Posts: 858 Member
    I have a six- and ten-year-old as well. They will entertain themselves, watch tv, or even "babysit" the 2-yo. (lol, they feel so grown up). I'm way too beat to do anything after bedtime. If I don't make my workout a priority, it never happens. So laundry gets put at the bottom of the list!
  • coccodrillo72
    coccodrillo72 Posts: 94 Member
    No really, under foot. For parents, what are you tactics for working out when you've got small children. I have a 4 year old and a 1.5 year old. Right now my work outs are an hour long and I do them in my living room. I aim for nap time of the youngest-but that doesn't always happen these days. So then I try to include them. Is anyone else struggling with this? Please add me for support and let's share tips!!!!!!!!

    I can relate to that. I work out at home and have a 3.5 year old son. Honestly I tried to include him but having him in the same room is both distracting (he likes to see me lift weights but he wants me to change exercise after each set to see new moves :-) and dangerous. We do not watch TV at home so what I do is schedule the workouts and do them whenever my wife is at home and can watch him.
  • jtarmom
    jtarmom Posts: 228 Member
    I love that pic :) I have 3 kids, 6, 4, and 1.5. My workouts occur at lunch when I'm at work or in the evenings after they go to bed. If it's just me and the oldest, I can usually do the elliptical while he watches TV but the other 2 are way too busy and self destructive for me to workout while they are awake!
  • DjinnMarie
    DjinnMarie Posts: 1,297 Member
    I don't have any solution, but wanted to add a little humour to the equation.

    Mike

    dad-and-kids-pull-ups.jpg

    That is quite possibly the sexiest thing I have ever seen.

    I have 3 kids. 2, 4, and 8 and a deployed husband. I work out in my garage. My 8 year old skates around the garage, my 4 year old gets on my exercise bike, and my 2 year old uses my resistance bands as a sling shot for his hot wheels cars. Besides a few cars to the forehead, its working out pretty well.

    on days that they are rowdy, I take them in the back yard and bring my dumbells/jump rope with me.
  • DjinnMarie
    DjinnMarie Posts: 1,297 Member
    I have a six- and ten-year-old as well. They will entertain themselves, watch tv, or even "babysit" the 2-yo. (lol, they feel so grown up). I'm way too beat to do anything after bedtime. If I don't make my workout a priority, it never happens. So laundry gets put at the bottom of the list!

    Haha. Today is a busy day for me. School starts back tomorrow and my house is a wreck. If my house isn't clean, mornings are BAD. So I'm making cleaning/laundry a HIIT routine. I'm doing 15 minutes in each room, with 5 minutes on the treadmill between rooms. Today is going to be a max burn calorie day.

    My christmas tree is still up....:laugh:
  • xkimberlee007
    xkimberlee007 Posts: 44 Member
    Get a double stroller! Pushing both of them will burn extra calories :) I used to push all three of my boys (6,4,3)before my oldest started school and it only took about 5 minutes before I started to sweat!
  • MiaAnjuli
    MiaAnjuli Posts: 12
    Keep at it, and they will get used to it. I have an almost 5 year old and a 2 1/2 year old. At the beginning there were a few breaks of running to the kitchen for milk. The more I do it, the more they are just used to it. I do try to set them up on drinks and snacks before hand. And occasionally have to pause for a minute or two. Also the older they get the easier it is.
  • carrieous
    carrieous Posts: 1,024 Member
    my gym has free daycare and my 4 year old loves it so much she begs me to go almost every night.

    also I have a gym at work
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
    I usd to exercise either at night or early AM. I didn't want to include my kids; it's my time. If I have to worrk about them, I can't take care of myself.

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