Mommy dilemma

time2wrk

Ok, I have been trying to encourage my 15 year old to work out more. He does great during basketball season, but then slacks off the rest of the year. He is too old for that now and I want him to develop good exercise habits for LIFE, not just for basketball.

So, he says he wants to go to spinning class with me tomorrow at 9:30 AM. Yay! Problem is, I have been doing my double workouts on Tuesday and Wednesday, and I already have to not do it Wednesday because of work. The other class I want to do is BEFORE spinning. So, I either 1) Only do the 30 minute spinning class; 2) Make him hang out at the gym for an extra hour before spinning; or 3) Give him a couple bucks to get a fruit smoothie at the shop downstairs from the gym so he can hang out there until spinning starts and hope he doesn't hurl during the class from the smoothie.


Which of these evil choices should I go with??? Vote, please!!!! :ohwell:

time2wrk

Ok, I have been trying to encourage my 15 year old to work out more. He does great during basketball season, but then slacks off the rest of the year. He is too old for that now and I want him to develop good exercise habits for LIFE, not just for basketball.

So, he says he wants to go to spinning class with me tomorrow at 9:30 AM. Yay! Problem is, I have been doing my double workouts on Tuesday and Wednesday, and I already have to not do it Wednesday because of work. The other class I want to do is BEFORE spinning. So, I either 1) Only do the 30 minute spinning class; 2) Make him hang out at the gym for an extra hour before spinning; or 3) Give him a couple bucks to get a fruit smoothie at the shop downstairs from the gym so he can hang out there until spinning starts and hope he doesn't hurl during the class from the smoothie.


Which of these evil choices should I go with??? Vote, please!!!! :ohwell:

HappyathomeMN

If it wasn't for the other people in the class, I would vote for the smoothie option . . . . . but I think he is probably old enough to just sit tight and hang out while you get in your double workout. Then he can see how really tough mom is with the two workouts back to back. Cause you KNOW that spin class is going to kick his a**.

:flowerforyou:

time2wrk

If it wasn't for the other people in the class, I would vote for the smoothie option . . . . . but I think he is probably old enough to just sit tight and hang out while you get in your double workout. Then he can see how really tough mom is with the two workouts back to back. Cause you KNOW that spin class is going to kick his a**.

:flowerforyou:

Oh, it will. :laugh: He's done it before, and I think the reason he hasn't wanted to go back until now is that he was SURPRISED that it was so hard! I'm sure he figured anything Mom does can't be very hard!

PrincessLaundry

Hokay a few things...IMHO...

What is your goal? You have two here...
1. For your child to get a good workout to stay fit.
2. For you to workout.

Which one is the priority? IMHO if you want you kid to workout with you and he agrees, then get him moving with you first. Then after a few times, have him adapt to your schedule. That is great that he is interested in what you are doing! Sometimes my activities include kicking a soccer ball all around our land for 30 minutes just because that is what the kids agree to do. Now I can get my kids to do almost any activity.

Another thing...You are encouraging your child to get healthy...If you feed him at the gym, isn't that stuffing his tummy with extra calories for no reason? I also feel that when I "treat" my family after working out, I am sending the wrong message. You workout, here, take food to reward yourself...which is what I did all the time and rewarded myself with 50 pounds!!! Errrrr...That's no fun!

Anyway...My son turns 11 in a few days and my daughter just turned 6 a few days ago...I am so with you on this struggle. It is a daily pull that I feel...Let me know if you have any ideas on how else you keep your son active. I am always looking for ideas!

time2wrk

Princess, that is true about the food usually, but my thought actually was that he would get a relatively healthy breakfast, because if I make him go early with me there is no WAY he is going to eat before we leave the house. I will be lucky his eyes are open enough to get the contacts in! :laugh:

I like the soccer ball idea. Unfortunately, basketball is all he likes and I STINK at it! Love it, but can't play to save my life.

I think that is the hardest part is that BOTH the goals you mentioned are sooo important!!!!

AJCM

What if you encourage your son to wander to weights area, and do a little strength training before the spinning class? He could probably do a cardio warm up, then some strength, and THEN spinning - those kids have so much energy!

Just a thought!
:flowerforyou:

PrincessLaundry

Princess, that is true about the food usually, but my thought actually was that he would get a relatively healthy breakfast, because if I make him go early with me there is no WAY he is going to eat before we leave the house. I will be lucky his eyes are open enough to get the contacts in! :laugh:

I like the soccer ball idea. Unfortunately, basketball is all he likes and I STINK at it! Love it, but can't play to save my life.

I think that is the hardest part is that BOTH the goals you mentioned are sooo important!!!!

I re-read my post...Nope...nowhere in there did I say I was any good at soccer girlie!!! :laugh: (You know I'm kidding, right?) But I stink! I stink so bad at soccer, if they opened up the field and said aim for whatever zone you wish...I couldn't hit the line marking the outside field without missing at least 15 times! :laugh: :laugh:

Hokay, so you and only you will know what will work. Here might be a fun idea to try someday on the basket ball thing. My husband LOVES baseball...so does my son. So he told me to HAVE my son teach me how to be a catcher! It was QUITE a workout!!! I let him direct me on how to put all the catchers gear on (I'm sure just putting it on and lugging it around I lost 10000000 calories! UG!GG) So I ended up squatting, shifting, catching, bending, moving, standing, and flopping all over the yard...I broke a sweat, and most of all...My son thought I was...his words, "WAY cool" for letting him show me how to catch. He even said I could be a professional if I kept up the good work! ((BUTT KISSER! :laugh: )) Anyway....just another fun thing I did with my son per some one's suggestion. It was kind of a, hey...you show me a sport, I'll show you one...you show me...I'll show you. It is really working out for us.

I feel so lucky to have busy kids who I literally use as my workout partners! If we can keep up with them, we can do anything! I love it!

casey34472

3) Give him a couple bucks to get a fruit smoothie at the shop downstairs

HappyathomeMN

Princess, that is true about the food usually, but my thought actually was that he would get a relatively healthy breakfast, because if I make him go early with me there is no WAY he is going to eat before we leave the house. I will be lucky his eyes are open enough to get the contacts in! :laugh:

I like the soccer ball idea. Unfortunately, basketball is all he likes and I STINK at it! Love it, but can't play to save my life.

I think that is the hardest part is that BOTH the goals you mentioned are sooo important!!!!

I re-read my post...Nope...nowhere in there did I say I was any good at soccer girlie!!! :laugh: (You know I'm kidding, right?) But I stink! I stink so bad at soccer, if they opened up the field and said aim for whatever zone you wish...I couldn't hit the line marking the outside field without missing at least 15 times! :laugh: :laugh:

Hokay, so you and only you will know what will work. Here might be a fun idea to try someday on the basket ball thing. My husband LOVES baseball...so does my son. So he told me to HAVE my son teach me how to be a catcher! It was QUITE a workout!!! I let him direct me on how to put all the catchers gear on (I'm sure just putting it on and lugging it around I lost 10000000 calories! UG!GG) So I ended up squatting, shifting, catching, bending, moving, standing, and flopping all over the yard...I broke a sweat, and most of all...My son thought I was...his words, "WAY cool" for letting him show me how to catch. He even said I could be a professional if I kept up the good work! ((BUTT KISSER! :laugh: )) Anyway....just another fun thing I did with my son per some one's suggestion. It was kind of a, hey...you show me a sport, I'll show you one...you show me...I'll show you. It is really working out for us.

I feel so lucky to have busy kids who I literally use as my workout partners! If we can keep up with them, we can do anything! I love it!

LOL Princess, I LOVE to play catcher, even with the gear on. I coach my 12 year old daughter in fast pitch softball, and she is my height, so I can wear the gear and show her what I'm talking about. She does seem to get a little embarassed about that though, but that fight be related to my big butt showing her what it means when I say use your "whole body" to stop the ball. who knows with kids:laugh:

time2wrk

What if you encourage your son to wander to weights area, and do a little strength training before the spinning class? He could probably do a cardio warm up, then some strength, and THEN spinning - those kids have so much energy!

Just a thought!
:flowerforyou:

I think I will try for this. If he is awake enough, he can do it. (That darn GROWING thing, he sleeps so dang much. He's grown at least 3 inches already since school got out!!!)

PrincessLaundry

What if you encourage your son to wander to weights area, and do a little strength training before the spinning class? He could probably do a cardio warm up, then some strength, and THEN spinning - those kids have so much energy!

Just a thought!
:flowerforyou:

I think I will try for this. If he is awake enough, he can do it. (That darn GROWING thing, he sleeps so dang much. He's grown at least 3 inches already since school got out!!!)

I can't wait until mine sleeps!!! He tries to stay up for hours, and then is awake just after 6:00 AM!!! At what age do they start sleeping? Please tell me it is the DAY they turn 11???? PLEASE??? :frown:

time2wrk

What if you encourage your son to wander to weights area, and do a little strength training before the spinning class? He could probably do a cardio warm up, then some strength, and THEN spinning - those kids have so much energy!

Just a thought!
:flowerforyou:

I think I will try for this. If he is awake enough, he can do it. (That darn GROWING thing, he sleeps so dang much. He's grown at least 3 inches already since school got out!!!)

I can't wait until mine sleeps!!! He tries to stay up for hours, and then is awake just after 6:00 AM!!! At what age do they start sleeping? Please tell me it is the DAY they turn 11???? PLEASE??? :frown:

Well....probably not. :yawn: :ohwell: This is my youngest and he was NOT a sleeper when he was young. No naps, and only needed about 5 hours sleep to function. Last summer (so he was 14) was the first summer he "slept in". But this summer has been ridiculous. But it has been explained by the fact that he is now AT LEAST 6' tall.

PrincessLaundry

What if you encourage your son to wander to weights area, and do a little strength training before the spinning class? He could probably do a cardio warm up, then some strength, and THEN spinning - those kids have so much energy!

Just a thought!
:flowerforyou:

I think I will try for this. If he is awake enough, he can do it. (That darn GROWING thing, he sleeps so dang much. He's grown at least 3 inches already since school got out!!!)

I can't wait until mine sleeps!!! He tries to stay up for hours, and then is awake just after 6:00 AM!!! At what age do they start sleeping? Please tell me it is the DAY they turn 11???? PLEASE??? :frown:

Well....probably not. :yawn: :ohwell: This is my youngest and he was NOT a sleeper when he was young. No naps, and only needed about 5 hours sleep to function. Last summer (so he was 14) was the first summer he "slept in". But this summer has been ridiculous. But it has been explained by the fact that he is now AT LEAST 6' tall.

Hokay, so there might be hope for my son someday to sleep...UGGG! My son is just like you described! When he was an infant he would sleep for 15 minutes, scream for 45 and I would do everything trying to make him happy. Then he would sleep or 10 minutes and be awake for another 2 hours, eat, drink, change, and be up for another hour, then sleep for 15 minutes. It was a nightmare. He never grew out of the sleeping (did grow out of the changing and screaming though...lol)...I finally have given up on his sleep. I let him read in bed now, and I go to bed. Forget it...He'll move out someday and it will be his wife's problem! :laugh:

time2wrk

Hahahaha! Just don't warn her until AFTER the wedding! :laugh: